Kyndryl & AWS strengthen partnership for mainframe modernisation services

Kyndryl, an IT infrastructure services provider, is committed to expanding its relationship with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Its announcement has introduced new capabilities to the public to integrate mainframe applications and data seamlessly with AWS technologies and move mainframe workloads to AWS. This development positions Kyndryl as a Premier Tier Services Partner with AWS, set to boost customers' mainframe modernisation initiatives.

This expansion means that Kyndryl will now support the AWS Mainframe Modernization service. This unique platform allows customers to modernise and migrate their on-premises mainframe offerings to a cloud-native fully managed runtime environment on AWS. With Kyndryl's acknowledged mainframe expertise and capabilities, customers can be expected to manage their complex transformation projects more efficiently and effectively.

To enhance its relationship with AWS, Kyndryl initiated a series of new capabilities tailored to automate the provisioning and management of AWS mainframe modernisation environments. These capabilities are expected to help customers optimise their deployments in the following ways:

Kyndryl Cloud Native Services (KCNS) for mainframe modernisation is set to streamline lifecycle management across platforms. By ensuring consistent provisioning, backup, compliance, and monitoring for mainframe applications and infrastructure, KCNS fosters continuity in modernisation, faster innovation and, consequently, heightened value for customers.

In addition, there will be application re-platforming/refactoring through integrated DevSecOps, designed to augment application engineering and developer agility on both the mainframe and AWS. This will essentially fine-tune the developer experience and hasten mainframe modernisation.

Kyndryl migration experts support application refactoring for migration from the mainframe to AWS. It is aimed at helping customers optimise mainframe applications as microservices in a cloud-native environment.

The launch also encompasses near real-time data replication between the mainframe and AWS. Kyndryl will use this feature to tune and manage third-party products to increase analytical insights from integrated data sources that customers use to solve their business challenges.

Additionally, integrating AWS environments with the Kyndryl Bridge open integration platform will provide real-time visibility and actionable insights into operational data. This will allow customers to make better plans, maximise their mainframe applications and data in the cloud, and support improved business outcomes.

Kyndryl and AWS's innovative mainframe modernisation efforts have earned praise from clients, as seen in the State of Arizona Department of Economic Security's CIO's commentary: "They continue to provide the type of innovation that is needed in the industry," noted Mark Darmer.

Steven Dickens, VP and Practice Leader at the Futurum Group, also applauded the work of Kyndryl and AWS, stating, "With Kyndryl's expertise and AWS' innovative technologies, businesses can achieve greater agility, cost-efficiency, and innovation, ultimately driving their digital transformation efforts to new heights."

Kyndryl Global Practice Leader for Core Enterprise & zCloud, Petra Goude, commented on the move as a positive step to support customers with mainframe workloads. "Our work with AWS enables businesses to increase access to valuable mainframe data and leverage new capabilities that will show the benefits of cloud automation and enhanced insights from their IT environments."

Fully supportive of the collaboration, Bill Platt, General Manager for Migration Services at AWS, offered a forward-looking perspective: "Working with Kyndryl, we're providing the tools and expertise to help joint customers assess existing mainframe workloads, identify candidates for modernisation, and create migration plans to help them identify opportunities to accelerate business value."