Mainframe ThinOps: A Discussion on Getting “Thin”
Kyndryl’s Pat Stanard defines mainframe ThinOps and outlines key steps and considerations to optimize your mainframe environment
I recently lost 40 pounds by eliminating things I no longer needed in my life. I am “optimized.” This process is similar to mainframe optimization—as in a thinning of unneeded pieces of the mainframe ecosystem. Many times, mainframe environments, because they have been around for a long time, need to be analyzed for “fat” that can and should be removed or optimized.
I have talked about mainframe optimization in my past articles and the importance of running lean in mainframe environments. In this article, I’ll discuss a topic called mainframe ThinOps, which is really a subset of mainframe optimization and mainframe modernization.
What Is ThinOps?
ThinOps is a digital transformation concept that focuses on making your mainframe environments more efficient and streamlining technology operations for efficiencies of scale. ThinOps is not specific to mainframes, but it can be applied to mainframe environments. Additionally, the concept of ThinOps is a subset of FinOps, as the focus is on cost and efficiency.
Why Does Mainframe ThinOps Matter?
ThinOps is important for several reasons. First, it can help organizations reduce costs by eliminating unnecessary or redundant systems and applications and optimizing technology operations. Second, it can simplify technology infrastructure, making it easier to manage and maintain. Third, it can improve performance by reducing complexity and streamlining processes. Fourth, it can improve efficiency, allowing organizations to do more with less and remain competitive in a rapidly changing business environment.
3 Ways to Streamline Mainframe Technology Operations
ThinOps involves a range of practices, including purging technology, managing applications and evaluating efficiency. Here is a more detailed explanation of each aspect.
1. Purge Obsolete and Unnecessary Technology
Mainframe environments can hang around for a very long time, and as a result, unused or outdated hardware, software and applications can build up over time. This leads to a bloated and complex system that is difficult to manage and expensive to maintain. Purging technology means identifying and eliminating unnecessary or redundant systems and applications to simplify technology infrastructure and reduce costs. By taking a hard look at existing systems and applications and eliminating those that are deemed unnecessary or redundant, organizations can reduce costs, simplify infrastructure and improve performance.
2. Manage Applications
Engaging in application transformation by refactoring or migrating applications to reduce complexity and redundancy can ensure your mainframe application infrastructure is viable. Managing applications can help organizations identify opportunities to consolidate, replace or eliminate applications to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Take inventory of all your software applications, evaluating each application's value to the organization and eliminating or consolidating those that are deemed unnecessary, unused or redundant. Eliminating unused licenses and maintenance from the installed application base can be a big cost saver for your organization. The direction should be to focus on the applications that deliver the most value and then strategically manage their lifecycles.
3. Evaluate Efficiency
Mainframe implementations need to identify and address inefficiencies in processes and workflows. This involves analyzing the overall efficiency of talent technology operations to identify areas for improvement and cost savings. By conducting a comprehensive assessment of talent operations and developing a plan to address areas of concern and gaps, organizations can optimize their talent operations to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Measuring and improving the efficiency of your organization’s talent can increase staff expertise, revealing where additional training is needed. This will ensure that the staff has the tools needed to succeed.
ThinOps is especially important in today's dynamic business environment, where agility, innovation and cost-effectiveness are important. By streamlining technology operations, organizations can:
- Reduce costs: Save money on hardware, software and maintenance expenses.
- Increase productivity: Enhance employee efficiency by eliminating redundancy and simplifying tasks.
- Improve agility: Respond more quickly to changes in the market and customer needs.
How to Address Common ThinOps Challenges
While ThinOps offers many benefits, there are a few common challenges that organizations face when implementing a ThinOps strategy. The balance between operational efficiency and maintaining strong security practices must not be compromised. This can be challenging. ThinOps aims to reduce complexities.
In mainframe systems, planning and execution is key. Here are a few practices to consider:
- Change management: Implementing ThinOps often involves significant changes in workflows, tools and roles. Managing this transition and ensuring smooth adoption by teams can be a challenge. Make sure employees have the resources they need and focus on improving specific processes.
- Skill set alignment: Teams need to acquire new skills to work effectively in a ThinOps environment. Upskilling and training are essential to maximize benefits.
- Monitoring and visibility: ThinOps may reduce the number of tools and processes, but organizations must still maintain visibility into their systems. Monitoring, logging and analytics are critical.
- Overcome resistance to change: Employees may resist changes to established processes. Overcoming resistance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement is crucial. This is normal—it’s known as “the trauma of change.” The key to success is educating staff on why change is important and necessary.
How to Measure ThinOps Success
Measuring the success of ThinOps initiatives involves tracking specific metrics aligned with your objectives. You need to:
Define clear objectives: Clearly state what you aim to achieve through ThinOps. Examples might include agility, security, cost reduction, modernization or optimization. Align these objectives with your overall business strategy.
Identify your KPIs: KPIs should be quantifiable, actionable and chosen based on your organizational goals and might include:
- Measurement speed of new product launches
- R&D investment reflecting innovation investment
- Patents filed showing invention quality
- Customer satisfaction as a measurement of customer acceptance
Set baseline measurements: Capture data on relevant metrics before implementing ThinOps.
A Final Word on Mainframe ThinOps
Successful implementation of ThinOps should provide alignment with your organization’s goals and priorities. The concept of ThinOps leads to a lean mainframe environment both in hardware and software. Lean mainframe environments play well with FinOps processes and lead to efficiencies of scale with cost savings in a variety of areas.
It’s time to cut calories with your mainframe and get “thin.”