DEVOPSdigest

Compuware Corporation announced far-reaching partnerships, a major acquisition, and continued innovation within its own industry-leading software portfolio — all in support of an initiative that will empower customers to incorporate mainframe applications into their broader cross-platform Agile/DevOps processes.

Mainframe applications remain indispensable as systems of record and as back-end support for customer engagement. Unfortunately, despite decades of progress on other platforms, mainframe code is still managed by siloed teams using slow processes and obsolete tools. This situation is no longer tenable, because the digital economy demands software agility. Also, mainframe veterans are retiring and cannot be replaced in kind.

Compuware is directly addressing this pressing issue by allowing CIOs to shift responsibility for mainframe applications to enterprise DevOps staff with mainstream skills using popular tools within today’s mainstream culture of agility and innovation.

By pioneering this shift of mainframe application into the Agile/DevOps mainstream, Compuware is enabling customers to:

- Ensure the long-term viability of core legacy COBOL applications—even as their most experienced mainframe developers retire

- More effectively and adaptively leverage mainframe application logic and associated data in concert with their other distributed/web/mobile software assets

- Better compete with new, disruptive market entrants

- Substantially improve DevOps efficiency in multi-platform enterprise environments

“If your mainframe application development isn’t Agile, your business can’t be agile,” said Compuware CEO Chris O’Malley. “Our mission is to help customers achieve that essential business agility by empowering Agile DevOps teams to master the mainframe just as they do other platforms in the multi-platform enterprise.”

In support of this strategy, Compuware is integrating with solutions from AppDynamics, Atlassian, Jenkins, SonarSource, and Splunk — all leading mainstream vendors and/or open source. These integrations will help customers include the mainframe in their broader enterprise Agile/DevOps processes by allowing IT staff to perform mainframe-related tasks using popular mainstream tools.

Compuware has also purchased substantially all of the assets of ISPW Benchmark Technologies — an Agile source code management and release automation solution for cross-platform mainframe/Windows/open systems development.

By providing end-to-end code management and release automation across all platforms, ISPW’s technology enables IT to rapidly fulfill business requirements, optimize code quality, and improve developer productivity.

“Joining Compuware will enable us to more aggressively invest in our capabilities to support an iterative and Agile approach to development and add more value by integrating into the broader enterprise DevOps ecosystem,” said ISPW President Paul Kuszyk. “By mainstreaming the mainframe, Compuware is transforming the market in a way that will give our customers cross-platform DevOps agility that is absolutely essential for competitive success in today’s fast-moving markets.”

In keeping with its commitment to deliver mainframe innovations and relevant updates to core products every 90 days, Compuware also added file and table I/O visualization to Topaz Runtime Visualizer. This visualization enables even inexperienced developers to clearly understand how COBOL applications utilize mainframe data and the specific types of calls being made.

“Compuware’s pace of innovation and clarity of market vision demonstrate that the company is practicing the agility it preaches,” said Robin Bloor, Chief Analyst and Co-Founder of The Bloor Group. “Any CIO facing the attrition of mainframe staff and insufficient mainframe application agility should put evaluation of Compuware’s re-invention of the platform at the top of their 2016 to-do list.”