New development on the mainframe started tapering off in the mid 1990's. So here's my take on IBM's list:
- 45 of the top 50 banks
- 8 of the top 10 insurers
- 8 of the top 10 telcos
- 7 of the top 10 retailers
- 4 of the top 5 airlines
All had significant operations prior to the mid 1990's and so have extensive mainframe investments that are very difficult and costly to migrate from. I know. I work for one of the top electrical utilities in the United States and at the heart of our customer operations lies an IBM mainframe. We're in the midst of launching a multi-year, billion dollar program to replace that mainframe. We've been talking about doing this for years and are just now pulling the trigger on it. There's still time to tell whether we actually go through with it or not, or get $100 million into the project and realize we're looking at a $1.5 billion - $2 billion effort and abandon the project.
I would not call this state of affairs thriving. Is the mainframe alive? Yes. Is it thriving? No. Most CIOs are looking for a means for retiring those assets.
- 45 of the top 50 banks
- 8 of the top 10 insurers
- 8 of the top 10 telcos
- 7 of the top 10 retailers
- 4 of the top 5 airlines
All had significant operations prior to the mid 1990's and so have extensive mainframe investments that are very difficult and costly to migrate from. I know. I work for one of the top electrical utilities in the United States and at the heart of our customer operations lies an IBM mainframe. We're in the midst of launching a multi-year, billion dollar program to replace that mainframe. We've been talking about doing this for years and are just now pulling the trigger on it. There's still time to tell whether we actually go through with it or not, or get $100 million into the project and realize we're looking at a $1.5 billion - $2 billion effort and abandon the project.
I would not call this state of affairs thriving. Is the mainframe alive? Yes. Is it thriving? No. Most CIOs are looking for a means for retiring those assets.