The value of the mainframe today

• The S/360: A turning point in mainframe history
• Mainframe architecture: Secure, compatible, and still evolving
• Mainframes in our midst: You use one every day
• What is a mainframe? It's a style of computing
• Who uses mainframes and why do they do it?
• Mainframe strengths: Reliability, availability, and serviceability
• Mainframe strengths: Security
• Mainframe strengths: Scalability
• Mainframe strength: Continuing compatibility
• Mainframe workloads: Batch and online transaction processing
• Mainframes working after hours: Batch processing
• Mainframes working with you: Online transaction processing (OLTP)
• Roles in the mainframe world
• Who is the system programmer?
• Who is the system administrator?
• Who are the application designers and programmers?
• Who is the system operator?
• Who is the production control analyst?
• What roles do vendors play?
• What are mainframe operating systems?
• Mainframe operating system: z/OS
• Mainframe operating system: z/VM
• Mainframe operating system: z/VSE
• Mainframe operating system: Linux for System z
• Mainframe operating system: z/TPF

Mainframe hardware concepts

• Mainframe hardware: Terminology
• Mainframe hardware: Evolving design
• Mainframe hardware: I/O connectivity
• Mainframe hardware: System control and partitioning
• Mainframe hardware: Logical partitions (LPARs)
• Mainframe hardware: Consolidation of mainframes
• Mainframe hardware: Processing units
• Mainframe hardware: Multiprocessors
• Mainframe hardware: Disk devices

Mainframe configurations: Large, medium and small (yes, small)

Clustering on the mainframe: Parallel Sysplex and other techniques

• Clustering technique: Basic shared direct access storage devices (DASD)
• Clustering technique: Channel-to-channel (CTC) rings
• Clustering technique: Parallel Sysplex