IBM Z Development and Test Environment

Overview

IBM Z® Development and Test Environment is a platform for mainframe application development, testing, demonstration and education. It enables any z/OS® software to run on a x86-compatible on-premises system or cloud instance by emulating the IBM Z instruction sets and by using virtual CPs, I/O and other devices.

Users can create, manage and deploy emulated environments for development and test activities with IBM Z Development and Test Environment Enterprise Edition—a role-based offering (providing both a web interface and RESTful APIs).

Updates on new features and enhancements

IBM Z Development & Test Environment

Gain agility & optimize

Virtualize and reset z/OS on x86 hardware for prototyping and z/OS software version-to-version migration. Gain the cost advantages of a distributed development and test system while freeing up mainframe capacity for more valuable production workloads.

Test early and often

Achieve higher quality and quicker delivery with a high-fidelity z/OS development and test environment (hardware emulation, not software emulation).

Access latest z/OS runtimes

Use a preconfigured package of IBM Z software that includes z/OS and middleware, such as CICS®, IMS™ and Db2®, including z/OS components of multiple DevOps for Enterprise Systems tools.

Build your team’s mainframes skills

Conduct IBM Z education virtually anytime and anywhere by using Intel and Intel-compatible platforms and experiment without fear of harming mainframe production environments.

Features

z/OS development and test on x86 hardware on-prem and cloud

IBM Z Development and Test Environment provides an isolated and controllable IBM Z environment running on a x86-compatible on-premises system or cloud. Build mainframe applications, implement and test code and environment changes like new transactions and resource definitions before implementing them on your IBM Z hardware. Although you can not use the environment for production workloads, you can use it for development, testing, employee education or demonstration of z/OS-based applications.

Web-based interface for self-service build and deployment

A feature used to build and automate deployment of other z/OS development and test environments on x86 hardware on-prem and cloud. Empower systems programmers to create z/OS application images more quickly, with the security and control they demand. Developers and testers can autodeploy these official images for development and test purposes with just a few clicks, giving them the autonomy and access that they need by using hardware that can easily be virtualized, cloned and reset.

Docker Provisioning (New in V13)

Added support for provisioning an emulated z/OS environment, running on ZD&T, in a Docker environment. Configure your Docker daemon to support HTTPS by using the TLS cryptographic protocol. The ZD&T Enterprise Edition offering can push a container image to it and allow you to run up to a maximum of 5 containers each providing an emulated z/OS environment and has a maximum of 100 ports available for services running on that z/OS. This provides an easy way to provision an isolated emulated z/OS environment in a container that uses features of Docker technology.

Improved User Interface (New in V13)

New UI aligned to Carbon 10 (IBM Design System) for improved user experience: ZD&T Enterprise Edition provides a redesigned web user interface that uses the latest Carbon release—IBM’s open source design system for digital products and experiences. In addition to supporting Docker provisioning, the new UI provides the same capabilities as the previous versions but is redesigned to improve the user experience and be more scalable for supporting more artifacts within the tooling and future endeavours.

Current levels of the IBM z/OS middleware

This feature comes with as-is, unsupported z/OS software distribution that includes IBM z/OS, IBM CICS®, IBM IMS™, IBM Db2, IBM WebSphere®, IBM z/OS Connect, COBOL, PL/I, C++, Java® and high-level assembler. It also includes z/OS components of multiple DevOps for Enterprise Systems tools, including IBM Developer for z Systems®, Rational® Team Concert and IBM UrbanCode™ Deploy.

IBM Z education environment

Eliminate the need for an IBM Z mainframe for employee education activities. Experiment without fear of destroying anything because the environment can be easily reset. Support multiple users with their own system for quicker, more flexible learning.

Cloud integration with OpenStack

Cloud integration is being used to drive down provision time and allow for a more dynamic environment. z/OS organizations can eliminate testing bottlenecks by provisioning a testing environment in under 30 minutes.

RESTful API for DevOps pipeline integration

Powered by RESTful APIs, automation can be enabled in the process of creation and deployment of z/OS environments. With RESTful APIs, you can integrate this function into your DevOps pipeline.

Edition comparison

Personal Edition

Enables a single user to run an IBM Z distribution on a personal computer.

Purchase now

Enterprise Edition

Enables enterprises to host an IBM Z distribution on low-cost Intel-based x86 machines.

Parallel Sysplex®

Used to enable a Sysplex environment that is running within z/VM.

License type

USB

Software-based and more

Single user

Multiple users

Scalable

Cloud/VM support

Web-based interface

Native Linux® interface

Dataset transfer support

Volume transfer support

Integration with IBM AD

OpenStack Cloud support

*Prices shown are indicative, may vary by country, exclude any applicable taxes and duties, and are subject to product offering availability in a locale.