On the heels of an important alliance with Microsoft that links mainframe applications to the cloud, Kyndryl has struck a new relationship with Google Cloud that aims to make it easier for customers to migrate their applications from their mainframes to the cloud.
The company also expanded its relationship with Microsoft, as well as Dell Technologies, in a new direction, with the goal of helping customers expedite cloud transformation projects.
Kyndryl officials said the two announcements demonstrate its commitment to helping customers address their need to run their workloads on the optimal platform.
Google Cloud announced a new service to help customers manage the complexities of modernizing applications running on the mainframe and accelerate transformation by moving those applications to Google Cloud. The relationship differs from the Microsoft relationship in that Google Cloud is looking to move applications off the mainframe to the cloud, whereas the Microsoft relationship is intended to help mainframe applications capitalize on cloud functionality while remaining on the mainframe.
Google Cloud’s new Dual Run is a mainframe modernization service that simplifies and reduces risk for enterprises migrating legacy mainframe systems to the cloud. Google Cloud cited research that shows 44 of the top 50 banks, and 23 of the 25 largest retailers, still run their businesses on mainframes, so the opportunity with large enterprises is a sizable one.
One big challenge with mainframes and migrating to other platforms is the tight coupling of data to the application layer. This means that enterprises have to stop an application for some period of time in order to move it, modernize it, or transform it. Dual Run addresses this issue by enabling parallel processing: Customers can simultaneously run workloads on their existing mainframes and on Google Cloud, allowing them to perform real-time testing while they gather data on performance and stability — without disrupting their businesses.
Once customers are satisfied with the functional equivalence of the mainframe application in the cloud, the new Google Cloud environment can be made the customers’ system of record, while existing mainframe systems can operate as a backup if or as needed.
Dual Run allows organizations in banking, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and the public sector to satisfy the needs of regulators by demonstrating compliance with privacy, security, and data residency requirements. Google Cloud has optimized the service for those industries and will deliver industry-specific migration playbooks.
“By moving mainframe systems to the cloud, organizations have an opportunity to better utilize their data, implement stronger cybersecurity protections, and build a foundation for their digital transformations that will drive their future growth,” said Sachin Gupta, vice president and general manager, infrastructure, Google Cloud. “Dual Run simplifies this process and reduces any associated risks.”
Kyndryl and Google Cloud “will work together to help modernize applications on the mainframe, enhance applications through integration with cloud capabilities, and use Google Dual Run to manage the risk of moving applications to the cloud,” said Petra Goude, global practice leader for core enterprise and zCloud at Kyndryl.
There’s an important co-creation aspect to the new Google service: Dual Run is built on top of technology developed by Banco Santander, one of the largest banks in the world. According to Banco Santander Global CIO David Chaos, this technology has proven effective in the highly regulated financial services industry, and Santander has begun utilizing Dual Run to bring data and workloads onto Google Cloud’s infrastructure.
Google Cloud’s ecosystem of partners will play a big role in helping customers adopt and implement the new service. The technology tightly integrates with Micro Focus’ widely adopted enterprise information technology (IT) modernization platform, which is available on the Google Cloud Marketplace.
Services providers — including Accenture, Capgemini, DXC Technology, Kyndryl, and Micro Focus— will provide services to help businesses build modernization roadmaps and implement Dual Run.
More Dual Run information is available at Google Cloud’s Mainframe Modernization site.
Today, Kyndryl is announcing with Microsoft a new cloud offering that combines Kyndryl managed services expertise, Microsoft Azure software, and Dell Technologies hardware to help customers running on-premises, remote, or in-provider data centers accelerate cloud transformation projects.
The new Kyndryl Distributed Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) with Azure Arc consists of Dell Integrated System for Azure Stack HCI, based on Dell PowerEdge servers and Microsoft Azure Stack HCI software. Customers will be able to transform their on-premises and remote workloads through managed, distributed cloud services and full-stack lifecycle management.
Customers can deploy Kyndryl Distributed Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI with Azure Arc in a data center or remote office/branch office (ROBO) configuration, depending on their needs.
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