Mainframe Integration with Data Streaming: Architecture, Business Value, Real-World Success
Kai Waehner
The mainframe is evolving—not fading. With cloud-native features, AI acceleration, and quantum-safe encryption, platforms like IBM z16 and z17 remain central to critical industries. But modern demands require real-time data access and system agility. Apache Kafka and Flink make this possible by streaming data bi-directionally between DB2, IMS, and MQ and cloud analytics platforms. This enables event-driven architectures without disrupting core systems. This post outlines proven strategies—offloading, integration, and replacement—and includes real-world examples across industries. The result: lower costs, faster innovation, and smarter use of legacy systems.
