EMA Research: Modernizing Mainframe Applications. Strategies, Tools, and Insights for a Digital Future

In a landscape where digital transformation is often equated with cloud-first strategies, mainframes remain a cornerstone of enterprise IT. This research carried out by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) reveals that rather than fading away, the role of the mainframe is expanding. The report explores how organizations are integrating these critical systems with hybrid and cloud-native environments to drive innovation, security, and operational resilience.

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What You’ll Learn From This Research

The Expanding Role of Mainframes: Why 47% of organizations anticipate an increasing role for their mainframes over the next 5-10 years, driven by the need for unparalleled scalability and security.
Hybrid & Cloud Integration Strategies: How the "Extend" strategy is enabling enterprises to integrate mainframes with distributed and cloud systems, maintaining operational functionality while supporting digital transformation.
Modernization in Place: Insights into why "Modernize in Place" remains the most prevalent long-term strategy, with 79% of respondents achieving or exceeding expectations by optimizing applications on the platform.
The Impact of AI: How the integration of AI is extending mainframe capabilities, helping organizations overcome complexity and bridge the skills gap.

Who Should Read This Report?

CIOs and IT Executives balancing the dual mandates of innovation and system stability.
Mainframe and Infrastructure Leaders looking to validate modernization strategies and investment priorities.
Digital Transformation Strategists seeking best practices for integrating legacy systems into modern hybrid architectures.

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Gain strategic insights into the future of the mainframe and its vital role in the hybrid enterprise. Learn how leading organizations are leveraging modernization strategies to turn their most reliable assets into engines for digital future growth.

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Further Resources

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