Navigating the Cloud Modernization Journey: Insights from Precisely’s Partnership with AWS

In an era where cloud technology is not just an option but a necessity for competitive business operations, the collaboration between Precisely and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has set a new benchmark for mainframe and IBM i modernization. As a Technical Architect at Precisely, I’ve had the unique opportunity to lead the AWS Mainframe Modernization Data Replication for IBM i initiative, a project that not only challenged our technical capabilities but also enriched our understanding of cloud integration complexities. This initiative is a testament to how partnerships, innovation, and a commitment to excellence can redefine the landscape of cloud computing for legacy systems.

Embarking on a Cloud Modernization Odyssey

Our journey began with a visionary partnership between Precisely and AWS, aimed at bridging the gap between traditional mainframe systems and the modern, scalable, and flexible architecture of the cloud. The mission was clear: to enable near real-time replication of mainframe and IBM i systems onto AWS, thus facilitating a seamless transition to the cloud without sacrificing operational integrity or efficiency.

Leading Innovation with IBM i Modernization

As the lead architect on the IBM i Modernization real-time replication project, my role involved navigating through the technical intricacies of both legacy systems and AWS’s modern cloud infrastructure. The project’s first phase focused on leveraging data replication offered by Precisely to enable near real-time replication of midrange data to AWS with support for heterogeneous source and target databases. It builds resilient high-performance data pipelines that replicate data changes via Change Data Capture (CDC) from midrange data stores to AWS database services like Amazon Aurora and Amazon RDS. As a result, businesses can modernize and augment midrange applications by offloading data processing, building new business functions or channels, and driving business insights and intelligence with analytics, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on AWS to speed modernization and deliver cost savings, agility, and innovation.

Overcoming Challenges: A Testament to Resilience

One of the most significant challenges we encountered was the rigorous application security (AppSec) and penetration testing (PenTest) required to gain AWS certification. This rigorous testing process not only tested our resolve but also provided a unique opportunity to enhance our product. These enhancements not only bolstered our product’s security but also its reliability and trustworthiness in the eyes of our users and partners.

Rewarding Experience and Future Aspirations

This project has been an immensely rewarding experience, offering invaluable lessons on the importance of security, resilience, and continuous improvement in the cloud computing domain. It has also set the stage for the next phase of our collaboration with AWS, which will focus on tighter integration with AWS services. This next step promises to bring even more innovative solutions to the forefront, further enabling businesses to leverage the cloud for modernizing their legacy system.

Conclusion: The Road Ahead

The journey of modernizing IBM i systems for real-time replication onto AWS has been both challenging and enlightening. It underscores the critical need for security, innovation, and partnership in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape. As we look forward to the next steps in our project, we are excited about the possibilities that tighter integration with AWS services will bring. This initiative is more than just a project; it’s a blueprint for the future of cloud modernization, showcasing the power of collaboration, technical excellence, and strategic vision in overcoming the complexities of bringing legacy systems into the cloud era.

To learn more read our solution page Precisely on Amazon Web Services (AWS).