Although this blog has spoken many times about the importance of tending to old mainframes, installing a new one that is designed to provide wide range support can also be an opportunity to think of gradual legacy application modernization later on.
We have an example of this in the mainframe that IBM recently launched in Nairobi, Kenya. A story in AllAfrica looked at the effects this innovation will hopefully bring to that city. It has several tasks ahead of it to accomplish, including in the financial and governmental sectors, but it seems this could be the system to assist with that.
The article quotes from the Vice President of IBM Research, Dr. Kamal Bhattacharya, who spoke on the greater implications that the arrival of this mainframe could have for other areas of the country as well.
"By leveraging the mainframe's ability to sift data and deliver deep analytics, technology will be for the first time providing the scientific community in Africa with the ability to obtain a unique understanding of how technology can optimize health services in Ghana," Bhattacharya said.
There have been mainframes in the country before, as a report from KTN notes, but this System Z model carries high-functioning features like a 5.5GHz processor and the ability to host more than 1,000 virtual machines for a relatively cheap cost. It is hoped that these functions can be applied to the different problems that the country is facing.
When it's time for the arrival of a system like this, there can be big expectations, but comprehensive planning should be undertaken. This can include the necessary thought that goes into future IT modernization processes, as your project managers will need to consider how to get the most out of a mainframe once it has been installed.