Mainframe Connect

Join host Steven Dickens in this episode of *I Am a Mainframer* featuring Brahadambal Srinivasan, Technical Architect at IBM, as she shares her journey from Linux and open source to leading teams working on Linux on Z.Brahadambal talks about how her team helps maintain and port open source packages, why Linux on Z is still Linux, and what it takes to support applications on the s390x architecture. She also explains how IBM works with the Open Mainframe Project and the open source community to keep changes upstream and improve access through repositories and GitHub Actions runners.The conversation also covers her experience leading a global Gen Z team, the importance of patience in building a career, and her view of the mainframe’s future as a platform that will continue to grow alongside AI and modern innovation.If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe for more conversations from *Mainframe Connect* and the *I Am a Mainframer* series.#IAmAMainframer #MainframeConnect #OpenMainframeProject #IBM #LinuxOnZ #s390x #OpenSource #TechCareers

In this special episode of Mainframe Voices, we explore the signals and trends the mainframe community should be watching closely right now, from AI and modernisation to talent and skills. Our guests share what stands out to them most, and how these shifts may shape the future of the platform and the people working in it.We are delighted to have our guests:Geoffrey Decker – IBM Z Champion 2022–2026 | Instructor, Northern Illinois University Jakub Balhar – Engineer at Broadcom Inc. | Zowe TSC Chair | IBM Champion 2025, 2026 Brahadambal Srinivasan – Technical Architect at IBM | Open Source & Linux on Z Erin Joel Moore – IBM Z Student Ambassador The Mainframe Connect podcast includes the I Am a Mainframer series, Mainframe Voices, and other content exploring relevant topics with mainframe professionals, sponsored by the Open Mainframe Project, a Linux Foundation initiative.#MainframeVoices #MainframeConnect #OpenMainframeProject #LinuxFoundation #Mainframe #AI #Modernization #OpenSource

In this episode of the Mainframe Connect podcast's I Am a Mainframer series, J.J. Lovett, Lead for Education and Customer Engagement at Broadcom Mainframe Division, shares his journey from CA Technologies customer advocacy to leading Mainframe Open Education, Vitality programs, and practitioner engagement at events like SHARE and IDUG.J.J. tackles the mainframe skills gap head-on, explaining why it's both a navigation challenge (knowing where to find talent) and a time gap (2-4 years to master sysprog/admin roles). He highlights shifting demographics—millennials and Gen Z now dominate BMC surveys—and how Broadcom addresses this through student user groups, mentorship, and open source integration with projects like Zowe and COBOL."The mainframe isn't a job, it's a career" – J.J. advises college grads: start with z/OS Explore, embrace risks, and recognise mainframe's extensibility through APIs. He shares his vision for proactive succession planning and a future where mainframe experience makes technologists more versatile across IT.Celebrating Military Appreciation Month – J.J. represents military veterans bringing discipline and leadership to mainframe education and customer success during May's Military Appreciation Month.#mainframe #IamaMainframer #OpenSource #Broadcom #MainframeSkills #MilitaryAppreciationMonth #podcast #openmainframeproject #LinuxFoundation #StevenDickens #MainframeConnect #Careers #Zowe

In this episode of the Mainframe Connect podcast’s *I Am a Mainframer* series, **Marcus Davage**, Lead Product Developer at BMC Software and an OMP ambassador, shares how a childhood fascination with early home computers in South Wales grew into a decades-long career centred on Db2 across multiple platforms. From his first encounter with a 3270 terminal during a year-out placement at British Steel in 1988, through roles at Lloyds and into his current work in R&D at BMC, Marcus tells the story of how “tinkering” and curiosity became the backbone of his professional journey.Marcus explains how Db2 followed him everywhere—from mainframe to OS/2, Windows, Linux and AS/400—and how building deep domain expertise in one core technology opened doors across organisations and roles. He talks about being “paid to tinker” with AI and AI agents for mainframe customers today, the impact of in-transaction AI on zSystems, and why he believes the next frontier lies at the intersection of mainframe, AI, and quantum-safe computing.He also discusses his work as an Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, his Db2 Table Talk podcast for IDUG, and his outreach to universities in Wales to show students that the mainframe is a modern enterprise platform—not “your daddy’s S/360.” Along the way, Marcus shares career advice for younger professionals: stay curious, keep tinkering, and don’t be afraid to build a long-term career around a technology you love.#mainframe #IamaMainframer #Db2 #opensource #BMCSoftware #OpenMainframeProject #LinuxFoundation #StevenDickens #MainframeConnect #AI #quantum #careers

In this episode of Mainframe Coven, Jessielaine Punongbayan (Product Manager, Dynatrace) and Richelle Anne Craw (Software Engineer, Beta Systems Software) talked about the importance of conjuring a safe space for women in tech.Full Transcript here: https://openmainframeproject.org/mainframe-coven/mainframe-coven-conjuring-a-safe-space/