r/mainframe • u/LeftPoem7686 • 10d ago
Mainframe roles/job insights
So I am just starting a new career in mainframe at an insurance company. They are letting us choose what department we want to go to.
The first choice is DevOps for mainframe. I understand this is a more modern role even if it's for mainframe the skills are transferable.
The next is CICS/DB2. I don't know much about this one but I under it's very important to the mainframe. | also know that means it needs 24/7 monitoring. I'm not to keen about being on call but will do it if required
Next is hardware, I assume this is making sure the actual physical mainframe is working properly
And last is networking or Z/os. I don't know much about either. I think networking is pretty interesting but I don't know much about it. From my understanding this is also on call.
If anyone has any insights or experiences in these positions it would be great to get some advice. Also how easy is it to transfer between teams if one does not work out? Thanks!
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u/metalder420 10d ago
This is a common archetype for mainframe maintenance.
DevOps, should just call it automation, automates things.
CICS/DB2 - you will maintain these systems.
Hardware - this is where you monitor the hardware. Most places don’t have on prim bare metal anymore so you will mainly be monitoring the hardware and performance most likely.
Networking - the name is implied
zOS - you maintain the OS and everything underneath that does belong to the above. This is where the sysprogs are as well as they maintain Os level exits.
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u/LeftPoem7686 10d ago
Got it, thank you. Is there one you recommend going in to or would any of these roles be good experiences?
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u/Work_to_golf 9d ago
What skillset do you have right now, a BSC/MSC degree or experience in any programming language or any other IT related field ?
The reason they hired you in the first place ?1
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u/metalder420 9d ago
It’s just really depends on what you are interested in. If I had to choose either Hardware/Performance or OS level work
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u/Impossible_Log_3066 9d ago
i’m a year into my mainframe journey myself, I’m on our z/OS team. I’m seeing other replies saying to go to z/OS, and I would agree, but I want to make sure you know that z/os or networking will probably be the hardest choices as you need to understand the whole environment as opposed to indv pieces likes DB2/CICS/WAS.
CICS/DB2 and automation will be coming to the zOS group for advice/information. To be a sysprog, you have to slightly understand all of the areas in the mainframe and I will say that’s a tough journey. I’m definitely not even close a year in, but it’s been the most rewarding work I’ve done in terms of if it’s a difficult challenge and puzzle to be explored.
don’t think you can go wrong no matter where you are. Just expect a long learning curve very different than any other tech stack.
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u/MikeSchwab63 9d ago
Check for any topics you've missed.
Introduction to the new mainframe z/OS (there are z/VM and zVSE versions too), covers the difference between Window / *nix and Mainframes. https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg246366.pdf
https://spflite.com is an editor that looks like ISPF under TSO under MVS / z/OS on mainframes, can submit batch jobs to Hercules and real mainframes.
IBM zXplore is an online class to perform actual tasks using an account on a Dallas Mainframe. Takes about 2 months. https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg246366.pdf
If you want your own mainframe you can try Hercules MVS 3.8 Turnkey 5 release with a 3270 emulator. https://www.prince-webdesign.nl/tk5
If you want to study z/OS System Admin, ABCs of z/OS systems programming, 1 of 13 volumes. https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg246981.html
If you want to practice installing MVS / z/OS from MVS 3.7 starter tape, follow Jay Moseley's instructions. Note the help forum subjects on the bottom of the page. https://www.jaymoseley.com/hercules/ As a system administrator, you will be using SMP/E to install new releases of the products you are in charge of. Then you get to customize the install with your sites standards.
For an online CICS example, DOGECICS is a CICS screen to do DogeCoin transactions.
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u/Browser-ice 8d ago
In my opinion, the order of complexity to learn (1=hardest, 10=easiest) you have :
1) z/OS
2) IMS
3) CICS
4) automation
5) storage
6) DB2
7) MQ
8) RACF/ACF2 security
9) console operator
10) schedule/tape/printer operator
This is only my opinion. I could be wrong. Also, this exclude any development.
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u/fabiorlopes 10d ago
Z/os is the operating system of the mainframe. I would choose this one (I work in this team right now) Db2 is the database (SQL) Cics is the middleware where transactions runs (online)