The Open Mainframe Project (OMP), which is hosted by The Linux Foundation, released Zowe 1.0, an open source software framework for the mainframe that strengthens integration with modern enterprise applications.
Zowe 1.0 is now production ready less than six months after the project was formed. It is based on z/OS and consists of core technologies enabling modern interfaces for web applications, a new command line interface and expansion of platform REST API capabilities. This makes the z/OS environment more “cloud-like” and aims to improve integration in hybrid cloud environments.
Key features of Zowe 1.0:
- Functional extensions, integration between different 3rd party products and applications
- Updated docs that define extension points and provide sample applications and tutorials on how to integrate with or extend the Zowe framework
- New pre-install scripts that can help identify and verify the appropriate pre-reqs prior to beginning the Zowe installation process
- A Zowe API Mediation Layer that provides the foundation for a single point of access for mainframe service REST APIs and an optional single sign-on experience that leverages an organization’s existing System Authorization Facility, or SAF protocols, enabling programs and applications to use system authorization services to control access to different resources
- Additionally, Zowe earned the Core Infrastructure Initiative (CII) Best Practice Badge, which means it is following best practices and conformance in driving secure software development and governance in open source. The Core Infrastructure Initiative is a collaborative, pre-emptive program and approach for strengthening cyber security that is widely supported by industry leaders like IBM, AWS, Google, VMWare and Cisco. The CII Best Practices Badge is a rigorous assessment of an open source project’s processes and infrastructure; other open source projects that has achieved the badge include Linux, Kubernetes and Node to name a few.
“Mainframes are the foundation of businesses in every industry,” said John Mertic, Director of Program Management for the Linux Foundation and Open Mainframe Project. “Zowe breathes new life into mainframes and offers innovative possibilities for next generation applications. With Zowe 1.0, we’re developing secure, reliable and scalable computing that will ensure sustainability of mainframes for many years to come.”