Your AI Doesn’t Need More Data — It Needs Access to the Right Data, Wherever It Lives

The most strategic enterprise data isn’t sitting in your cloud. It lives across IBM Z systems, distributed platforms like Linux, UNIX, IBM i, VSE, and z/VM — and even decades-old tape archives. Until now, making that data usable for AI meant heavy ETL, fragile change data capture pipelines, and long project timelines.

VirtualZ Computing™ changes that with four purpose-built products that give you no-code, secure access to enterprise data from mainframes, distributed platforms, cloud systems, and archives — with proven results in a single business day.

The Framework: Move the Data… or Don’t

Before picking a product, answer one question: Do you want to move the data, or do you want to access it where it lives?

That’s the entire decision, and it maps cleanly to four products:

• Replicate, transform, and deliver data to AI and analytics platforms: PropelZ™
• Keep files and data sets in the cloud while mainframe apps read and write them natively: FlowZ™
• Access data in place (no movement): Lozen™
• Extend mainframe storage to cloud or SAN as native disk and tape: Zaac™

Here’s how each fits into an AI data strategy.

PropelZ™ — Replicate Mainframe Data to AI and Analytics Platforms

“I want my data everywhere — mainframe, cloud, AI platforms, and analytics.”

PropelZ is a no-code solution that replicates structured data from mainframes and multi-platform sources to any target, in any format — powering AI/ML training, analytics, and modern applications across your hybrid environment.

What sets PropelZ apart is how it keeps data fresh. Instead of relying on traditional change data capture — which depends on brittle transaction log readers, complex journal configurations, and unique keys — PropelZ uses incremental mode. It computes lightweight digital signatures directly from source data to detect what actually changed between runs. No log scraping. No journal dependencies. No keys required. It even handles unkeyed or duplicate records that defeat most CDC tools.

Use PropelZ when:

• You need to train or fine-tune AI/ML models in watsonx, Vertex AI, Azure ML, or SageMaker using mainframe and multi-platform data
• You want to deliver structured datasets to Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, or other analytics platforms
• You’re working with VSAM, SMF, sequential files, DB2, IMS, or tape archives that need to be replicated in bulk or near real time
• You want to replace brittle CDC pipelines with something simpler, faster to stand up, and more resilient
• You need secure, repeatable, no-code data replication across multiple platforms — without scripting, manual processes, or performance overhead

FlowZ™ — Cloud-Native Data Sets for Mainframe Applications

“I want my mainframe applications to read and write my cloud data.”

FlowZ keeps your mainframe data sets and files in cloud object storage while your existing z/OS applications read and write them as if they were local. No application changes. No replication. No separate copies to manage. One copy of the data, living in the cloud, accessed directly by the applications that need it.

Use FlowZ when:

• You want to keep mainframe files and data sets in cloud object storage as the system of record
• You need existing z/OS applications to read and write that cloud-resident data natively — no recompile, no rewrite
• You’re reducing mainframe storage costs by moving sequential data sets off-platform
• You want to skip replication entirely and work with a single copy of the data
• You’re supporting AI or hybrid workflows that need files accessible to both cloud platforms and mainframe applications

Lozen™ — Live Mainframe Data for AI Inference and Decision Support

“I want to keep my data on the mainframe and let cloud applications read and write it live.”

Lozen gives cloud, distributed, and AI applications direct, real-time read and write access to mainframe data — right where it lives. Your data never leaves the mainframe, never gets copied, and is always current. The mainframe remains the single system of record.

Use Lozen when:

• Your AI models need real-time inference against live mainframe data — not last night’s extract
• You’re building intelligent cloud-native applications that require live access to mainframe data without replication risk
• You operate in regulated environments where source-of-truth integrity is non-negotiable
• You want to simplify or eliminate change data capture entirely — with one copy of the data, there are no replicas to keep in sync
• You need to modernize access without modernizing storage or disrupting operations

Zaac™ — Mainframe Storage Virtualization for Scalable Workloads

“I want to extend my physical mainframe storage to virtual storage in the cloud or on-prem storage devices.”

Zaac virtualizes FICON storage so your z/OS applications use cloud or SAN storage as native mainframe disk and tape devices. No application changes, no operational changes — and no need to buy another DS8000.

Use Zaac when:

• You’re running out of mainframe storage and want to extend capacity without new hardware
• You need to displace the cost of adding another IBM DS8000 or similar device
• You’re running DevOps or AI workflows that demand hybrid access to large volumes of data
• You need to virtualize entire mainframe volumes — physical or logical — not just individual files
• You want to scale mainframe storage on demand without forklift hardware upgrades

The Decision at a Glance

Not Sure Which Product Fits?

• Decision Map by Requirement (PDF) — See which product supports each technical requirement across all four products.
• Decision Map by Use Case (PDF) — Find your exact platform or scenario: Snowflake, Databricks, MuleSoft, watsonx, Splunk, Tape-to-Cloud, VSAM-to-DB2, and more.

Or schedule a briefing and we’ll walk through it with you.

Why VirtualZ?

• No-code deployment across all products
• Proven in enterprise environments within one business day
• Compatible with IBM Z, cloud-native tools, and hybrid platforms
• Supports AI training, inference, analytics, security, compliance, and modernization
• Transparent pricing that simplifies budget planning

Ready to Learn More?

Visit our Customer Briefing Center for a series of short product videos — each under 7 minutes — that explain how VirtualZ unlocks AI-ready data for your enterprise.

The data you need is already yours. VirtualZ makes it usable.