Built from the Real World, Ready for What’s Next
Enterprise data teams don’t need another tool with theoretical capabilities. They need solutions shaped by real workloads, real constraints, and real feedback — from the environments they operate in every day.
That’s exactly what defines PropelZ 2.0.
This release isn’t a rebrand or a minor upgrade. It’s the result of months of direct input from customers, partners, and production use cases — capturing dozens of “wouldn’t it be nice if…” moments and turning them into tangible capabilities.
As Vince Re put it, PropelZ 2.0 is the point where all of those incremental enhancements come together into something that feels fundamentally different.
From Incremental Improvements to a Major Step Forward
Up to now, PropelZ has evolved through steady iteration — refining performance, expanding compatibility, and addressing edge cases.
But with 2.0, the accumulation of enhancements reaches a tipping point:
- ~30+ new features and enhancements
- Direct input from partners like Solix, Kyndryl, and enterprise customers
- Focus on usability, extensibility, and performance at scale
Individually, many of these changes may seem small. Collectively, they redefine how easily data can move, transform, and integrate across environments.
Built for the Way Customers Actually Work
One of the most important shifts in PropelZ 2.0 is this: it no longer assumes a single “right way” to move data. Instead, it adapts to how customers already operate.
1. Open Input and Output Architecture
Customers are no longer limited to predefined data paths. PropelZ 2.0 introduces significantly enhanced custom input and output handlers, enabling:
- Direct ingestion from non-traditional sources (DB2, SMF, external tools)
- Flexible output to:
- Databases
- Cloud object storage (S3, Azure, GCP, IBM Cloud)
- APIs or downstream applications
- Full support for:
- Binary data
- Variable-length records
- Streaming data formats
This means customers can plug PropelZ into their existing ecosystem, rather than redesign workflows around it.
2. Beyond Databases: Native Cloud Object Storage
A major shift in customer demand is clear: not everything belongs in a database.
PropelZ 2.0 makes it easy to:
- Transform mainframe data into files or objects
- Push directly to cloud storage platforms
- Support modern data pipelines and API-driven architectures
This opens the door to new use cases:
- Data lake ingestion
- AI/ML pipelines
- Event-driven architectures
- Low-cost archival and analytics staging
3. Smarter Incremental Processing
Incremental data movement is only valuable if it’s efficient. Previously, even small changes could trigger large downstream updates. PropelZ 2.0 introduces new optimization algorithms that:
- Detect true changes vs. reordered data
- Apply only the minimal required updates
- Avoid unnecessary reprocessing
It also introduces a “preview mode,” allowing teams to:
- See what will change
- Validate strategy before execution
- Optimize performance decisions
The result: faster processing, lower cost, and better control.
4. Performance That Scales with Demand
Performance isn’t a feature — it’s a requirement. PropelZ 2.0 delivers measurable gains through:
- Single JVM execution model
- Eliminates redundant runtime overhead
- Optimized Java runtime support
- Best performance on Java 11+
- Backward compatibility maintained
- Hardware acceleration
- Integration with IBM Crypto Express
- Faster, more secure encryption processing
- Multiplexer architecture (new)
- Parallel execution across thousands or millions of datasets
- Ideal for large-scale migrations (e.g., tape, archives, batch workloads)
Designed for Real-World Operations
Many of the most valuable enhancements in PropelZ 2.0 are the ones that make daily operations easier.
Improved Configuration Experience
- Multi-line configuration support (critical for z/OS environments)
- Cleaner, more readable setup for complex integrations
Operational Automation
- Trigger external processes (not just SQL) during execution
- Integrate with downstream workflows automatically
Logging & Observability
- Fine-grained log control
- Size limits, compression, rotation
- Better debugging without overwhelming storage
Security & Transparency
- Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)
- Visibility into all components and dependencies
- Alignment with enterprise security practices
Expanded Data Platform Support
PropelZ 2.0 continues to broaden its ecosystem compatibility, including:
- PostgreSQL (proven high-performance baseline)
- Apache Spark / Databricks ecosystems
- Google BigQuery
- Amazon Redshift
- Azure Data Lake
This allows teams to align data movement with their chosen cloud and analytics platforms, without compromise.
A Platform That Adapts — Not One That Dictates
Perhaps the most important takeaway from PropelZ 2.0 is this: it’s not about adding features for the sake of features. It’s about removing friction.
- Friction between mainframe and cloud
- Friction between data formats and destinations
- Friction between teams and the tools they rely on
PropelZ 2.0 reflects a simple philosophy — meet customers where they are, and make everything downstream easier.
What This Means for Enterprise Data Teams
With PropelZ 2.0, organizations can:
- Move and transform data across environments with greater flexibility
- Integrate with modern cloud and AI platforms more easily
- Reduce processing time and infrastructure overhead
- Simplify operations while increasing control and visibility
And most importantly, they can do it without rethinking everything they already have in place.
Final Thoughts
PropelZ 2.0 isn’t just a version upgrade. It’s the natural outcome of listening — closely — to how enterprise data actually moves, breaks, scales, and evolves. And then building a platform that keeps up.
Next Steps
Learn More
- Visit our Customer Briefing Center.
- Review all VirtualZ Use Cases, Thought Leadership papers, and Solution Briefs.
- Explore our YouTube channel, podcasts, and blog.
- Still have questions? Contact us.