VirtualZ™ + AWS: Simplifying Mainframe Integration, AI Enablement, and Storage Modernization
VirtualZ Computing gives your AI and cloud platforms what they need most—real-time, no-code access to enterprise data, wherever it lives. That includes IBM Z systems, legacy applications, cloud databases—and even decades-old tape archives. As enterprises embrace AWS to accelerate digital transformation, VirtualZ Solutions for AWS, based on our patented software suite of Lozen™, PropelZ™, and Zaac™, enables AWS customers to access and integrate mainframe data securely, instantly, and without replication.
Together, VirtualZ and AWS make hybrid cloud, AI, and modernization more practical—and more powerful. Learn more about VirtualZ + AWS below, in our joint blog on Amazon’s website, our webinar, and our new announcement of support for AWS Transform.
Why It Matters: Addressing Data Access Challenges on IBM Z
Mainframe data is often the most complete and trusted source in the enterprise—but it’s also the hardest to access. Traditional tools fall short, introducing complexity, latency, and cost:
- No real-time access without expensive replication or ETL
- Siloed datasets trapped on-prem and disconnected from AWS services
- High costs and complexity tied to CDC, FTP, and mainframe skills shortages
- Security and compliance risks from moving or duplicating sensitive data
How VirtualZ Helps: Out-of-the-Box Integration for AWS
PropelZ: No-Code Data Movement for AI and Analytics
PropelZ moves structured mainframe data into AWS services—fast and at scale.
- Extract and deliver data from SMF, VSAM, COBOL copybooks, and more
- Push directly to Amazon S3, Redshift, Athena, or SageMaker
- No scripts, no replication, no mainframe expertise required
Lozen: Real-Time, Read-Write Access Without Replication
Lozen connects cloud-native apps on AWS to data that remains securely on IBM Z—no ETL, no code, no disruption.
- Enable phased app modernization without migrating data
- Feed AWS services in real-time directly from DB2, VSAM, IMS, and more
- Simplify compliance by keeping data at rest on Z
Zaac™: Instant Mainframe Storage Modernization
Zaac virtualizes mainframe storage, allowing AWS to serve as your mainframe’s disk or tape.
- Connect IBM Z to cloud or SAN storage without hardware changes
- Reduce costs and gain elastic storage capacity on demand
- Secure and compliant, with no application modifications
Now Supporting: AWS Transform
AWS Transform is a new initiative designed to help customers plan, fund, and implement modernization strategies. VirtualZ solutions align directly with this vision, helping customers:
- Accelerate AI-readiness by instantly unlocking trusted mainframe data for SageMaker, Bedrock, and analytics tools
- Simplify integration for hybrid cloud environments with no-code connectivity between IBM Z and AWS services
- Control costs by eliminating replication, reducing MIPS usage, and moving storage workloads to cloud
With AWS Transform now generally available, VirtualZ makes it even easier for AWS and its partners to deliver modernization success—without the complexity.
Example Use Cases
- AI/ML Model Training: PropelZ feeds IBM Z data to Amazon SageMaker or Bedrock for model development.
- Application Modernization: Lozen enables read/write access from AWS-hosted applications to data that stays on Z.
- Tape Retirement: Zaac connects mainframe tape workloads to Amazon S3, enabling lower-cost, scalable cloud storage.
- Observability & Compliance: PropelZ delivers mainframe SMF and log data to Amazon OpenSearch or third-party SIEMs.
Conclusion
VirtualZ + AWS gives enterprises a practical, powerful path to modernization—without the pain of traditional approaches.
Whether you’re migrating apps, enabling AI, or retiring legacy tape, VirtualZ solutions help you move faster, reduce risk, and unlock the full value of your IBM Z data—no code required.