Transformation is top-of-mind with many IT managers these days, along with pressure from all sides to meet increasing – and increasingly diverse -- service demands. IBM mainframe solutions have traditionally been your mainstay, but also one of your biggest IT budget items. Fortunately, next-gen mainframes can serve as a centralized control point and help you actually reduce overall costs, too.

That’s great news when you consider that 85% of mainframe operators say cost optimization is a top priority. They say they’re especially eager to reduce peak MIPS/MSU usage to control costs. And while it may be comforting to know you’re in good company, the real question is how can your IBM mainframe solutions help you accomplish those cost reduction goals?

Greater agility.

Most enterprises are moving toward cloud computing to save money and strengthen integration of mobile and other newly-critical technologies. IBM mainframe solutions can support that with reliably secure cloud delivery, whether you choose to establish a private cloud or use commoditized public services.

Cloud computing enables faster testing of new business ideas. And getting new products to market faster enables your enterprise to add new revenue streams sooner. That could be even more important to your company’s long-term health than simple cost reductions.

The broader trend toward hybridization means you can create a truly efficient and cost-effective IT configuration. You can stick with tried-and-true mainframes while taking advantage of new IBM products to upgrade them, or you can transition to an approach that incorporates distributed systems. You can adopt remote management or other third-party support services, from a variety of providers.

Deeper business-wide insight.

Today’s IBM mainframe solutions provide enhanced analytics capability. Better visibility and more information enable you to make smarter day-to-day decisions and more accurate forecasts. You can identify ongoing opportunities to further streamline operations, and ensure IT is fully aligned with long-term corporate growth and financial goals.

Enhanced risk management.

Small isolated events or full-scale natural disasters, any interruption in the availability or quality of services handled by your mainframes could have disastrous results – delaying time-sensitive transactions, damaging your company’s reputation, diverting resources needed to maintain growth and develop new products.

You can count on IBM mainframe solutions to provide the same high-level security you’ve always enjoyed, with additional benefits. You can be confident you’re meeting PCI and other compliance needs, and mainframes can support cloud-based disaster recovery options that provide greater protection at significantly less cost.

Increasing efficiency automatically reduces costs.

You can save time and other resources. You can reduce IT staffing or redirect work toward mission-critical activities, whether you retain all your IBM mainframe solutions in-house or outsource some or all of them. Greater efficiency makes your enterprise more productive, too, so you can generate more revenue and provide customer-facing and internal services more cost-effectively.

Outsourcing IBM mainframe solutions can reduce costs.

If you outsource, you can reduce or eliminate the need for repeated capital investment in mainframe-related infrastructure and upgrades, instead moving those funds to your bottom line – always popular with investors – or using the funds to capitalize other initiatives that will have a direct effect on your organization’s growth.

Outsourcing also enables you to reduce or eliminate a whole range of operational expenses associated with mainframe solutions, from maintenance of physical facilities to labor, supplies, software upgrades, etc. What you spend on outsourcing shows as an operations expense -- not a cost reduction but for many enterprises a valuable financial management tool.

You have to do your part.

No IBM mainframe solutions will help you reduce costs unless you:

• Fully analyze your current capabilities and understand your true total cost of ownership before attempting to compare potential change options.

• Configure your IT environment with future enterprise and customer needs clearly in mind.

• Demand reliable, timely, knowledgeable support, however you design your solutions.

Are you effectively using IBM mainframe solutions to reduce your costs?