C9007600 IBM Certified watsonx Mainframe Modernization Exam

Domain 1: watsonx Code Assistant for Z Overview (15%)

This section tests your understanding of the business value and the foundational "why" behind AI-assisted modernization.

Modernization Drivers: Explain the skills and business requirements needed for a successful modernization project.

Business Value: Understand how watsonx Code Assistant for Z reduces risk compared to "rip-and-replace" strategies.

Core Components: Identify the high-level tools within the suite (Discovery, Refactor, Transform, Validate).

Architecture Patterns: Understand modern application architecture patterns (e.g., event-driven, microservices) in a hybrid cloud context.

Deployment Options: Differentiate between on-premises and cloud-based deployment models.

Domain 2: Architecture and Components (17%)

Focuses on the technical "under-the-hood" requirements and integration points.

Requirements Analysis: Distinguish between functional and non-functional requirements that impact how the tool is deployed.

Installation & Configuration: Knowledge of installing components like the Refactor Assistant (often requiring RHEL 8+ and Podman).

Resource Provisioning: Identifying the hardware/software resources (e.g., IBM Cloud credits, specific Z/OS versions) needed.

Hybrid Cloud Integration: How the tool bridges the gap between IBM Z and distributed cloud environments.

Domain 3: Discover & Explain Mainframe Applications (17%)

Modernization starts with understanding. This domain covers "Application Discovery."

Code Explanation: Using LLMs (like the Granite model family) to generate natural language explanations of COBOL logic.

Application Discovery (AD): Operating the AD component to visualize application dependencies and data flows.

Application Blueprints: Describing and creating a blueprint that maps out the existing monolithic structure.

Module Identification: Using AI insights to identify which specific COBOL modules are candidates for modernization.

Domain 4: Refactor into Modular Components (18%)

The bridge between legacy monoliths and modern services.

Refactoring Use Cases: Identifying when to extract a business service versus keeping it in the monolith.

Workflow Steps: Mastering the Refactor Assistant workflow (identifying entry points, identifying boundaries, and extracting code).

Component Operation: Practically navigating the Refactor Assistant interface to prepare code for transformation.

Domain 5: Transform COBOL to Java (15%)

The core "rewrite" phase where AI generates new code.

Code Rewrite Process: Describing how watsonx uses generative AI to convert COBOL business logic into object-oriented Java.

Interoperability: Understanding how the new Java modules interact with existing mainframe services (CICS, IMS, DB2).

IDE Integration: Generating code within the VS Code Extension (IBM Z Open Editor).

Troubleshooting: Identifying common AI generation errors or syntax mismatches in the transformed Java.

Domain 6: Validate Transformed Code (11%)

Ensuring the new code does exactly what the old code did.

Validation Assistant: Operating the tool to generate automated tests.

Semantic Equivalence: Comparing the functional output of the original COBOL versus the new Java.

Error Correction: Applying fixes to validation errors identified during the testing phase.

Domain 7: Optimize Mainframe Applications (7%)

General maintenance and performance enhancement.

Optimization Advice: Using the Code Optimization Advice tool to identify performance bottlenecks in COBOL.

Capability Description: Explaining how optimization fits into the broader modernization lifecycle.