Mainframe Modernization: CI/CD Mastery

1. Definition of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery

2. Differences between CI and CD

3. Key benefits of adopting CI/CD in any environment

1. The challenges of traditional mainframe development cycles

2. How CI/CD can accelerate mainframe development and deployment

3. Common misconceptions about CI/CD on mainframes

1. Introduction to DevOps culture and Agile practices

2. How DevOps can enhance collaboration between development and operations teams in mainframe environments

1. What is version control and why is it important?

2. Popular version control tools: Git vs. traditional mainframe systems (Endevor, Changeman)

1. Step-by-step guide to setting up Git for mainframe repositories

2. Installing and configuring Git in mainframe environments

1. How to commit changes, create branches, and merge code in Git

2. Best practices for managing branches and resolving conflicts in mainframe projects

1. Strategies for migrating existing mainframe code into a modern version control system

2. Tips for maintaining code integrity during migration

1. What is build automation and why is it important?

2. Differences between manual and automated builds in mainframe environments

1. Installing Jenkins and configuring it to work with mainframe codebases

2. Setting up build jobs and pipelines for mainframe applications

1. Creating build scripts for mainframe languages like COBOL

2. Automating the compilation and linking of mainframe programs using build tools

1. How to incorporate automated builds into the overall CI pipeline

2. Common issues and troubleshooting during build automation

1. Benefits of automated testing in ensuring code quality and stability

2. Types of tests (unit, integration, regression) and their relevance to mainframes

1. Tools and frameworks for automating unit tests in mainframe environments

2. Writing and executing unit tests for mainframe applications

1. How to automate integration tests between mainframe and non-mainframe systems

2. Using automated regression tests to ensure existing functionality remains stable

1. Setting up automated test stages within CI/CD pipelines

2. Best practices for creating reliable and maintainable test automation

1. Key principles and goals of continuous integration

2. Benefits of CI in mainframe environments

1. Setting up Jenkins jobs to automatically trigger on code commits

2. Configuring Jenkins pipelines for mainframe-specific builds and tests

1. Automating the process of triggering builds and tests whenever new code is pushed to the repository

2. Setting up notifications and feedback loops for developers

1. Common pitfalls to avoid during CI pipeline setup

2. Strategies for optimizing and scaling CI pipelines for mainframes

1. Definition and goals of continuous delivery

2. Differences between continuous delivery and continuous deployment

1. Tools for automating deployments (e.g., IBM UrbanCode Deploy)

2. Creating deployment scripts for mainframe applications

1. Strategies for implementing rollback mechanisms in mainframe environments

2. How to automate rollbacks in case of deployment failures

1. Best practices for deploying mainframe applications to testing, staging, and production environments

2. Ensuring successful deployments while minimizing downtime

1. Key security challenges when automating mainframe deployments

2. Best practices for securing CI/CD pipelines

1. Understanding regulatory frameworks for mainframe environments

2. How to implement compliance checks in automated pipelines

1. Setting up role-based access controls for CI/CD pipelines

2. Implementing auditing and monitoring tools to track pipeline activity

1. Automating security testing (e.g., vulnerability scans) in the CI/CD pipeline

2. Ensuring compliance with security policies through automated processes

1. Why monitoring is essential for CI/CD pipelines

2. Common metrics to monitor in mainframe CI/CD pipelines

1. Tools for monitoring mainframe deployments (e.g., IBM OMEGAMON, Splunk)

2. Setting up logs and alerts for critical pipeline stages

1. Common pipeline issues and how to troubleshoot them

2. Best practices for debugging and resolving pipeline failures

1. Analyzing pipeline performance data to identify bottlenecks

2. Continuous improvement strategies for refining CI/CD pipelines over time

A PDF copy of all the slides used in this course is available for download in the Resources area of this lesson.