News
Microsoft Expands Mainframe Migration Alliance
- By Scott Bekker
- 09/28/2004
The Mainframe Migration Alliance, Microsoft's coalition of the willing for moving customers from mainframes to Windows servers, got some new members and an official Web site on Tuesday.
At the Gartner Application Development Summit in Phoenix, Microsoft announced a dozen new MMA members, bringing the group to 20 organizations. IBM, the dominant mainframe vendor, is not involved.
The new members are Covansys, Fujitsu Software, Getronics NV, Information Analysis, M20, Modis, MSS International, NetManage, ObjectStar International, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Infotech and Transoft.
The original group, formed in April, consisted of CGI Group, Cognizant Technology Solutions, EDS, Fujitsu Consulting, Micro Focus International, Satyam Computer Services, Sonata Software and Sophisticated Business Systems.
Companies are required to sign an agreement with Microsoft to join the group. Microsoft says it does not charge fees to join or require annual dues.
Along with an old-school font and IT photos from the era when mainframe was king, the new Web site at www.mainframemigration.org features white papers, case studies, an alliance directory and return-on-investment calculators.
The Web page defines a mainframe as "IBM or IBM Plug-compatible systems running MVS, DOS, VSE, os/390 or z/OS. For the purposes of the MMA, we are focusing on these systems, or other systems of approximately equivalent size from other vendors; we are not focusing here on mid-range systems such as the AS/400."
About the Author
Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.