istock
AWS, Microsoft, and Google each have mainframe migration programs. The cloud versus mainframe debate has been running for years, but there’s a reason why cloud service providers are nibbling at the mainframe user market, well actually, several reasons.
The global compute market is expected to reach $505.45 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 8% and 2021 is estimated to have a CAGR of 10.9% over 2020. In comparison, the mainframe market has a CAGR about half of that.¹ This translates to movement away from mainframe to Linux-based systems.
Mainframe users tend to be incumbents with data-heavy and highly critical applications (think banking). Innovation in cloud is faster, isn’t it? How do these incumbents fend off disruptors, for example, credit card companies’ market share versus the significant growth in mobile wallets, shopping cart instalment apps, and electronic payment applications?