Accelerated Mainframe App Delivery Demonstration Using PopUp Mainframe

PopUp Mainframe enables accelerated application delivery on the mainframe through modern DevOps practices and automation. In this demonstration, we will showcase how to quickly set up a fully functional mainframe development and test environment using PopUp Mainframe, demonstrate a CI/CD pipeline that includes code modifications, testing, and rollback capabilities, and provide insight into how this empowers development teams and simplifies operations with tools like Ansible.

In the demonstration at Tech Field Day Extra at SHARE Cleveland 2025, Gary Thornhill from PopUp Mainframe showcased how their virtualized mainframe solution can dramatically streamline mainframe application development and delivery. The demo illustrated how PopUp Mainframe enables a modern CI/CD pipeline using open-source tools and IBM’s deployment technologies, exemplified through a sample application called NextGen Bank. It emphasized the speed at which development environments can be created and destroyed—minutes instead of hours—as well as the use of snapshot and rewind capabilities that allow developers to easily rollback environments to previous states. Code changes were made using both VS Code and IDZ, committed to GitHub, and deployed via automated pipelines that performed building, unit testing with Cobol Check, and integration testing with Galasa. Issues were discovered via failing tests, the environment was rolled back instantly, and fixes were redeployed in a seamless fashion.

Further, the presentation covered how PopUp Mainframe integrates with Ansible for simplified automation and self-service operations, including user provisioning and environment management. Thornhill stressed the value of using pop-up environments for early and frequent testing—reducing cost and dependence on physical mainframe MSUs—and how PopUp enables developers to work independently without interrupting central production or test environments. He addressed cultural resistance within mainframe teams, comparing it to the adoption challenges faced during the rise of server virtualization. By showing tangible benefits and empowering both younger developers and experienced professionals, he argued, PopUp Mainframe serves as a bridge to modernize legacy environments. The tool also supports sustainability goals by allowing environments to be shut down when not in use, reducing cloud costs and mainframe license impacts.

In conclusion, Thornhill emphasized that PopUp Mainframe offers a breakthrough opportunity in the mainframe paradigm by enabling faster delivery, easier access for non-traditional mainframe users, and flexible test environments that mirror real-world production. The technology not only simplifies and accelerates app delivery but also supports risk-free experimentation, training, and modernization efforts. He cited real-world client success stories with up to 400% improvement in time to market, and reiterated that this tool aligns with organizational goals for agility, cost reduction, and environmental responsibility.