What We Learned at the Gartner® IOCS Conference

January 18, 2024

As we closed out 2023, our team headed to the Gartner IT Infrastructure, Operations & Cloud Strategies Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event brought together some of the world’s foremost leaders in the technology space to engage in conversations around ways technologies like AI or hybrid cloud solutions are impacting businesses, best practices for implementation, and challenges that come with these kinds of projects. The Rocket Software team had the opportunity to attend as a premier exhibitor at the conference and give presentations on some of the most important technology topics driving innovation today.

Over the course of our time in Las Vegas, we heard from a mix of businesses, experts, and industry analysts, and while there’s plenty to discuss, a few topics permeated nearly every conversation we engaged in—particularly the move toward hybrid cloud and the potential of AI to improve the way businesses operate. With that, let’s take a closer look and explore some of the most striking takeaways from the event.

Artificial Intelligence Continues to be Red Hot

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of attendees were very interested in discussing how AI can be infused into their operations, with a deep level of agreement that it will radically reshape the way their businesses work. As these IT leaders look for ways to integrate AI into their organizations, some of that focus centered around the steps necessary to take full advantage of the technology. AI is a powerful tool, but there was a common understanding that an AI-powered algorithm or process can only be effective if the data it uses is reliable.

The March Toward Hybrid Cloud Continues

One thing that was clear during our time in Las Vegas was how prevalent hybrid cloud strategies have become. For an organization looking to drive modernization forward and enable AI technologies, there needs to be an effort to distribute some workloads in the cloud. By taking a hybrid approach, organizations can maximize the value of their data, putting particular sets of data in the environment that is best suited. As hybrid cloud strategies mature, the data involved is much more difficult to move off the mainframe and may even be better off left there.

Mainframe Still Matters

We heard talk of all kinds of new topics, the potential for AI technology, and the drive for cloud migrations, but through it all, attendees at this year’s event understood there is often no substitute for the mainframe. It continues to remain the best option for handling and processing low-latency, high-volume transactions. Regardless of what route an enterprise takes, the mainframe will likely play a part, and as a result, there needs to be a continued focus on modernizing the applications on the mainframe.

We also heard a lot of continued talk about the skills shortage related to mainframe operations. As more mainframe professionals exit the workforce, modernization becomes even more important as IT teams need modern tools to integrate critical mainframe systems into the future plans for their organization as a whole. Beyond those needs, though, the next generation of IT professionals want to work with those exciting new technologies, like AI. Enabling businesses with these kinds of solutions will be critical to attracting top talent moving forward.

Learn more about how Rocket Software can help you modernize without disruption.