The CrowdStrike Caper! Embrace the mainframe
Why Reliable Tech Never Goes Out of Style?
Capt Uday Prasad
Security and reliability aren't sold in the app store. They come standard with a mainframe.
Remembering the recent "CrowdStrike breach" situation that we had? Yeah, a bit of an oopsie, wouldn't you say? All that "cutting-edge" of open system couldn't keep the bad guys out. But hey, at least their servers looked sleek, right?
Imagine this: while your precious cloud server struggles to handle a Black Friday sale, a mainframe is calmly processing enough transactions to power a small country. Forget about those "server overload" error messages. Mainframes are the Michael Jordan of computing - they just don't quit.
Shiny Doesn't Always Mean Secure: Open systems might look flashy, but security-wise they're about as dependable as a toddler with a box of matches. Remember the CrowdStrike fiasco? Let's be clear, it wasn't a cyberattack, but a faulty update gone rogue. A tiny glitch in their Falcon sensor for Windows brought down systems worldwide, including those on the mighty Microsoft Azure. Talk about complexity and risk! Mainframes, on the other hand, are built for stability. They're the Fort Knox of computing, keeping your operations safe and sound.
The recent CrowdStrike update aimed at fortifying Microsoft systems backfired in spectacular fashion, grounding flights, crashing broadcasts, and turning supermarkets into cash-only zones.
But wait!
While the new and shiny were glitching out, reports say the old guard – those CICS systems running on the mainframes for online mall marketing and airline ticketing – sailed through the storm unscathed. Makes you wonder, could these old-timers, built on a simpler foundation, be surprisingly good at dodging certain software gremlins that trip up their modern cousins?
So, the next time you're tempted to trust your mission-critical data to some other service, take a deep breath and remember: mainframes are the ultimate grown-up solution. Ditch the trendy tech toys and embrace the timeless power of a platform trusted by the Fortune 500.
Unless, of course, you enjoy a good blackout -syndrome!
But wait, there's more!
While you're busy fiddling with your temperamental opens system cloud servers, here's what the grown-ups are doing:
IBM z Systems are handling a cool 400 million retail transactions every single day. That's right, millions. With an "m." Like a real number, not some measly amount your any other servers can barely handle on a good day.
Ever booked a flight online? Chances are, 90% of those airline reservations were powered by rock-solid CICS online systems on mainframes. You're welcome for the smooth sailing (or, you know, flying) experience.
The "CrowdStrike Caper”? Yeah, their fancy cloud servers went belly-up like a cheap inflatable pool toy, almost bringing the entire world to a standstill. Meanwhile, mainframes are like the inflatable T-Rex costume you see at car dealerships - big, bold, and virtually indestructible.
The point? Don't trust your mission-critical applications to any servers that are one glitch away from disaster. Mainframes are the grown-up solution for grown-up businesses. It's time to ditch the trendy tech toys and embrace the timeless power of the mainframe.
The real tragedy? The poor souls who strayed from the path of mainframe righteousness. Imagine having your entire online ticketing system go down because, oh no, Windows decided to take a nap! Pathetic.
Mainframes, on the other hand? They run on z/OS, a legendary operating system with a mythical reputation for... zero downtime. Yeah, you heard that right. Zero. Downtime. Ever.
So, before you get lured in by the siren song of open systems, take a long, hard look at your priorities. Do you want something flashy and potentially risky, or do you want the reliable workhorse that's been powering Fortune 500 companies for decades? The choice, as they say, is yours. But choose wisely, because a data breach is a terrible thing to waste.
Take a long, hard look at your priorities.
Maybe it's time to re-evaluate the power of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it”.
Disclaimer: This information reflects my own perspective and is meant to be thought-provoking, not professional IT advice. No offense intended.