Upcoming ISG Provider Lens^® report will evaluate providers of mainframe operation and modernization services amid rising importance of AI, cloud-native development

Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm, has launched a research study examining how service providers are reshaping mainframe modernization through hybrid IT integration, cloud-native development, automation and GenAI-driven transformation strategies.

The study results will be published in a series of comprehensive ISG Provider Lens^® reports, called Mainframes — Services and Solutions, scheduled to be released in April 2026. The report will cover companies offering mainframe consulting, mainframe as a service, application modernization services and mainframe application modernization software.

Enterprise buyers will be able to use information from the reports to evaluate their current vendor relationships, potential new engagements and available offerings, while ISG advisors use the information to recommend providers to the firm’s buy-side clients.

The mainframe market is experiencing a transformative shift as enterprises balance modernization with resilience. Cloud innovation is leading companies to reevaluate the integration of mainframes in hybrid IT environments, focusing on data access, software licensing and middleware use. As cloud-native development based on microservices and AI-driven practices becomes standard, organizations are revisiting mainframe application management models and seeking modernization strategies.

“Generative AI has dramatically reshaped the mainframe market, redefining automation and application transformation methods,” said Heiko Henkes, managing director at ISG. “Providers are increasingly using GenAI and AIOps to build adaptive systems that improve operational efficiency and quickly respond to business changes.”

ISG has distributed surveys to more than 130 providers of mainframe services and solutions. Working in collaboration with ISG’s global advisors, the research team will produce four quadrants representing the typical mainframe services and solutions enterprises are buying, based on ISG’s experience working with its clients. The four quadrants are:

• Mainframe Technology Consulting, evaluating providers that specialize in helping enterprises maintain and integrate mainframe systems within IT ecosystems. Their services include upgrading systems for secure operations and workload optimization. These providers increasingly use AI, machine learning and AI for operations (AIOps) for automation, self-healing and monitoring.
• Mainframe as a Service, assessing providers that offer subscription-based and traditional outsourcing models. These providers manage processing, storage and infrastructure, focusing on integration and scalability. They are assessed on their ability to deliver comprehensive mainframe solutions as services, including secure, high-availability environments, performance optimization and automation.
• Application Modernization Services, covering providers that specialize in transforming legacy mainframe applications for cloud migration. They partner with hyperscalers to automate modernization through refactoring and GenAI, enhancing security and scalability while using APIs, Agile practices and modern user interfaces to improve user experience and application lifecycle management.
• Mainframe Application Modernization Software, evaluating vendors of specialized tools that automate code refactoring, rewriting and reengineering to ease the migration of mainframe applications to the cloud or x86 platforms. These vendors now use GenAI to validate test results, generate documents, automate testing and carry out other functions.

Geographically focused reports from the study will cover the global mainframe services and solutions market and examine products and services available in the U.S., Europe, U.S. Public Sector and globally. ISG analysts Pedro L. Bicudo Maschio (U.S. and Global), Oliver Nickels (Europe) and Peter Crocker (U.S. Public Sector) will serve as authors of the report.

A list of identified providers and vendors and further details on the study are available in this digital brochure. Companies not listed as mainframe service and solution providers can contact ISG and ask to be included in the study.

All 2025 ISG Provider Lens^® evaluations feature expanded customer experience (CX) data that measures actual enterprise experience with specific provider services and solutions, based on ISG’s continuous CX research. Enterprise customers wishing to share their experience about a specific provider or vendor are encouraged to complete this online survey. Participants will receive a copy of this report in return for their feedback.

About ISG Provider Lens^® Research

The ISG Provider Lens^® Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

About ISG

ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data, in-depth knowledge of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,600 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.

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Generative AI has reshaped the mainframe market, redefining automation and application transformation methods. Providers are using GenAI and AIOps to build adaptive systems that improve operational efficiency and quickly respond to business changes.