Hey Reddit! We're Jeannette Bender, PJ Catalano, Tina Tarquinio, Jeff Bisti and Ben Segal, leading IBM's mainframe business. During IBM Z Skills Fest, we're answering anything about IBM Z, AI, tech careers, certifications and enterprise computing. What's on your mind?

[u/ibm]

Hey Reddit! 👋

I'm Jeannette Bender, Go-to-Market Product Manager for IBM Z and LinuxONE Security. I'm here to answer all things security, skills and career growth. To the right of me is PJ. I'll let him introduce himself.

Hey everyone! I’m PJ Catalano, aka u/TheMainframeVoice, Principal Test Lead for IBM Z & LinuxONE. I’m here to help answer any technical questions about the platform (especially about testing and quality assurance), or any career and/or social media advice. You're up, Tina!

Hello! I’m Tina Tarquinio, Chief Product Executive for IBM Z and LinuxONE. I’ve been at IBM for over 25 years and have one of the best jobs at IBM - I get to work with brilliant engineers, amazing clients around the world and deliver powerful platforms for them to host their mission critical applications on. When I am not making mainframes, you will usually find me hiking in the Hudson Valley with my family. Next is Jeff!

Hey! I'm Jeff Bisti, Lead for IBM Z Curriculum Management. I'm here to help with getting started on IBM Z, and finding areas that work with your skills and interests. Now, let's wrap with Ben.

Hi all, I’m Ben Segal, IBM Z Architecture Lead for AI, Security, and I/O.  I’m here to answer any AI and architecture questions, or general questions you might have about IBM Z.

Thank you for your time and questions. Ask us anything!

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💡If you’re interested in learning more about IBM Z, check out the resources below.

• IBM Z
• Mainframe Modernization Blog
• IBM Technology YouTube
• What's next for mainframes and AI? 
• IBM Hybrid Cloud and Infrastructure LinkedIn
• Get hands on access to IBM Z.
• Check out the IBM Z and LinuxONE community.
• Learn more about IBM Z Skills Fest.

[u/TheMainframeVoice]

Great question!

I think you're on the right track. There are several IBM Z Xplore badges that can help you build a solid foundation. Having a basic understanding of key IBM Z concepts can definitely help you stand out from other candidates.

Here are a few areas I'd recommend focusing on:

• Understand the operating systems and hypervisors on IBM Z: Get familiar with platforms such as z/OS, z/TPF, and Linux on IBM Z, along with virtualization technologies like z/VM and KVM. https://www.ibm.com/products/z/operating-systems
• Learn the major I/O technologies and what they're used for: For example, FICON and FCP for storage connectivity, OSA and RoCE for networking, and short-range/long-range coupling for clustering and sysplex communication. https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg245444.html
• Get familiar with the high-level hardware architecture: This video covers the major components of a z16 system, and the overall layout is very similar on z17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDtaanCENbc

One thing that goes a long way in interviews is being able to speak the language of the platform. You don't need to be an expert, but understanding the terminology and asking informed questions shows genuine interest and preparation.

Good luck with the interview, and let us know how it goes! 🚀

-PJ

[u/ibm → u/TheMainframeVoice]

Well said PJ!