The big free mainframe curriculum

  • Post category:EducationGeneral
  • Reading time:10 mins read

Learn mainframe, z/OS and Linux for Z on a shoestring.

Let me know if you have any updates or additions to the list.

Introduction

Here’s What Happens When an 18 Year Old Buys a Mainframe

z/OS introductory video course

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks.nsf/redbookabstracts/crse0304.html?Open

The ABCs of System Programming redbooks

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg246981.html?Open

IBM z/OS Basic Skills page in Knowledge Center. 

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/zosbasics/com.ibm.zos.zbasics/lcmain.html

Introduction to the new mainframe

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg246366.html?Open

RelevantZ site

http://relevantz.ibmsystemsmag.com/ibm-systems-relevant-z

IBM Z Youtube

IBM Z YouTube channel

Love mainframe

https://lovemainframe.com/

Open source initiatives

Zowe

https://www.openmainframeproject.org/

Free training offers

Cross-technology

z/OS Introduction and Workshop

http://dtsc.dfw.ibm.com/MVSDS/’HTTPD2.APPS.ZOSCLASS.SHTML(ZOSCLASS)’

Master the mainframe:

https://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure/z/education/master-the-mainframe

Free training at HPI

https://open.hpi.de/courses/mainframes2018

Many tutorials on Mainframetechhelp

https://www.mainframestechhelp.com/

Tutorialspoint on mainframe

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/mainframe_tutorials.htm

Mainframe Playground 

https://mainframeplayground.neocities.org/

TSO/ISPF

Introduction to TSO/ISPF

https://www.tutorialbrain.com/mainframe/tso_ispf/

JCL

Introduction to JCL

https://www.tutorialbrain.com/mainframe/jcl_pgm_parameter/

JCL course

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/jcl/jcl_job_statement.htm

COBOL

Introduction to COBOL

https://www.tutorialbrain.com/mainframe/cobol_home/

Free COBOL course from CSIS

http://www.csis.ul.ie/cobol/course/

Mainframe playground on COBOL

https://mainframeplayground.neocities.org/COBOL.html

Books (search for 2nd hand versions)

Teach Yourself COBOL In 21 Days

Murarch’s Mainframe COBOL

CICS

Introduction to CICS

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/crse0303.html?Open

Db2 for z/OS

DB2 for z/OS: Data Sharing in a Nutshell

Introduction to Db2 z/OS (for programmers) – https://www.tutorialbrain.com/mainframe/db2_tutorial/

MQ for z/OS

MQ on z/os concepts

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSFKSJ_8.0.0/com.ibm.mq.pro.doc/q003590_.htm

http://share.confex.com/data/handout/share/131/Session_23611_handout_11867_0.pdf

VSAM

Introduction to VSAM

https://www.tutorialbrain.com/mainframe/vsam_tutorial/

Assembler

Assembler training

Developer topics

IBM System z Tech Video’s

IBM Z Systems tech zone

  • Application Discovery ADDI
  • Application Delivery Foundation for z Systems ADFz
  • zD&T – mainframe for hobiests on your Intel machine zD&T

Access to real mainframe

Unfortunately there is no Community mainframe yet. How cool would that be. 

There is the emulator solution zD&T on which you can run z/OS legitimately (warning: quite cumbersome, slow and expensive.)

IBM Z trials

https://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure/z/resources/trial

Gives you 3 days access to a trial environment with scripted tutorials..

When you have a software development company, or if you are rich:

Remote development programme on Dallas System z

http://dtsc.dfw.ibm.com/MVSDS/’HTTPD2.ENROL.PUBLIC.SHTML(ZOSRDP)’

(Will cost you something like $550 USD per month.)