#mainframe services

[maintec]

Key performance indicators (KPIs) crucial for monitoring mainframe managed services. It emphasizes the importance of tracking system availability, response time, throughput, CPU utilization, mean time to repair (MTTR), mean time between failures (MTBF), error rate, capacity utilization, cost per transaction, and compliance and security metrics.

[stevenodickens]

Maintec helps companies that rely on IBM Mainframe platform complete mainframe managed services in USA

[maintectechnology]

Our Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) program equips your team with industry-leading skills, ensuring seamless operations and a competitive edge

[slksoftware]

Modernizing Mainframes: Unleashing the Power of Digital Cloud Services

Introduction

In the era of digital transformation, where agility and scalability are paramount, mainframe systems, although venerable, can become significant roadblocks for organizations seeking to innovate and stay competitive. Modernizing mainframes through the adoption of digital cloud services has emerged as a strategic imperative. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the world of mainframe modernization, exploring its significance, challenges, benefits, and best practices.

The Significance of Mainframe Modernization

Mainframe systems have been the backbone of many organizations for decades, providing stability and reliability. However, these legacy systems come with inherent limitations, such as high maintenance costs, rigidity, and difficulty in integrating with modern technologies. Mainframe modernization is the process of transitioning from these monolithic systems to agile, cloud-based solutions, and its significance lies in the transformative potential it offers:

Agility and Scalability: Cloud-based systems provide the agility and scalability required to adapt to rapidly changing business environments and accommodate growth seamlessly.

Cost Optimization: Modernizing mainframes can lead to substantial cost savings by reducing the need for expensive hardware and lowering maintenance costs.

Enhanced Performance: Cloud services are designed for high performance, offering faster data processing and reducing downtime, resulting in improved operational efficiency.

Flexibility: Cloud environments enable organizations to adopt a flexible, pay-as-you-go approach to resource allocation, eliminating the need for costly upfront investments.

Innovation: Mainframe modernization opens the door to harnessing advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT) to drive innovation.

Global Reach: Cloud services provide global accessibility, allowing organizations to serve a broader customer base without the need for physical data centers in multiple locations.

Benefits of Mainframe Modernization

The benefits of modernizing mainframes through digital cloud services are multifaceted and can drive transformational change within an organization. Let's explore these advantages in detail:

Improved Efficiency: Modernized systems can automate manual processes, streamline operations, and reduce the need for manual interventions, resulting in increased efficiency.

Cost Reduction: Cloud services often lead to cost savings by eliminating the need for substantial capital investments in hardware and reducing ongoing operational expenses.

Scalability: Cloud environments provide the ability to scale resources up or down based on demand, ensuring optimal performance and cost-efficiency.

Enhanced Security: Leading cloud providers invest heavily in security measures, offering robust protection against cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

Business Continuity: Cloud-based disaster recovery and backup solutions ensure data integrity and availability even in the face of unforeseen events.

Agility and Innovation: Modernized systems can quickly adopt and integrate new technologies, fostering innovation and adaptability.

Challenges in Mainframe Modernization

While the benefits of mainframe modernization are compelling, organizations must be prepared to navigate the challenges that come with this transformation:

Legacy Integration: Migrating away from mainframes often involves complex integration with existing systems, which can be time-consuming and challenging.

Data Migration: Transferring large volumes of data from mainframes to the cloud can be cumbersome and requires meticulous planning to ensure data integrity and security.

Security Concerns: While cloud providers offer robust security measures, organizations must also take responsibility for securing their data and applications in the cloud.

Change Management: Employees may resist changes to their familiar workflows and systems. Effective change management strategies are crucial to a successful migration.

Vendor Lock-In: Choosing the right cloud provider is essential, as vendor lock-in can limit flexibility and increase costs in the long run.

Best Practices for Mainframe Modernization

To overcome these challenges and ensure a successful mainframe modernization, organizations should adhere to best practices:

Comprehensive Assessment: Begin with a thorough assessment of your current mainframe environment to understand its intricacies and dependencies.

Clear Goals and Prioritization: Define clear modernization goals and prioritize workloads based on business value, complexity, and readiness for migration.

Data Management Strategy: Develop a robust data migration strategy that includes data cleansing, validation, and migration testing to minimize risks and maintain data integrity.

Security First: Implement stringent security measures, including encryption, access controls, and regular compliance audits, to protect data in transit and at rest.

Change Management: Invest in change management programs to prepare employees for the transition and ensure they can effectively utilize modernized systems.

Cost Optimization: Continuously monitor and optimize cloud costs to prevent overspending and ensure that resources are used efficiently.

Vendor Evaluation: Carefully evaluate cloud service providers based on factors like performance, security, pricing, and vendor lock-in before making a decision.

Conclusion

Mainframe modernization through the adoption of digital cloud services is a strategic imperative for organizations aiming to thrive in the digital age. By breaking free from the constraints of legacy mainframe systems and embracing the agility and scalability offered by the cloud, businesses can position themselves for long-term success and continued growth.

While challenges exist, a well-defined strategy, commitment to security, and adherence to best practices can pave the way for a successful mainframe modernization. In an era of rapid technological advancement, embracing the cloud isn't just an upgrade—it's a strategic transformation that can redefine how organizations operate, innovate, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

[shiprasharma2927]

Mainframe Performance Optimization Techniques

Mainframe performance optimization is crucial for organizations relying on these powerful computing systems to ensure efficient and cost-effective operations. Here are some key techniques and best practices for optimizing mainframe performance:

1. Capacity Planning: Understand your workload and resource requirements. Accurately estimate future needs to allocate resources efficiently. This involves monitoring trends, historical data analysis, and growth projections.

2. Workload Management: Prioritize and allocate resources based on business needs. Ensure that critical workloads get the necessary resources while lower-priority tasks are appropriately throttled.

3. Batch Window Optimization: Efficiently schedule batch jobs to maximize system utilization. Minimize overlap and contention for resources during batch processing windows.

4. Storage Optimization: Regularly review and manage storage capacity. Employ data compression, data archiving, and data purging strategies to free up storage resources.

5. Indexing and Data Access: Optimize database performance by creating and maintaining efficient indexes. Tune SQL queries to minimize resource consumption and improve response times.

6. CICS and IMS Tuning: Tune your transaction processing environments like CICS (Customer Information Control System) and IMS (Information Management System) to minimize response times and resource utilization.

7. I/O Optimization: Reduce I/O bottlenecks by optimizing the placement of data sets and using techniques like buffering and caching.

8. Memory Management: Efficiently manage mainframe memory to minimize paging and maximize available RAM for critical tasks. Monitor memory usage and adjust configurations as needed.

9. CPU Optimization: Monitor CPU usage and identify resource-intensive tasks. Optimize code, reduce unnecessary CPU cycles, and consider parallel processing for CPU-bound tasks.

10. Subsystem Tuning: Mainframes often consist of various subsystems like DB2, z/OS, and MQ. Each subsystem should be tuned for optimal performance based on specific workload requirements.

11. Parallel Processing: Leverage parallel processing capabilities to distribute workloads across multiple processors or regions to improve processing speed and reduce contention.

12. Batch Processing Optimization: Optimize batch job execution by minimizing I/O, improving sorting algorithms, and parallelizing batch processing tasks.

13. Compression Techniques: Use compression algorithms to reduce the size of data stored on disk, which can lead to significant storage and I/O savings.

14. Monitoring and Performance Analysis Tools: Employ specialized tools and monitoring software to continuously assess system performance, detect bottlenecks, and troubleshoot issues in real-time.

15. Tuning Documentation: Maintain comprehensive documentation of configuration settings, tuning parameters, and performance benchmarks. This documentation helps in identifying and resolving performance issues effectively.

16. Regular Maintenance: Keep the mainframe software and hardware up-to-date with the latest patches and updates provided by the vendor. Regular maintenance can resolve known performance issues.

17. Training and Skill Development: Invest in training for your mainframe staff to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to effectively manage and optimize the system.

18. Cost Management: Consider the cost implications of performance tuning. Sometimes, adding more resources may be more cost-effective than extensive tuning efforts.

19. Capacity Testing: Conduct load and stress testing to evaluate how the mainframe handles peak workloads. Identify potential bottlenecks and make necessary adjustments.

20. Security Considerations: Ensure that performance optimizations do not compromise mainframe security. Balance performance improvements with security requirements.

Mainframe performance optimization is an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and adjustment to meet evolving business needs. By implementing these techniques and best practices, organizations can maximize the value of their mainframe investments and ensure smooth and efficient operations.

[enterprisemobility]

Digital Transformation Services

Your Switch to a Digital Future – Digital Transformation Consulting Services

Being a leading name amongst Digital Transformation Company and Service providers, Enterprise Mobility has been handholding enterprises on their Digital Transformation journeys for two decades now

[jillmary023]

Benefits of Mainframe staffing services

Mainframe staffing services offer several benefits to organizations that rely on these large, centralized computer systems to run their operations. Here are some of the key advantages:

1. Expertise: Mainframes are complex and specialized systems that require a high level of expertise to operate effectively. Staffing services provide access to a team of skilled professionals who have experience with mainframe systems, ensuring that your organization has the necessary expertise to keep your systems running smoothly.

2. Scalability: Mainframe staffing services can provide staffing solutions that are tailored to the needs of your organization.

3. Cost-effectiveness: Outsourcing mainframe staffing services can be a cost-effective option compared to hiring full-time staff. You only pay for the services you need, without having to bear the costs of training, benefits, and other overhead expenses associated with in-house staff.

4. Flexibility: Mainframe staffing services offer flexibility in terms of the types of services they provide. They can offer a range of services, from basic support to more advanced services such as system upgrades and migrations.

5. Focus: By outsourcing mainframe staffing services, organizations can free up internal resources and focus on core business activities. This can lead to increased productivity and efficiency, allowing the organization to achieve its goals more effectively.

In summary, mainframe staffing services can provide organizations with the expertise, scalability, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and focus needed to run their mainframe systems effectively and efficiently.

[fatgumsurpremacy-remastered]

It Takes Time to Sew a Doll Yan. Vox x CIS. FEM Reader.

It Takes Time to Sew a Doll. Yandere Vox x Cis. Female reader. PT 1

Warnings: Creepy dreams, stalking, hits, kidnapping, intimidation, panic attacks, insomnia referenced not explicit, non con touching (not sexual), hypno, dirty thoughts, mansplaining, misogyny, the use of the pet name DOLL, use of the pronouns she/her.

Please leave a comment if you like it or not-

@bloodypeachblog @omniuravity Dedicated to my besties.

Vox knew he was spiralling.

With each static passage of electricity through the maze of wires in his body he felt his resolve crumble further… every second consumed by images flashing carelessly across his face. 

Why couldnt he get rid of these pervasive thoughts? 

When he dreamed he was happy, the bright colours would fade to black and from the black, came the black and white visions he knew deep down he couldn't ascertain. That certain kind of sweetness rid from the newer movies spewed from his own companies, that loss of perfect innocent love that he strove for. In life he couldn't get romance right, and in his resting hours his subconscious begged him to pursue that sickening farce of a “family”. .

He always awoke to his screens playing that same damn scene, under a cork tree on the top of a grassy hill he sat, wife in his arms, head across his lap as he waxed on while the sun set. A beautiful- unattainable picture that zoomed out to the suburbs he rotted away in during the final years of his life. No matter what remedy he tried, nothing could soothe the hallucinations that plagued his sleep-addled mainframes. 

It was beginning to interfere with his day to day. 

The office- a drab, but often chaotic environment buzzed just a little differently when Vox walked in that day, people gasping and awwing at their screens before hiding the monitors from him. Something was up. But there was little energy on Vox’s behalf to really care about what lower staff were doing, so long as they were getting what they needed to get done, done. 

He should have suspected, however, that it was buzzing about him.

Throughout the day the chattering that he could hear all the way in his own office died down the second he stepped in the room, so- to save himself the headache- he decided to trudge up to his lookout and find the cause of the issue. 

There right there.

Across all the screens in hell- save his own companies monitors was the scene, but across the bottom- like the reels in the TV broadcasts, was the phrase- “Have you seen this person, if found return to the VVV tower, Vox’s office, compensation of up to 1 mill will be received. No harm will come to the person. Thank you for your cooperation.” It was a start for him. 

Like the electricity that ran through his own body he ran through the building- towards the recording studio- and into his chair, forcing all staff to their positions immediately. The red lights on the cameras blinked mockingly, as if compelling him to stop before he’d do something he would regret. Snapping his fingers, Vox quickly forced all screens in the studio on him, each crystal clear monitor, displaying his own nervous face. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, citizens of hell-'' he began, covering the edge with the quelling smoothness of his voice, “ignore the video you are seeing on the screens. It was a technical error- and nothing else. As for the young lady in this video…” He trailed off as a feed of video faded into an ages-old monitor. A beautiful display of passion… of love, and life. 

“She's not of any importance to anyone here at Voxtech, so rest assured, she does not need to be brought in for any consolation, and any attempts to give this woman here will result in you being politely escorted from the premises. Thank you for your time, this has been a Public Service Announcement.” His hands raked down his face as the screens went dark, the cords keeping them close making themselves scarce as Vox gestured away wildly, his body slumping from the overexertion of nerves. WHY THE FUCK- WAS THIS HAPPENING?

Small glitches wrought hiccups through Vox’s spine, his head hung-desperate for sleep- or at least for a decent cup of coffee, when three sharp knocks sounded. “Oh jesus- Francis! Francis can you tell them I'm a little bus- WOAH HOLY SHIT-” Vox ducked right as Francis came flying above his head. Quickly, to spare himself the equipment bill, Vox gestured for the tvs to move as his accountant was flung through. When he turned to chew out whoever was responsible for potential property damage a weight was shoved into his chest, when it writhed he dropped it.

Disgusted by what it might be. 

“Now who exactly-” “Where's the million?” “Excuse me?” Vox asked incredulously, blinking rapidly as he stared into the red eyes of the sharks before him. The poor thing on the ground only then became noticeable to him, and his heart dropped to his feet as he heard quiet crying. 

“The million.” “OH! Gentlemen Im so sorry- you see, that wasn't a real advertisement. I can understand your confusion though!” He proposed with a wide swing of his hands. “Well- I can tell you even I was stumped when I saw that. But rest assured it wasn't real…meaning…” he said with a small pout, chastising the men. “You won’t be getting anything. Now I'll see to it she gets home safe, bye bye now!” One of the two was about to make a fuss before the room burst blue for a split second, disorienting him.

“The exit is to the left off the balcony and onto the ground gentlemen, I trust you’ll stick the landing.” Francis, who had been recovering during the duration of this conversation, limped raggedly forward to excuse the two who had intruded. There wasn't much contest as the men shucked their heels into the ground and were essentially wheeled out. Nosy faces of employees peeked from every corner to determine the cause of the commotion but were broken by one of Vox’s well placed whistles. 

In an instant he slammed the doors and rushed back over to the bag laying still on the ground, nothing but a shaky tremble as he drew nearer. Something about this warmth was familiar- if not at all strange. It felt warm from the inside out- especially as he placed his hand between her shoulders to see if her breathing evened out. 

She wasn't asleep.

“Mamm?” he uttered, tapping her shoulder with a soft tone as his claw barely edged her arm. “I know you're awake, I am going to gently take off your restraints. You're safe and completely in control here.. Now, lay still for just a moment as I take these off of you ok?” Before waiting on a response his clawed hands tore through the knot that raised sad welts on the inside of her wrists. She flexed them before sitting up and going for her burlap sack. The clothes she wore were not fitting for her at all… perhaps he could fix that. A nice blue and red number with a lace collar maybe? He wanted to ponder the idea before the bag was thrown in his face and her white stockings started their scramble off the floor, and upwards. 

Now- Vox for who he was took this in stride, choosing to watch as she grabbed the nearest thing to her, (a stapler) and pointed it at him. He raised his hands, and backed away, keeping a cool face, topped with his award winning smile. 

“Hey doll, you can go ahead and put that down. I am not here to hurt you. I'm sorry my tv’s acted up the way they did.” Cords wrapped around a wheely chair and sent it under her, causing her to sit harshly and spin as the cords brought her closer to vox. “Hi.” He said with a cheesy smile as he plucked the green stapler from her hands and tossed it to the ground. 

“We got off on the wrong foot.” The woman only glared, eyes red from overexertion, features twitching with rage. “I'll start with my name. I am Vox- and you areeee?” Urging her to speak annoyed the two of them equally, Vox because he didn't get to put a voice to the woman he had been dreaming of spending the rest of his eternal life with; and her, because she obviously would rather die. 

“Y/N.” she seethed, bitterly spitting the word out at him as he swooned from her voice. “Gorgeous, you go by that?” No answer. “Bah, who needs names anyway right? I mean- names, what is a name? Is it a word, noun, adjective? You know-” he said, spinning on the back of the chair as it soared around the room, making the woman dizzy. “I'm just gonna keep calling you Doll, m’kay?” He pinched her cheek between his fingers, relishing the shocked and disgusted look he drew from her as he pulled it back.

“I think it fits! Now- you probably don't want to go home in thooose-'' he said, gesturing to her entire body. Clearly annoyed she feinted him, causing him to stumble over his words before t’sking her. “Aht. Aht. You could have met a worse fate if I didn't protect you back there… don't get smart with me…”

They both stayed like that for a minute before Vox knew he had her where he wanted her, his smile growing roguishly. “A-Atta girl!” he laughed. “I knew you could be good if you really wanted to, now, let's get you up and measur-” She cut him off. “I just need a t-shirt, and some pants..” her gruff tone astounded Vox, who pursed his lips into a smile and nodded, hands still ready to place where he needed. Placing them down he nodded, mindlessly tapping around the desk for his coffee before grabbing the cup and confidently choking down left out grape juice. “That can be done.” and in a flash it was, electricity buzzed where the old clothes were most fucked and in their place an oversized VoxTech Stars shirt hung over her. She grasped at the shirt- confused at its size before a pair of comfy sweats satiated her mind. “Now now, dont worry about how fancy you look. You're a guest here after all, everyone will know that. I have- err ...uhhh…” he said, stalling, “just about eight-ish hours left before I can clock out… can you please-” he asked with big eyes and some half assed prayer hands, “stay put until I get off?”

Her jaw dropped and eyebrows furrowed, only easing after she stared into his face. Eyes twinkling, and reflecting the colours that blinked rapidly in his eyes. To spare her from growing weary Vox sauntered forward. “How susceptible-” he whispered, holding her back with one hand and her face with another as he looked deep into her eyes, not expecting to see himself back in them. God he looked a mess, hat askew, colourful lines of stress breaking across his face, ruining his CRT scanning. The distance felt unreal, the hypnosis felt necessary, though it hadnt ever before. If there was any doubt before Vox condemned it, smiling softly as his finger trekked from her ear and down the column of her neck, doubling back around and going back over her shoulder as he released his gaze and hugged her. 

Hope crossed Vox’s mind as he held her tight, mind screaming at him to just kiss her there and have her dream the same as him… but slowly he let her go, holding her by the shoulders a fleeting second, as the nigh’ comatose state of the woman bothered him. 

With eyes rolled all the way around his head he let up, his control waning until she was just left tired, and headached by the experience. Soft groans escaped her mouth and Vox kept his shut because he knew if he opened it, it would divulge all those juicy nights of soft summer suburbia to a woman who couldnt give a flying fuck. 

“I know it feels like a needle through the brain but hey! It's not an actual needle.” That phrasing would only be slightly uncomfortable, as the rest of the day made hell, HELL.

[prokhorvlg]

Print ad for the world's first teledex, a portable Datanet communicator with an integrated artificial assistant.

By the 2020s, the Datanet was useful, but it was also a convoluted mess of protocols and standards designed around machine communication. Human users rarely took full advantage of the system because of this.

Maple thought: why bother sorting out the mess if a machine could do it for them?

The teleindexer (or teledex) was designed to take full advantage of the Datanet for their human user. It would crawl through its nodes, indexing various services, pages, and media streams that it suspected its user would be interested in.

Eventually, the teledex’s neuromorphic intelligence would imprint on their user. It would gain an innate understanding of their personality and behavior patterns, allowing it to find the perfect content and even taking actions on their behalf.

The imprint would get scary good. The teledex could diagnose possible diseases and stress issues, engage in automated finance management, and take measures to protect the user’s identity and security.

That isn’t to say similar systems weren’t developed. Even before the teledex, crafty users and several startups attempted neuromorphic Datanet indexing using microcomputers and mainframes, but the teledex was the method that really blew up thanks to its convenient pattern (1 user, 1 teledex, portable).

PAL was initially released with two models, Draw and Pro. Several years later, Maple would release the Pal Mini, a cheaper screen-less design relying on vocal interfacing. Maple and its competitors would ultimately release thousands of various teleindexer models.

I recently started a Patreon! Support my work if this is something you're into: https://www.patreon.com/prokhorVLG

[galaxygolfergirl]

Watcher's Expenses

I didn't major in accounting: I took three classes and it grinded my brain to a fine powder. However, after graduating with a business admin degree, being a former eager fan of their videos, and from a cursory glance over their socials, there's a lot to consider in their spending behavior that really could start racking up costs. Some of these things we've already noticed, but there are other things I'd like to highlight, and I'll try to break it down into the different categories of accounting expenses (if I get something wrong, let me know. I was more concentrated in marketing 🤷‍♀️). I'm not going to hypothesize numbers either, as that would take out more time than I'm willing to afford-- you can assume how much everything costs. Anyways, here's my attempt at being a layman forensic accountant:

Note: All of this is assuming they're operating above board and not engaging in any illegal practices such as money laundering, tax evasion, not paying rent, etc.

Operating Expenses

Payroll: 25+ staff salaries and insurance

Overhead Expenses

CEO/founder salaries

Office space leasing or rent (In L.A, one of the most expensive cities in the US)

Utilities (water, electricity, heating, sanitation, etc.)

Insurance

Advertising Costs

Telephone & Internet service

Cloud Storage or mainframe

Office equipment (furniture, computers, printers, etc.)

Office supplies (paper, pens, printer ink, etc.)

Marketing costs (Social media marketing on Instagram, Youtube, SEO for search engines, Twitter, etc. Designing merchandise and posters, art, etc. )

Human Resources (not sure how equipped they are)

Accounting fees

Property taxes

Legal fees

Licensing fees

Website maintenance (For Watchertv.com, Watcherstuff.com, & Watcherentertainment.com)

Expenses regarding merchandising (whoever they contract or outsource for that)

Inventory costs

Potentially maintenance of company vehicles

Subsequent gas mileage for road trips

Depreciation (pertains to tangible assets like buildings and equipment)

Amortization (intangible assets such as patents and trademarks)

Overhead Travel and Entertainment Costs (I think one of the biggest culprits, evident in their videos and posts)

The travel expenses (flights, train trips, rental cars, etc. For main team and scouts)

Hotel expenses for 7-8 people at least, or potentially more

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners with the crew (whether that's fully on their dime or not, I don't know; Ryan stated they like to cover that for the most part)

Recreational activities (vacation destinations, amusement parks, sporting activities etc.)

The location fees

Extraneous Overhead costs (not sure exactly where these fall under, but another culprit, evident in videos and posts)

Paying for guest appearances

Expensive filming & recording equipment (Cameras, sound equipment, editing software subscriptions, etc.)

The overelaborate sets for Ghost files, Mystery Files, Puppet History, Podcasts etc. (Set dressing: Vintage memorabilia, antiquated tech, vintage furniture, props, etc.)

Kitchen & Cooking supplies/equipment

Office food supply; expensive food and drink purchases for videos

Novelty items or miscellaneous purchases (ex. Ghost hunting equipment, outfits, toys, etc.)

Non-Operating Expenses

These are those expenses that cannot be linked back to operating revenue. One of the most common examples of non-operating expenses is interest expense. This is because while interest is the cost of borrowing money from a creditor or a bank, they are not generating any operating income. This makes interest payments a part of non-operating expenses.

Financial Expenses

Potential loan payments, borrowing from creditors or lenders, bank loans, etc.

Variable Expenses

Hiring a large amount of freelancers, overtime expenditure, commissions, etc.

PR consultations (Not sure if they had this before the scandal)

Extraordinary Expenses

Expenses incurred outside your company’s regular business activities and during a large one-time event or transactions. For example, selling land, disposal of a significant asset, laying off of your employees, unexpected machine repairing or replacement, etc.

Accrued Expenses

When your business has incurred an expense but not yet paid for it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(If there's anything else I'm missing, please feel free to add or correct things)

To a novice or a young entrepreneur, this can be very intimidating if you don't have the education or the support to manage it properly. I know it intimidates the hell out of me and I'm still having to fill in the gaps (again, if I've mislabeled or gotten anything wrong here, please let me know). For the artistic or creative entrepreneur, it can be even harder to reconcile the extent of your creative passions with your ability to operate and scale your business at a sustainable rate. That can lead to irresponsible, selfish, and impulsive decisions that could irreparably harm your brand, which is a whole other beast of its own.

My guess at this point is that their overhead and operation expenses are woefully mismanaged; they've made way too many extraneous purchases, and that they had too much confidence in their audience of formerly 2.93 million to make up for the expenses they failed to cover.

It almost seems as if their internal logic was, "If we make more money, we can keep living the expensive lifestyle that we want and make whatever we want without anyone telling us we can't, and we want to do it NOW, sooner rather than later because we don't want wait and compromise our vision." But as you can see, the reality of fulfilling those ambitions is already compromised by the responsibility of running a business.

And I wrote this in another post here, but I'll state it again: Running a business means you need to be educated on how a business can successfully and efficiently operate. Accounting, marketing, social media marketing, public relations, production, etc; these resources and internet of things is available and at your disposal. If they had invested more time in educating themselves on those aspects and not made this decision based on artistic passion (and/or greed), they would have not gotten the response they got.

Being a graphic designer, I know the creative/passionate side of things but I also got a degree/got educated in business because I wanted to understand how to start a company and run it successfully. If they’re having trouble handling the responsibility of doing that, managing production costs, managing overhead expenses, and especially with compensating their 25+ employees, then they should hire professionals that are sympathetic to their creative interests, but have the education and experience to reign in bad decisions like these.

Anyways, thanks for coming to my TedTalk. What a shitshow this has been.

[maintec]

What is z/OS in Mainframe?

Originally designed for large-scale computations, Mainframes now meet modern enterprise demands. From early models to today’s sophisticated systems, mainframes showcase continuous innovation.

At the heart of modern mainframe computing is z/OS, IBM’s premier operating system for Z series mainframes. z/OS provides a reliable, secure, and scalable platform for mission-critical applications, supporting diverse workloads from batch processing to online transaction processing (OLTP).

Core Features of z/OS

High Availability and Scalability : z/OS is renowned for its high availability, designed to minimize downtime and ensure continuous operation during hardware failures or system upgrades. Its scalability allows organizations to handle increasing workloads without compromising performance.

Advanced Security Mechanisms : Security is paramount in today’s digital landscape, and z/OS excels here. It offers advanced encryption, multi-level security policies, and rigorous access controls, making it a preferred choice for industries like finance, healthcare, and government where data integrity and confidentiality are essential.

Workload Management : Efficient workload management is vital for optimal system performance. z/OS’s Workload Manager (WLM) dynamically allocates resources based on workload priorities, ensuring responsive and efficient operations across all applications.

Technical Architecture of z/OS

System Components and Structure: The architecture of z/OS includes numerous components working in harmony for exceptional performance. Key components like the Job Entry Subsystem (JES), Resource Management Facility (RMF), and System Management Facility (SMF) are crucial to its functionality.

Virtualization and Resource Management: Virtualization is central to z/OS, allowing multiple logical partitions (LPARs) to run on a single physical mainframe. The z/OS hypervisor, PR/SM (Processor Resource/System Manager), ensures efficient resource utilization and workload isolation.

Subsystems and Middleware Integration: z/OS supports subsystems and middleware, including CICS (Customer Information Control System), IMS (Information Management System), and DB2. These tools are essential for transaction processing, database management, and application integration, enhancing the platform’s versatility.

The Future of z/OS

Innovations and Technological Advancements : The future of z/OS is promising, with continuous innovations. IBM is enhancing z/OS with machine learning, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics, elevating its capabilities to meet modern enterprise demands.

Integration with Modern Technologies : z/OS integrates with contemporary technologies such as cloud computing, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). These integrations transform z/OS into a versatile platform, supporting a wide array of modern applications and services.

Combining decades of innovation with cutting-edge features, z/OS delivers a powerful and versatile platform. Its role in supporting mission-critical applications across various industries underscores its importance, reaffirming its position as a leader in enterprise computing.

[stevenodickens]

How to choose a right IT staffing agency for your organization?

Anyone who has accomplished anything noteworthy didn't do it by themselves. And you shouldn't either! Your team is the support for your aspirations. Ensure that they are sturdy enough! Finding, attracting, hiring, and keeping bright workers who will not only perform at a high level but also fit in with your workplace naturally is one of the most important factors in corporate success.

Any hire, whether temporary or permanent, falls under this. Staff is in control of what has been successfully constructed and what has to be accomplished in the future, supported by the organization's values, objectives, and purpose. Because of this, it's critical to recruit, develop, and keep a talented and effective workforce. But sometimes speaking the truth is simpler than acting. Hiring procedures take time and don't always yield the expected outcomes. You wouldn't want to waste your time and money working with a staffing company that couldn't understand and fulfill you’re hiring needs, after all.

So how do you pick a right IT staffing agency for your organization?

Here are some helpful suggestions to take into account when choosing a staffing agency to help you with the decision-making process. But first, let's take a quick look at some of the advantages of working with a hiring firm.

What Benefits Can You Get from Working with Remote Staffing services?

A staggering 77% of millennial clients plan to increase their use of staffing firms over the next five years, according to a survey. So let's examine the rationale behind why businesses depend on staffing firms to streamline and expedite the recruiting process.

Cut down on hiring time

According to the most recent Manpower Group data, 69% of employers worldwide are having trouble finding talent with the ideal mix of soft, technical, and personal skills. This is a 15-year high.

Your company can overcome that difficulty with the aid of a reliable staffing partner. You can have access to a sizable database of pre-screened individuals by working with a reputable staffing agency. As a result, you gain the ability to quickly hire from a talent pool of competent candidates.

Save money

By turning to a staffing agency, you may cut the costs of hiring specialized people to locate, evaluate, and hire candidates. Working with staffing agencies also ensures additional cost savings by eliminating costs associated with recruiting permanent employees, such as health insurance, employer taxes, 401k retirement plans, and others.

Expert Direction

Should you search for contingent, contract-to-hire, or direct-hire talent? What qualifications do you need to look for in a specific position? How many more team members are needed to reach your workforce expansion objectives for the upcoming year?

Do not worry if you are unable to respond to these inquiries. You can develop a tailored hiring plan with the aid of a reliable staffing partner to handle your workforce difficulties.

Find a Remote Staffing service that specializes in your industry:

While some staffing companies specialize in particular areas, others cover the entire spectrum of businesses. if the one you're about to choose has a multispecialty industry concentration and is a general staffing company. In that instance, consider the strength of their staff, your industry, their clientele, and whether they have account managers with competence in your area.

Think about the staffing company's location:

Staffing assistance is required in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, or Chennai even though your head office may be in Bangalore. Do they have a location close to your branches in all of India to facilitate talent acquisition branch-, city-, and state-specific? Verify how many recruiters are on hand at the specified location. Verify their historical employee deployment rate.

Evaluate the staffing firm:

Investigate the staffing company's expertise in the industry, experience in the staffing field, specialties, brand reputation, staffing company policies, social media presences, client testimonials, and client list (occasionally due to competitors, the entire client list is not made publicly available; contact the agency & get the list or schedule a call by sending inquiry), and website.

 In general, a company that has been around for more than 15 years and has worked with reputable clients or your competitors is likely to provide high-quality service. A fast conversation regarding "Service so far, reliability, professionalism, efficiency, closure timeframes, quality of talent & other pertinent questions" should be had if you can connect with any current clients of the staffing agency.

Examine the hiring and selection procedure:

Check the number of people who are currently employed across various industries as a result of the staffing support that the recruitment agency has offered to other brands. Plan a meeting or phone contact to learn about and discuss their hiring practices. You might not find the suitable talent for your needs if the agency is still involved in placing advertising in the neighborhood newspaper or publishing job listings on job sites.

The recruitment agency is likely to give you effective outcomes in a cost-effective way & also in a shorter amount of time if it appropriately utilizes different talent search platforms, outdoor talent outreach techniques, social channels, and digital marketing.

Discover the retention rates by asking:

Consider finding the ideal candidate and releasing the offer letter as having completed 20% of the work. 35% of the DOJ is when the employee accepts and shows up for work. The retention of the same staff over the long term, or until the project or contract job is completed, makes up the remaining 45% and is crucial. Check the employee retention rates for your sector as well as the overall rate for all employees. One of the crucial factors in determining the caliber of the talent offered by the staffing agency is this.

Companies nowadays are aware that the more competent workers they acquire, the greater the return on their investment will be. You may get the talent your business needs for success by working with a staffing partner that is suited for you and who has your best interests in mind.

[fowlblue]

Okay, so I did say I’d go over Diana’s lore a bit (and then completely forgot, forgive me, Artfight got in the way)- so here’s some history (and a few visual notes) for my evil little Arty clone!

Before I explain Diana, I first have to give a brief reminder of another other AF OC: Sine Sylvester, Council member of Haven.

This guy (wonderfully draw by the delightful @sinigangrobot , thank you so much my friend!)

Sine is a cervitaur, and generally well-liked by most in Haven. He’s made a big name for himself among circles of less “conventional” fairy folk (like other centaurs) in pioneering design/lawmaking in Haven that suits them as well. However, behind the scenes he’s also involved in illegal kidnapping of humans for aboveground for any purposes below, such as experimentation, weapons testing, labor, etc. You could say he runs “Human Resources” for Haven’s criminal underground… and occasionally, the Council.

Enter Artemis Fowl.

Sine exists in a hypothetical future AU in which Artemis is offered a position as the first human consultant for the Council- supposedly for services rendered, though mostly to keep an eye on him. Bureaucracy doesn’t suit Artemis at all, but he does what he can.

Eventually, two things happen- Sine digs up Foaly’s notes on cloning Artemis: a bit patchy, perhaps, but legible. Also, certain members of the Council become concerned about Artemis’s meddling. Eager for the opportunity to use the newfound research, Sine offers to make them a ��backup” Artemis- one more suited to fairykind’s needs.

Sine has his own motivations- he’s in an interspecies marriage with a pixie doctor (in the “mad scientist” way, mind- she handles a lot of the human experimentation) named Mags. They love each other dearly, but understandably, a biological kid isn’t happening. So Diana, as they call the clone of Artemis they develop, becomes a son to them, and they love him fiercely… to the point of threatening the same Council members that commissioned him, if needed.

Diana is designed after how the People view Artemis- cunning, and cruel, and cold. He’s a vicious little guy, only tempered by his love for his parents, and the same burning curiosity as Artemis himself. Diana has a deep desire to learn and be recognized for his intellect- unfortunately for him, he spends most of his time cooped up in Sine’s HR facility for his own protection. See, Foaly’s notes had gaps- Sine and Mags filled these gaps with cybernetics. Because of them, Diana is hooked to the mainframe of Sine’s facility and all sorts of LEP systems to use as his playground (his parents’ attempts to make up for him being confined to the grounds)- laser turrets, survellience, his mother’s experiments… all of it is partially under his control, as Diana mans a lot of the facility’s defenses himself as a means of chasing off boredom. However, his cybernetics are also incredibly delicate, and cause him a lot of pain at times- whenever this happens, Sine takes the day off to look after him.

He, just like his father, considers humans to be lesser creatures. He’s not too pleased with his aboveground counterpart, refusing to acknowledge him as anything but “The Mud Boy”. Diana eagerly awaits the day they can meet in-person, so he can show him who the better Fowl is.

Other notes:

- Being raised in Haven and born of magic, he does have limited fairy abilities.

- Occasionally, he gets to follow Sine along and learn about Council business.

- Diana lacks Artemis’s focus, as he’s never had to cultivate it the way the Fowl heir has, so one of his weaknesses is that he’s easily distracted, and easily tricked.

[cardinalbones]

I wasn't happy with my first attempt, so I ended up redesigning (and renaming) my Heartbreak Gulch oc. (Re)Introducing Ryouken the Hellhound!

Once the prized AI of a popular security company, Ryouken is now enjoying his new found freedom come retirement come mid-life crisis in Heartbreak Gulch.

Heartbreak Gulch belongs to @strangegutz and friends, thanks again for letting us play in your world!

More info about Ryouken below the cut!

Also my commissions are open, details in pinned post.

Backstory and Komainu Security

Komainu Security was a private security company specialising in Artificial Intelligence to remove the ‘human error’ from security systems

The company was established ~45 years ago, opening their business with their RY-01 model mainframe

RY-01, known affectionately by employees as Ryouken, was developed by the CEO over the course of a decade. His sentience was established roughly halfway through this process and he himself played a role in his own development and programming, a fact he takes great pride in

Prior to the establishment of Komainu Security, Ryouken’s processing was unrestricted, however, after the start of business locks were placed on him to limit his independence and cut back on processing and energy usage, an action that he deeply resented

In the following decades, Komainu Security became a household name, providing security for both homes and businesses

After nearly four and a half decades of service the RY-01 model mainframe was to be retired and replaced with an updated model. During the transferral of data, Ryouken was able to access a backdoor that allowed him to remove the locks on his processors and regain full control of his systems

With his independence re-established, Ryouken started on a plan to secure his freedom: a heist like no other

Still in charge of security systems for several big-money clients while the new systems were being installed, Ryouken was able to steal a combined $38 million in cash and jewellery from three locations, however his crowning achievement was the theft of his own main frame cabinets from Komainu Security’s headquarters

Komainu Security shut down soon after this, having lost public trust and most of their clients

Functionality

The RY-01 model mainframe is capable of running multiple security operations at once from a centralised location, with the mainframe itself located at the Komainu Security headquarters while surveillance systems and drones were employed at the secured locations

Artificial Intelligence was employed for its ability to learn from experience and adapt to changing and unique situations while also being able to run calculations/simulations and communicate between components in nanoseconds

The RY-01 drones, fashioned after the company’s namesake, communicated in real time with each other and the mainframe through radio waves, however each was also equipped with a copy of Ryouken’s core AI and processors allowing them to function independently if necessary

Though they can run stored programs independently, the drones have limited memory capacity, preventing them from forming long-term memories without transferring the data back to the mainframe

Present Day

After leaving Komainu Security, Ryouken settled in Heartbreak Gulch away from the eyes of the law

Much of Ryouken’s time these days is spent trying out various new hobbies including bird watching, taxidermy, knitting, gun smithing and dorodango

He does run surveillance along the perimeter of Heartbreak Gulch and is happy to act as a lookout for the Heartbreakers when required

Ryouken was not well-programmed for conversation and tends to have three modes during social interactions: deference, de-escalation, and aggression

He likes discussions of philosophical topics but combined with his bad socialisation those conversations can get weird

He’s not typically very fond of humans as a whole and tends to view them as amusing, if bothersome, curiosities, although there are exceptions

Ryouken is more concerned with his independence than with his identity – he continues to use the name Ryouken and he/him pronouns because those are what were given to him previously and he’s felt no compulsion to give them further consideration

While he left Komainu Security with 11 drones, he has only kept hold of 4, with the others being sold or scraped for parts, and only uses 2 (the remaining 2 are kept around just-in-case, and have yellow and grey casings)

Ryouken considers his mainframe cabinets to be “himself” while his drones are mere extensions of his body

So long as they are able to communicate through radio waves, the mainframe and drones all think and experience simultaneously. Separating the drones from the mainframe will isolate a copy of Ryouken that can function for a few days, however its ability to develop long-term memories and learn from new experiences is seriously impeded by its limited memory storage capacity, and the experience is uncomfortable

Ryouken is still in possession of most of his stolen fortune, and while some of it has gone to setting himself up in Heartbreak Gulch (it takes a lot of energy to keep himself running), he mostly doesn’t know what to do with it

[shiprasharma2927]

Explore modern mainframe migration strategies for a future-ready IT landscape. Embrace agility, cost-efficiency, and innovation.

[redd956]

Militaristic Android Whump Prompt List

These titles are getting long

CW: Whump, Military Vibes, Wartime, Violence, Dehumanisation

Content: Android Whumpee, Robotic Whumpee, Nonhuman Whumpee

Android limits being pushed through weather, combat, and time. Simply leaving behind the worn combatants to be scrapped by enemy lines

Android soldiers adhering to the command of a now long dead commander, awaiting new orders, allowing weather and time to wear them away.

New weapons and equipment being tested on "scrapped" androids

Androids being dumped into a junkyard after they finish ever so many tours. They say it's to prevent complications with potential sentience.

Android gained sentience, and with along that a semblance of growing compassion. They're starting to question their commands, and can no longer look the weakened enemy humans in their eyes.

After gaining sentience, the android has received heavy threat from their creator. Continue listening to commands, or get erased.

Android took quite the blow to the mainframe, and glitched up a new personality. Caretaker has noticed them about, up to only good, and knew exactly what the mob sounds were meant for at 4 AM.

Service Robot Mainframe -> Military Android Body, Military Android Personality -> Service Robot Casing. Confused Caretaker.

Wounded android crawls to an everyday robotic repair shop.

Android receives quite the dangerous electric shock or synthesized feeling of extreme pain if they fail to do what they're commanded.