Rocket launches z/Assurance for IBM Z risk & compliance. Thu, 10th Sep 2026 (Today) Rocket Software has launched Rocket z/Assurance, a risk and compliance management portfolio for IBM Z environments. It is aimed at organisations running critical systems on mainframes and across hybrid estates. The portfolio brings together tools to identify vulnerabilities, check security controls, monitor compliance readiness and assess remediation priorities across IBM Z systems. It also covers hybrid environments that include mainframes, reflecting how many large organisations run their infrastructure. The launch comes as security teams face faster discovery and exploitation of vulnerabilities linked to artificial intelligence tools. Rocket Software also pointed to longer-term concerns about quantum computing and its implications for cryptography and data protection. A commissioned study by Researchscape highlighted the scale of concern among technology leaders. According to the findings, only 24% of IT leaders were extremely confident in their organisation's ability to address mainframe vulnerabilities over the next year. Portfolio scope Rocket z/Assurance includes a set of products focused on different parts of security and compliance operations in IBM Z environments. These include tools for code-level vulnerability analysis, continuous monitoring of new exposures, visibility into missing security patches, automated policy adherence checks, and reviews of cryptographic inventories and quantum-related exposure across z/OS, z/VM and Linux on Z. The portfolio is intended to give security and IT teams real-time visibility into risk and a clearer basis for remediation decisions. Rocket Software is also positioning the software as a way to produce evidence for audits and broader governance reviews. One part of the announcement concerns planned agentic artificial intelligence functions. Rocket Software said it intends to add AI features to help teams interpret findings, prioritise fixes and access remediation guidance in plain language. The planned addition reflects a broader shift in cybersecurity operations, as suppliers use AI to reduce manual triage while also responding to the security threats the technology creates. In heavily regulated environments such as banking, government and large-scale enterprise IT, the need to show that controls are working remains central to buying decisions. IBM Z systems still sit at the core of many transaction-heavy industries and often form part of wider hybrid environments rather than standalone estates. That makes governance and visibility harder, particularly when security teams must track risk across a mix of older and newer platforms. Rocket Software has long focused on tools for mainframe modernisation and infrastructure software, and the new portfolio fits that position in the market. The aim is to help organisations modernise critical systems without weakening security or governance. Phil Buckellew, President of Infrastructure Modernisation at Rocket Software, outlined how the company views the role of risk visibility in technology decisions. "Modernisation decisions increasingly depend on an organisation's ability to understand and manage risk across its most critical systems," he said. He added: "When leaders have clear visibility into where risk exists and confidence that their IBM Z environments remain protected, security becomes an enabler of innovation and modernisation rather than a barrier to progress. It allows organisations to move faster, make informed decisions, and focus resources where they can have the greatest impact." Rocket Software said 99% of enterprises operate hybrid environments that include mainframes, a point it used to argue that perimeter controls and static checks are no longer sufficient on their own. In that setting, it is targeting teams that need continuous monitoring, patch visibility and evidence that policies are being enforced across core systems. The emphasis on quantum-related exposure also shows how suppliers are broadening the definition of security preparedness beyond today's active threats. For organisations with long data retention periods or regulated records, understanding where cryptographic methods are used has become part of longer-term planning as well as present-day compliance work. The portfolio is designed to connect technical findings to business-relevant risk and help teams decide where to act first across critical IBM Z environments.

Hexaview Technologies has received dual accreditation from Rocket Software as both a MultiValue Accredited Solutioning Partner and a MultiValue AI Solution Partner, effective 31 August 2026. The designation allows Hexaview to deliver conventional MultiValue services and AI-driven modernisation work under Rocket's standards. Rocket launched its Accredited Partner Program at MV World 2026 to address the shrinking MultiValue talent pool. The company now refers modernisation projects only to accredited partners. Hexaview earned the AI designation through Legacy Insights, an agentic AI service built for undocumented codebases. The system reads Pick BASIC and related code, reconstructs dependency graphs, and generates documentation of business rules and data flows. Early engagements reduced discovery effort by 65%. Rocket MultiValue customers can engage Hexaview directly or through Rocket Services and Solutioning.

Rocket Software advances AI enablement for Application Modernization across mission-critical platforms. Rocket Software announced new AI innovations across its application modernization portfolio, redefining how organizations modernize mission-critical platforms with AI. Across IBM(R) i, IBM Z(R), MultiValue, and Uniface(R), the company is infusing application development, database management, and system operations with actionable, explainable, and governed AI. Through AI-powered developer experience and AIOps capabilities, the advancements empower developers of all skill levels with AI-driven capabilities that accelerate modernization, improve software quality, strengthen operational resilience, and help organizations deliver applications faster. As AI adoption accelerates across software development, organizations are under growing pressure to modernize mission-critical systems while addressing persistent IT skills gaps. According to the Linux Foundation, 57% of organizations say upskilling existing staff is their primary strategy for addressing technical talent gaps, ahead of hiring new technical staff. Rocket Software's latest innovations are designed to address these skills gaps by empowering developers of all skill levels with AI-enabled tools and modern development practices. Unlike consumer-grade AI tools or siloed automation products, Rocket applies AI directly to mission-critical platforms for deeper insights and more powerful automation. Rocket Software's solutions are designed to operate across hybrid architectures, support modern containerized deployments, and integrate with existing workflows and business logic. At the same time, Rocket Software maintains AI policies overseen by an internal AI Governance Board, with a strong focus on the safe and ethical use of AI. "Today the value of AI is now measured by how confidently organizations can leverage it to their most critical systems," said Puneet Kohli, President of the Application Modernization Business Unit at Rocket Software. "By embedding governed, explainable AI directly into the platforms and workflows our customers already trust, we're helping organizations accelerate modernization, extend the value of existing technology investments, and equip developers of all skill levels to confidently support mission-critical applications." How Do These Innovations Empower Every Developer? * Extend developer-first AI enablement across IBM i, IBM Z, MultiValue, and Uniface, making modern development workflows more accessible for developers of all skill levels. * Enable faster development through AI-generated code analysis, cross-platform IDE integration, and CI/CD automation. * Embed AI across developer and user workflows to enhance productivity, improve user experience, and elevate overall application quality. How Do These Capabilities Accelerate Software Delivery and Quality? * Deliver higher-quality code through AI-powered static code analysis, RPG code modularization, and AI MCP interfaces, and AI-generated unit testing that can increase code coverage beyond 90%. * Integrate with modern DevOps toolchains, including Git(R) and Azure(R) Pipelines, to detect issues earlier and accelerate software delivery across IBM i environments. How Do These Enhancements Deliver Actionable, Explainable AI? * Embed governed, domain-aware AI directly into MultiValue and Uniface application platforms to accelerate modernization while preserving trust, stability, and architectural choice. * Deliver AI designed for transparency, trust, and compliance through seamless integration with existing workflows, business logic, and hybrid architectures. How Does Rocket Software's AI Innovations Strengthen Operational Resilience? * Introduce Rocket iCluster(R) AI Tuner to optimize replication performance through AI-driven analysis. * Proactively identify latency and throughput bottlenecks to improve RTO and RPO, strengthen business continuity, and simplify high availability and disaster recovery operations. "AI is rapidly transforming how organizations approach software quality and delivery, with automated testing emerging as a key enabler of more mature DevOps practices. The ability to generate unit tests and increase code coverage at scale not only reduces manual effort but also helps teams identify issues earlier in the development lifecycle. As enterprises extend CI/CD into traditionally complex environments like IBM i, innovations such as AI-driven testing and analysis will play a critical role in improving both speed and confidence in delivery." - Jim Mercer, Program Vice President, Software Development, DevOps, and DevSecOps, IDC Research. Topics: AI David Marshall is the founder of VMblog.com, one of the industry's longest-running independent publications covering modern data center technologies. What began as a focus on virtualization and cloud computing has expanded to cover the full spectrum of enterprise IT, including AI, security, and DevOps, making VMblog a trusted destination for vendor news, technology analysis, and industry commentary.Beyond publishing, David has spent his career at the intersection of technology and business, inventing, marketing, and launching a number of successful software companies and products, and building a reputation as a skilled marketing executive in the enterprise IT space.David is also a published author, having written two well-regarded books on virtualization and served as technical editor for two "For Dummies" titles covering virtualization and cloud computing. He co-founded CloudCow.com, a publication focused on cloud computing, and has been named a VMware vExpert every year since 2009, one of the longest continuous honoree streaks in the program's history.Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmarshall/