Re: Support for five more years ?
Totally agree but it's getting people to run them that's getting harder. Last mainframe I worked on was back in 2003 just as it being replaced by a couple of mini systems with same power. The incumbant main op/admin was retiring but he agreed to stay for 2 years to see the transition through for extra bonuses.
I remember contracting at a service company once, a group of old boys used to sit in the corner of the room, they hardly ever appeard to do any work. They were paid simply because they knew a specific old mainframe system that a customer had. They spent all day reading the paper but the customer was terrified the system would fail them that they paid huge sums of money for these old boys to babysit their precious system while they were working on plans to replace it.
It's not the system, it's finding people who know how to manage it that's getting harder and more expensive. Who the hell wants to work in IT past 55?! No one, I've no intention of working beyond 60 thanks very much, I couldn't care less even I'm last person around who knows something, when i can retire I'm off mate!
Biting the hand that feeds IT
