You might have come across JOPAZ already and thought, “What’s actually behind it?” If you’re working on the IBM Z mainframe, this could be right up your alley.
We’ve been getting quite a few questions from members of the TECH Community, so we pulled together a first set of FAQs to get the conversation started. Nothing too formal, just practical answers to what people are really asking.
But this shouldn’t be a one-way street. If you’re curious about something, wondering how JOPAZ fits into your setup, or want to share your perspective, drop a question in the comments 
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Our JOPAZ experts and your fellow community members are here to jump in .
1. What exactly is JOPAZ?
JOPAZ is a mainframe optimization solution that allows organizations to improve and redistribute COBOL workloads to specialized zIIP processors in the IBM Z environment.
It works by compiling COBOL programs into Java bytecode, which can then run on Java Virtual Machines on the mainframe. As a result, a significant portion of the processing that would normally run on the central GP processor can instead run on zIIP.
The result is :
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Reduced central processor usage
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Freed-up system capacity
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Lower MSU consumption
2. What is a zIIP processor and why is it relevant for JOPAZ?
The IBM z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP) is a specialized processor available on IBM Z mainframe systems designed to run specific workloads.
Unlike general-purpose processors (GPs), zIIP processors are intended to handle types of processing such as:
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Database workloads
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Analytics processing
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Certain middleware services
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Java workloads
A key aspect of zIIP processors is that work executed on zIIP does not count toward the MSU consumption used for most mainframe software licen sing.
This is where JOPAZ becomes highly relevant. By compiling COBOL programs into Java bytecode and running them on the Java Virtual Machine, JOPAZ enables a significant portion of the workload to execute on zIIP processors rather than on the central processor.
The practical result can include:
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Reduced central processor utilization
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Improved overall system capacity
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Lower software licensing costs
In short, zIIP processors provide the technical foundation that allows JOPAZ to offload traditional COBOL workloads and improve mainframe efficiency.
3.Do I need to modify my COBOL applications?
No. One of the key differentiators of JOPAZ is that existing COBOL source code does not need to be modified. Applications continue to:
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Use the same source code
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Access the same databases
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Be maintained with the same development tools
This makes it possible to optimize the environment without refactoring, migrating, or changing the operational model.
4. What are the real benefits in terms of capacity or cost?
The primary benefit is reducing the workload running on the mainframe’s central GP processor. In many cases, COBOL batch workloads can achieve significant reductions in central CPU usage, depending on the workload profile.
This can lead to benefits such as:
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Lower MSU consumption
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Reduced software licensing costs
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Postponing hardware upgrades
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Additional capacity for new workloads
5. Does JOPAZ replace modernization initiatives?
No. In fact, it is often seen as a complementary or preparatory step.
Many organizations use JOPAZ to:
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Free up mainframe capacity
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Reduce operational costs
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Gain time to plan modernization initiatives
In other words, the idea is to “optimize first, modernize at the right pace”, without taking unnecessary risks with critical systems.
6. How can organizations start evaluating JOPAZ?
The most common approach is to start with Proof of Value (PoV).
Typically, this process involves:
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Selecting a few high-CPU COBOL batch job s
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Running the workload with and without JOPAZ
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Comparing central GP processor consumption with COBOL and JOPAZ.
This makes it possible to estimate how much workload could be redistributed to zIIP processors and what the potential gains could be in that specific environment.