In an effort to extend its on demand and grid computing efforts, IBM is modernizing its tools to give mainframe applications interfaces to 21st-century technologies such as componentized software.

The Somers, N.Y., company is beta testing a feature that provides direct Web services connectivity into CICS (Customer Information Control System), a transaction manager widely used on the company's zSeries mainframes.

The technology will be a feature in the next release of CICS, due the first quarter of next year, according to Jim Rhyne, distinguished engineer, eServer tools architect with the Technology and Enterprise Modernization group at IBM.

Outbound Web services capabilities will be available this year for CICS, and the ability to support high levels of security and transactionability will be available next year, Rhyne said.

To read the full story, click here.