AWS Mainframe Modernization
AWS Mainframe Modernization provides API and web tools for planning and implementing mainframe application migration on AWS.
What AWS Mainframe Modernization is
AWS Mainframe Modernization provides API and web tools for planning and implementing mainframe application migration on AWS. Teams can assess and scope projects, then use automated refactoring or replatforming patterns. The service supports COBOL and PL/I development through an on-demand IDE with smart editing, debugging, instant compilation, and unit testing. Its managed runtime monitors clusters, offers self-healing compute, and scales automatically, while CI/CD helps teams deliver code changes. Integrations include AWS CloudFormation, AWS PrivateLink, and AWS Key Management Service. IAM protects resources; AWS requires TLS 1.2 for network clients and recommends TLS 1.3. KMS supports server-side encryption for dependent persistent resources. Self-managed and managed-runtime experiences are closed to new customers, although existing customers may continue using them. There is no free plan. Some tools have no extra charge, but AWS infrastructure and supporting services are billed separately. Listed options include runtime, developer, transfer, conversion, and replication plans.
Good
- Assessment tools help scope migration projects
- Supports COBOL and PL/I applications
- Managed runtime includes scaling and self-healing
- On-demand IDE offers debugging and unit testing
- Integrates with CloudFormation, PrivateLink, and KMS
Watch out
- No free plan
- Some experiences are closed to new customers
- AWS infrastructure charges apply separately
- Pricing varies by resource and usage
Who it suits
This service suits teams modernizing mainframe applications on AWS, particularly those working with COBOL or PL/I. It is relevant when assessment, refactoring, runtime management, and CI/CD are needed.
Verdict
AWS Mainframe Modernization combines migration planning, code work, runtime operations, and delivery tooling. New customers should note the availability restriction on self-managed and managed-runtime experiences and separate infrastructure billing.
Plans and prices
From AWS Mainframe Modernization's own pricing page, checked 15 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Transform for mainframe Runtime | $0.31 a month | M2.m6i.large $0.31/hour · xlarge $0.62/hour · 2xlarge $1.24/hour · 4xlarge $2.48/hour · 8xlarge $4.96/hour · 16xlarge $9.92/hour · on demand per AWS CPU core per hour |
| File Transfer with BMC | $1.30, paid once | Source is IBM z/OS mainframe · per GB transferred from IBM z/OS |
| File Transfer with BMC (IBM z/OS) | $1.30, paid once | Charged by data transferred to Amazon S3; infrastructure charges may also apply · $1.30 per GB |
| AWS Mainframe Modernization Rocket Developer | $2.14 a month | On-demand developer tool; AWS infrastructure charges may also apply · $2.14 per AWS CPU core per hour |
| Rocket Developer | $2.14 a month | large $2.14/hour · xlarge $4.28/hour · 2xlarge $8.56/hour · 4xlarge $17.12/hour · 8xlarge $34.24/hour · on demand per AWS CPU core per hour |
| Code Conversion with mLogica | $2.75, paid once | Assembler to COBOL conversion · repeated conversions of the same lines in one environment have no additional charge · per line of code |
| Code Conversion with mLogica (Assembler to COBOL) | $2.75, paid once | No additional charge for reconverting the same lines of code in the same environment · $2.75 per line of code |
| Rocket Runtime | $5.55 a month | M2.m6i.large $5.55/hour · xlarge $11.10/hour · 2xlarge $22.20/hour · 4xlarge $44.40/hour · 8xlarge $88.80/hour · on demand per AWS CPU core per hour |
| AWS Mainframe Modernization Rocket Runtime | $5.55 a month | On-demand runtime; AWS infrastructure charges may also apply · $5.55 per AWS CPU core per hour |
| Data Replication with Precisely (IBM z/OS) | $60, paid once | Charged by data replicated from source database; infrastructure charges may also apply · $60 per GB |
| Data Replication with Precisely | $60, paid once | IBM z/OS $60/GB · IBM i $30/GB · per GB replicated |
The facts
Each one read from AWS Mainframe Modernization's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Assessment
- The assessment capability helps scope and plan a mainframe migration or modernization project.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Automated refactoring
- AWS Transform for mainframe can convert legacy application languages into macroservices or microservices and modernize user interfaces and application stacks.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Availability limit
- The self-managed experience and the managed runtime experience are no longer open to new customers; existing customers can continue using them.checked 8 Oct 2026
- AWS integrations
- Documented integrations include CloudFormation, PrivateLink, KMS, RDS, S3, FSx, EFS, AppStream, Migration Hub and Database Migration Service.checked 15 Oct 2026
- CI/CD
- Built-in continuous integration and delivery capabilities are intended to make code changes more frequent and reliable.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Code conversion
- mLogica code conversion automatically translates legacy Assembler code into COBOL while preserving business logic.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Data replication
- Precisely integration replicates mainframe data near real time so AWS analytics and machine-learning services can use it while the mainframe remains the system of record.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment options
- Refactored applications can be deployed on Windows Server, Linux servers or Docker Linux containers, with managed and non-managed runtime choices.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Developer IDE
- The service offers an on-demand IDE with smart editing, debugging, compilation and unit-testing capabilities.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Developer tools
- The on-demand IDE offers smart editing and debugging, instant code compilation, and unit testing.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- S3, DynamoDB and EBS data are encrypted by default with KMS; customer-managed keys can be used for S3 and EBS, while DynamoDB uses an AWS-managed key.checked 15 Oct 2026
- File transfer
- BMC file transfer automates mainframe data-set movement, code-page conversion, compression and parallel transfers.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The service supports AWS CloudFormation, AWS PrivateLink, and AWS Key Management Service integrations.checked 8 Oct 2026
- JavaScript SDK
- AWS SDK for JavaScript v3 provides the installable @aws-sdk/client-m2 package and command-based API operations.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Languages
- The service supports developing or updating applications using COBOL or PL/I.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Limit: additional charges
- Customers can incur separate AppStream, CodeBuild, EC2, S3, RDS, file-system, database and public IPv4 charges when using related components.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: new customers
- AWS documentation says the managed-runtime and self-managed experiences are closed to new customers, while existing customers can continue using them.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: support
- Trustpilot's recent-review summary repeatedly cites difficulty reaching human support and unresponsive assistance.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: TrustRadius pricing
- TrustRadius lists no pricing plans and says the Blu Age offering has no free version or trial.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Managed runtime
- The managed runtime monitors clusters and provides self-healing compute and automated scaling for enterprise workloads.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Modernization patterns
- The service supports automated refactoring and replatforming patterns for mainframe applications.checked 8 Oct 2026
The company
- Company profile
- LinkedIn lists Amazon Web Services as a public IT-services company headquartered in Seattle, founded in 2006, with more than 10,001 employees.checked 15 Oct 2026
Money
- Free assessment
- AWS says an initial AWS Transform for mainframe assessment can be run at no cost, but this is not presented as a general product trial.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: billing and suspension
- Trustpilot reviewers frequently report unexpected charges after cancellation and sudden account suspensions without clear warning.checked 15 Oct 2026
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