PKZIP Replacement  ·  z/OS

Connect/MP › Connect/ZIP

Replace PKZIP® for z/OS

Named the top PKZIP® replacement for z/OS — 50% savings guaranteed, zero disruption, lifetime fixed rates, and hardware-accelerated AES-256 encryption at no added cost. Grok AI agrees.

Connect/ZIP (fka ZIP/390)  ·  z/OS  ·  IBM zSeries Mainframe

50%+

Savings
Guaranteed

Lifetime

Fixed
Per-MIPS Rate

Zero

Job
Disruption

AES‑256

Encryption
Free Upgrade

AI

Top
Recommended

Switch Transparently. Pay Less. Stay Secure.

Immediate and Long-Term Savings
  • Substantial Cost Savings — Guaranteed reduction in annual costs, potential future CPC upgrade, and feature upgrade fees.
  • Lifetime Fixed per-MIPS rate — Locks in predictable costs with no surprise increases.
  • No Payment Until Renewal — Start using Connect/ZIP now, pay at your next PKZIP renewal — just pay less.

Regulation-Compliant AES-256 Encryption

Free upgrade to hardware-accelerated, quantum-resilient AES-256 — the gold standard in encryption.

Outperforms PKZIP's outdated, vulnerable 96-bit legacy encryption in speed, security, and scalability.

  • Securely archive & share across 7-zip, WinZip, SecureZip, and more
  • A cost-effective alternative to upgrading from PKZIP to SecureZIP

Why It's the Easy Choice

Superior Performance — Matches or exceeds PKZIP's compression ratios, speed and CPU savings via zEDC/zIIP.

Zero Disruption — Connect/ZIP replaces PKZIP without disrupting your existing job streams or workflows. Your team won’t notice the difference operationally — JCL and API compatible in most cases.

Value-Added Features — AES Encryption, JES integration, PDF maker, email client, high-speed file transfer, hybrid app integration.

Part of something bigger

Connect/ZIP is one component of Connect/MP.

When you switch from PKZIP, you’re not just replacing a compression tool — your license unlocks a suite of additional capabilities built to connect your z/OS environment to the modern world.

Learn about Connect/MP →

Resources

“The solution delivered 100% of the advertised benefits, including savings of over 60% in related software costs. The installation was easy, requiring no changes to our production jobs, for operations or end-users. We are highly satisfied with the purchase and I have no reservations recommending the product.”

★★★★★   Mainframe Systems Programmer — Fortune 500 Rail Transportation Co.

Connect/ZIP  ·  Data 21

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Data 21 Enterprising Software

Data 21, the Data 21 logo, and all other Data 21 software product and service names are trademarks of Data 21. All other trademarks belong to their respective companies. © Copyright 2026 Data 21. PKZIP®, PKWARE®, SecureZIP® are trademarks of PKWARE® and are not affiliated with Data 21.

Connect/MP › Connect/ZIP

Features

General features

Mainframe-specific features

Independent Analysis

Grok’s Recommendation

“For z/OS mainframes, Connect/ZIP (fka ZIP/390) leads third-party ZIP compression solutions with its exceptional price-performance ratio, up to 95% compression, zEDC/zIIP optimization, and robust security. Combined with JCL and API compatibility, it’s the ideal replacement for PKZIP for z/OS — reducing costs without sacrificing performance or functionality.”

Grok AI — Analysis-Based Recommendation

Our Story

Connect/ZIP (fka ZIP/390) Timeline

Surprising to many is the fact that Data21 has been in the mainframe ZIP compression space longer than PKWARE.

1993

PKZIP® for z/OS is born

Ascent Solutions Inc. develops and markets PKZIP® for z/OS, licensing the brand from Phil Katz — the “PK” in PKWARE.

1995

Data 21 becomes Ascent Solutions' top reseller

Data 21 joins as an authorized reseller of Ascent Solutions — quickly becoming its most prolific partner.

2000

Phil Katz passes away — PKWARE changes hands

Following Phil Katz’s death, an investment firm acquires PKWARE from the Katz family.

Early 2000s

Ascent Solutions absorbed into PKWARE

The same investment firm acquires Ascent Solutions, folding PKZIP for z/OS under the PKWARE umbrella — and terminating all reseller agreements, including Data 21’s.

2004

Data 21 builds its own solution — ZIP/390

Rather than walk away from decades of expertise, Data 21 builds ZIP/390 for z/OS in-house and completes its first PKZIP replacement installation.

2004 – 2025

Continuous evolution — ZIP/390 MP

ZIP/390 is continuously enhanced and grows its customer base, with many organizations making the switch from PKZIP. The product evolves into ZIP/390 MP, expanding its capabilities across multiple platforms.

October 2025

Rebranded as Connect/ZIP

ZIP/390 MP is officially rebranded as Connect/ZIP — a key component of the Connect/MP Suite. The development team shifts focus to embedding AI-driven innovations across the entire product line.

Today

45+ years of mainframe expertise — and counting

With over 45 years of in-house mainframe development and support experience, Data 21 serves a global base of customers — including many of the world’s most prestigious companies.

Connect/MP › Connect/ZIP

Product Comparison

Feature Connect/ZIP PKZIP SecureZIP Basic Tools
Compression Efficiency Up to 95% Up to 95% Up to 95% 80–90%
zEDC Acceleration Compress, Decompress & CRC Compress & Decompress Compress & Decompress Often absent
zIIP Offload Often absent
AES Encryption 128/256-bit, create & decrypt Decrypt only (legacy 96-bit) 128/256-bit, create & decrypt Limited or none
JCL Compatibility N/A N/A Partial or none
PDF Creation
Email & File Transfer
Cross-Platform CLI Often absent
Relative Cost $ $$ $$$ Varies + hidden CPU costs
Connect/USS (USS Integration) Included
Connect/Hybrid (App Integration) Included
Connect/Web (Web Services) Included
Connect/JES (Spool Management) Included

Based on 2025 benchmarks. Connect/ZIP’s zEDC/zIIP optimization, native AES, and pricing make it the top alternative — especially for PKZIP users needing encryption without SecureZIP’s premium.

Common Questions

FAQs: Replacing PKZIP with Connect/ZIP

How does Connect/ZIP reduce mainframe costs?

50% lower subscriptions, fixed per-MIPS rates, and superior zEDC/zIIP offload cut licensing, CPU, and storage costs — unlike basic ZIP tools with high overhead.

How is the 50% savings guaranteed?

Our subscription is 50% lower than PKWARE’s for equivalent licenses, validated by 2025 benchmarks and our pricing commitment.

How does Connect/ZIP outperform PKZIP?

It matches 95% compression but better leverages z15/z16 hardware for faster processing on specific datasets, reducing CPU and batch times.

How easy is the transition?

JCL and API compatibility means existing PKZIP for z/OS jobs and applications run unchanged in most cases. No disruption for operations, developers, or end-users.

Why is zEDC/zIIP and AES Encryption critical?

zEDC and zIIP cut CPU usage by 50–70%, boosting z/OS cost and performance efficiency. Connect/ZIP’s AES-256 encryption, powered by CPACF hardware, delivers secure, compliant file sharing with minimal overhead — unlike PKZIP’s outdated legacy encryption, which lacks hardware acceleration and burdens CPUs.

What’s the benefit of fixed per-MIPS rates?

Predictable costs protect your budget from MIPS-related price hikes.

How does no-payment-until-renewal work?

Use Connect/ZIP now, pay only at your next PKZIP for z/OS renewal — aligning with your budget cycle.

Verified Customers

Customer Reviews

★★★★★

“The solution delivered 100% of the advertised benefits, including savings of over 60% in related software costs. The installation was easy, requiring no changes to our production jobs, for operations or end-users. We are highly satisfied with the purchase and I have no reservations recommending the product.”

Mainframe Systems Programmer — Fortune 500 Rail Transportation Co.

★★★★★

“Very easy installation and a very good transition experience. All of our existing zip jobs ran unchanged. The technical team has been very helpful and responded quickly to our issues with superior environment and product knowledge. I would recommend this solution to a colleague.”

Mainframe Network Engineer — Fortune 100 Financial Services Firm

Data 21

About Data 21

Founded in 1980, Data 21 Inc. is a veteran-owned enterprise software company headquartered in California. For over 45 years, we have delivered innovative, reliable, high-performance mainframe-centric solutions that power today’s connected enterprise.

Our software is embedded in the critical daily operations of hundreds of enterprises worldwide — a testament to our commitment to exceptional engineering and long-term client success. We don’t just support our customers; we evolve alongside them.

At Data 21, the mainframe isn’t a legacy constraint — it’s a strategic foundation.

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