Data 21
Data 21
Explore Connect/MP  
Connect/AI  ·  Connect/3270  ·  Connect/Web
Mainframe AI Platform

Unlock Mainframe Intelligence
Connect/AI + Connect/3270 + Connect/Web

Enterprise-Grade AI Inference, Driven Natively from z/OS — Where Your Data Lives

System-SSL + SAF Security No JVM Overhead No Data Movement Native z/OS

Your mainframe contains your most valuable business data and decades of proven logic. Moving it off-platform introduces risk, cost, and complexity.

Data 21’s Connect/MP Suite natively brings AI inference and automation to z/OS with Connect/AI, Connect/3270, and Connect/Web. Connect/Web provides the native z/OS HTTP foundation both components build on — delivering ready-made AI agent access for JES job submission, file system access, and USS operations, and providing the HTTP runtime behind Connect/AI’s batch and interactive AI inference — including its browser-based agentic AI workspace — and Connect/3270’s browser-based access, REST API automation, and structured screen data delivery — ready for agentic automation when paired with Connect/AI. Built on high-performance, z/OSMF-compatible access with no JVM layer, Connect/MP delivers a smaller footprint and lower overhead — all while fully leveraging native System-SSL and SAF security.

No risky data movement
No expensive replication
No core application changes

Connect/AI

Complete AI Integration for the Mainframe. Bring Your Model.

Connect/AI is the complete integration layer for AI inference on z/OS — no middleware to build, nothing to assemble. It works two ways: scheduled batch inference inside your existing JCL, and a browser-based AI workspace for real-time work. Point it at the AI model that best fits each task — mainframe-based (IBM z17 Telum II/Spyre), your own local model, or a cloud provider like Claude, GPT-4, or Gemini — and Connect/AI, powered by Connect/Web, handles the rest, including multi-step agentic workflows.

Connect/3270

3270 Data. Ready for AI.

Your 3270 screens are a gold mine of mission-critical intelligence — read by operators, acted on manually, never fully extracted. Connect/3270 mines that data and structures it, while giving you browser-based access and REST API automation for every 3270 application — no application changes, no leaving z/OS. Paired with Connect/AI, that same structured connection feeds inference, agentic automation, and real-time decisioning.

Connect/Web

Native z/OS HTTP & AI Infrastructure

Connect/Web is the high-performance native z/OS web server that underpins Connect/MP’s AI and modernization capabilities. It delivers ready-made AI agent access for JES job submission, file access, and USS operations — exposing z/OS resources directly to AI agents and external tools.

Its embedded HTTP engine also powers Connect/3270’s browser-based and agentic 3270 sessions, providing the zero-JVM web layer that modern AI-driven mainframe workloads demand.

Connect/AI + Connect/3270 + Connect/Web

Together: Powerful Automation and Intelligent Workflows

Connect/Web provides the native infrastructure that exposes z/OS resources to AI agents and external tools. Connect/3270 mines live CICS, VTAM, and z/OS 3270 screen data and structures it; Connect/AI turns it into inference, agentic automation, and real-time decisioning. Every 3270 process performed by a human operator today is a candidate for an AI agent tomorrow. Together, you can:

Submit and monitor JES jobs directly, accessible to any AI agent or tool
Access z/OS datasets and USS files from external AI agents, Claude, and automation pipelines
Navigate and interact with 3270 applications (CICS, IMS, TSO, monitoring tools, and more)
Capture and analyze live screen data in real time
Apply reasoning and business logic through natural language
Execute actions and complete transactions — either autonomously or as part of scripted processes
Seamlessly combine traditional automation (REXX, Python, etc.) with advanced AI capabilities

All processing can remain securely on the mainframe, protected by native System-SSL encryption and SAF security controls — fully respecting data sovereignty and data gravity.

Supported Agents & Languages

Connect/AI REXX Python PHP Java Claude External AI Agents

Key Benefits

Enterprise-grade security with native System-SSL and SAF integration
Superior performance with z/OSMF-compatible REST APIs and no JVM overhead
Broad language & agent support — Connect/AI, REXX, Python, PHP, Java, and external AI agents
Ready-made access exposes JES and file system access to any AI agent or automation tool
Accelerate modernization without rewriting legacy applications or moving data
Dramatically reduce manual effort on repetitive 3270-based processes
Preserve batch SLAs with low-latency, on-platform inference
Interactive, browser-based AI workspace for real-time, agentic inference — no batch job required
Unlock the value of your existing mainframe investments with modern AI

Real-World Impact

Faster claims processing and exception handling

Intelligent operations and performance analysis

Automated policy reviews and customer service workflows

Compare Your Options

How Connect/MP Compares to Common Solutions

Connect/MP is designed to complement and extend IBM’s mainframe AI and modernization stack. While IBM provides powerful models, governance, and core services, Connect/MP delivers specialized native capabilities that help organizations operationalize AI more efficiently on z/OS.

  Scroll to see all columns

Feature / Aspect Connect/MP Suite (AI + 3270 + Web) IBM Traditional Stack (z/OSMF + Zowe) IBM watsonx.ai (on Z) Cloud AI + Connector Custom / Open-Source
Native z/OS Execution Excellent — fully native binaries Good (JVM-based) Partial No Varies
Batch JCL Integration Excellent Limited Good Limited Manual
3270 Navigation & Agentic Flow Best-in-class — native structured screen mining + full agentic loop Limited Limited / requires custom integration Limited (scraping) Custom
Agentic Capabilities Very strong — built-in reasoning + 3270 actions Limited Strong (general agents) Good Limited
Web AI Agentic Workspace Yes — real-time, browser-based agentic AI console (native on z/OS) No native equivalent Yes (watsonx studio, cloud/hybrid) Yes (cloud consoles) Varies
Performance & Efficiency Superior: tens of MB footprint, no JVM/GC, low latency Higher overhead Higher overhead Network bound Varies
Security & Compliance Excellent — native SAF throughout Strong Strong Weaker Depends
Data Movement None for on-Z operations Minimal Minimal on-Z Required None (if on-Z)
Zero App Code Changes Yes Often required Often required High effort High effort
Pricing Model MIPS-based, no toll fees Included in z/OS + Zowe Subscription + consumption Consumption Free + infra
Deployment Effort Low Medium–High Medium High Very high
Skills Required Low–Medium: e.g., JCL, REXX, basic prompt engineering Medium: JCL + web services / Zowe / Java High: prompt engineering, AI/ML, integration High Very high: AI engineering + mainframe dev
Best For High-performance native agentic AI on files and live 3270 data with an interactive workspace General management & modernization Broad enterprise AI Hybrid/cloud Custom control

Comparison reflects typical deployment patterns as of 2026 and general industry positioning; specific results vary by environment and configuration.

Connect/AI  ·  Connect/3270  ·  Connect/Web  ·  Data 21

Ready to transform your mainframe into an
AI-powered advantage?

Contact us today for a personalized demonstration of Connect/AI, Connect/3270, and Connect/Web working together.

Contact Us   Free Trial  

Secure · Native · Intelligent · Sovereign · High-Performance

Data Sovereignty by Design. Built for the Mainframe.