Gartner analysts say some organizations running Linux virtual machines on VMware may find it cost-effective to move certain workloads to IBM mainframes rather than adopt Broadcom’s updated VMware licensing. In discussion of Gartner’s mid-April report “The State of the IBM Mainframe in 2026,” analyst Alessandro Galimberti points to scenarios involving large fleets—such as hundreds of Linux VMs—and long-running, mission-critical applications that need stability over many years. He argues that mainframe capabilities can reduce the need for application-level work in areas like data synchronization and high availability because those functions are built into the platform.
Galimberti does not recommend mainframes for all applications. He suggests they are most suitable when software is unlikely to change for a decade or more, and for workloads running on Linux, which can use IBM’s mainframe hardware and IBM’s z/VM hypervisor. At the same time, he highlights trade-offs: organizations face mainframe lock-in risk, may need to spend time negotiating price and renewal protections, and may encounter skills shortages. He also notes that increasing involvement from service providers and the availability of Linux could improve the migration picture for some buyers.
