Home Z software Z developer tools Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka

Easily extend your COBOL or C/C++ applications on z/OS to take advantage of Kafka event processing

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IBM® Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka® is a no-charge SDK that allows COBOL or C/C++ code running on z/OS® to natively communicate with a Kafka broker and to transform between COBOL copybooks and JSON events.

Many z/OS application architects and developers face the challenge of integrating their applications with Kafka clusters due to unclear options and reliance on external technologies, hindering their autonomy and solution implementation.

IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka is a revolutionary solution that enables a direct connection between IBM mainframes and Kafka clusters. Empowering developers to consume and publish events independently from their native applications, it provides: 

  • direct connection to any Kafka cluster on the z/OS platform
  • seamless consumption and publishing of Kafka events from native COBOL or C/C++ applications
  • bypassing of intermediary layers such as Java, MQ or CICS for autonomy in solution implementation
  • inclusion of COBOL and C/C++ samples for easy application development
  • effortless data transformation between native COBOL copybooks and JSON event formats for simplified integration
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Benefits Simplify the connection to Kafka

Use the Kafka APIs to directly call your Kafka broker from COBOL or C/C++ source code on z/OS.

Modernize your applications

Extend your z/OS native COBOL or C/C++ applications to consume and publish Kafka events to the Kafka broker.

Ease data transformation

Use the data transformation utility to transform between COBOL copybooks and the event format in JSON.

Features
Kafka Producer APIs

Enable an application to publish a stream to a Kafka topic. Kafka Producer APIs can be called from COBOL or C/C++ source code.

Building Kafka producers and consumers in COBOL Building Kafka producers and consumers in C/C++

Kafka Consumer APIs

Enable an application to subscribe to one or more topics and to ingest and process the stream stored in the topic. Kafka Consumer APIs can work with records in the topic in real-time, or they can ingest and process past records. Kafka Consumer APIs can be called from COBOL or C/C++ source code.

Building Kafka producers and consumers in COBOL Building Kafka producers and consumers in C/C++
Data transformation utility

Transform between native COBOL copybooks and the event format in JSON, which eases the use of the Kafka APIs.

Explore data transformation utility
Compare editions
Editions pax edition

The pax (portable archive exchange) download format is widely used in UNIX environments, including z/OS UNIX System Services, and provides a do-it-yourself installation experience.

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SMP/E edition

The SMP/E (CBPDO, ServerPac and Open Source Software) format makes managing installable images and fix packs easy, ideal for production. Optional IBM Service and Support (S&S) is available for world-class IBM support, and both the license and S&S can be obtained through Shopz.

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Run your own applications

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IBM Software Subscription and Support (S&S)

Not available

Optional: entitled via S&S PID 5655-KAS

Technical details
Hardware requirements
  • IBM z16™ (all models)
  • IBM z15® (all models)
  • IBM z14® (all models)
  • IBM z13® (all models)
Software requirements
  • IBM z/OS 3.1 (5655-ZOS) or 2.5 (5650-ZOS)
  • To build COBOL applications on z/OS, IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 6.4 (5655-EC6) with APAR PH58893 (PTF UI95101, UI95102, UI95103, UI95104) applied is required.
  • To build C/C++ applications on z/OS, IBM Open XL C/C++ for z/OS 1.1 (5650-ZOS) with APAR PH50622 (PTF UI83129) applied is required.
  • To run the data transformation utility, IBM SDK for z/OS, Java Technology Edition 8 (5655-DGH), IBM Semeru Runtime Certified Edition for z/OS 11 (5655-DGJ) or 17 (5655-UA1) is required.
Installation and configuration instructions

IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka is available in two installation formats, pax and SMP/E. Select the installation format that applies to you:

pax edition SMP/E edition

Frequently asked questions

Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka is available with a no cost license. Priced Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka S&S is optional. With S&S, IBM Support addresses questions and issues related to Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka to help reduce risks to businesses that are using the Kafka APIs on z/OS.

Read the instructions on how to obtain it through Shopz, or contact your IBM representative to place the Shopz order on your behalf.

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Obtain IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Apache Kafka through Shopz. Alternatively, schedule a no-cost 30-minute meeting with an IBM Z representative.

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