Delta Air Lines began its journey towards cloud migration when air travel came to a virtual halt during the pandemic. With decreasing air traffic, Delta’s IT team recognized the opportunity to utilize cloud computing and offer enhanced solutions and experiences for their passengers. However, like many other large corporations, Delta’s existing infrastructure was not conducive to a complete migration to the cloud. As a solution, the airline had to find a way to integrate its current on-premises mainframe systems with new cloud-based applications. Consequently, Delta chose to implement a hybrid infrastructure model.
Delta’s Journey to the Cloud: How It All Began
Delta started exploring cloud solutions about two years ago when the pandemic hit. The IT team discovered that cloud computing had the potential to offer new solutions and experiences for passengers, like in-flight Wi-Fi and real-time flight updates. Nevertheless, Delta’s existing infrastructure wasn’t prepared for full-scale migration to the cloud.
Delta’s WiFi Portal: One of the Many Benefits of Cloud Migration
Delta launched a robust WiFi portal earlier this year as one of its cloud applications. This portal enables passengers to run connected applications on their personal devices throughout a flight without the need to pay extra for expensive and limited wireless sessions delivered via satellite.
Why Delta’s Reliance on Mainframes Is Here to Stay
Delta plans to maintain its reliance on mainframes for specific workloads. The company has recently entered into a 5-year partnership with Kyndryl (formerly IBM Global Services) to oversee its mainframe applications. Rahul Samant, Delta’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), stated that “some of Delta’s mission-critical applications still operate on the mainframe because it remains the most dependable platform for those workloads.”
Kyndryl’s Role in Delta’s Hybrid Infrastructure
Kyndryl’s partnership with Delta involves integrating automation capabilities in order to enable more agility in the movement and management of data across various environments. The hybrid infrastructure is expected to continue to be used in complex industries such as airlines and banking, where high availability and maximum reliability are absolute requirements.
The Unmatched Benefits of Mainframes in Today’s Computing Landscape
According to Delta’s IT team, the current roster of mainframes is a “hypermodern system engineered like no other computing platform”. These systems are built to operate without any disruptions, performance degradation, security lapses, or downtime. Moreover, mainframes are highly efficient in handling massive amounts of data and scaling transaction processing.
Delta’s Mindset: Choosing Hybrid Infrastructure Over Full Cloud Migration.
Delta is currently embracing a hybrid infrastructure model. According to Maurits Rutten, Delta’s Vice President of Architecture and Platforms, this approach is viewed as the best given their current infrastructure and modernization needs. Delta’s IT team will continue to evaluate new technology solutions and collaborate with partners, such as Kyndryl and IBM, to drive innovation.
Delta Air Lines began its journey to the cloud when the pandemic brought travel to a halt. The airline’s IT team recognized the potential of cloud computing to offer new solutions and passenger experiences. However, Delta’s existing infrastructure was not fully equipped for a complete shift to the cloud. Therefore, Delta has adopted a hybrid infrastructure model that combines its current on-premises mainframe systems with modern cloud-based applications. While continuing to explore new technology solutions, Delta has embraced this approach and is working with partners such as Kyndryl and IBM to drive innovation.