z/Hosting: The Leading Option for Mainframe Development Environments

The Leading Shared IBM Z Development Environment – Fully Certified, World Wide and Ready in Days

z/Hosting is the world’s only shared IBM Z development environment operated by an IBM Business Partner— 100 % IBM certified. With z/Hosting, clients benefit from a fully managed development platform tailored to their needs. We take care of provisioning, system maintenance, release upgrades, and security, ensuring smooth operation and minimal administrative overhead. This allows development teams to focus entirely on building and delivering solutions, while zHosting ensures the stability and performance of the underlying environment.

Whether you're transitioning from zPDT or seeking a long-term alternative to on-premises infrastructure, zHosting offers full IBM Z capabilities — without the need to operate and invest in your own mainframe hardware. For nearly 20 years, SVA has provided organizations with secure, scalable access to IBM Z systems for development and testing, hosted in our enterprise-grade data center. More than 50 international clients rely on our infrastructure and expertise to run their z/OS, z/VM, and Linux on Z environments with confidence over time.

From zPDT to z/Hosting: Focus on What Matters

Many development teams are facing growing pressure to maintain their mainframe environments without sufficient internal resources. Skilled mainframe personnel and dedicated infrastructure are often lacking, making it difficult to operate efficiently. With IBM zPDT reaching end of service in December 2026, former users are now searching for a reliable zPDT alternative that does not require investing in expensive IBM Z hardware or managing complex system setups on their own. At the same time, developers need environments that support their work without demanding deep operational expertise. What they are looking for is a stable, secure and professionally managed platform that allows them to focus entirely on development.

Why z/Hosting is the Ideal zPDT Alternative

z/Hosting directly addresses the challenges of modern mainframe development by offering a fully managed, IBM-certified environment hosted in a secure, high-availability data center. The state-of-the-art Z systems in our data center are available around the clock. All components, from the mainframe itself and the disk systems to the virtual tape library, are designed with full redundancy to ensure smooth operation even in the event of failure. All systems are serviced directly by the manufacturer to guarantee rapid recovery and maximum uptime.

Compared to the total cost of ownership for a dedicated IBM Z system, z/Hosting is significantly more cost-effective and allows teams to focus on development rather than operations. Our specialized IT architects support you throughout the entire process: From consultation and migration to installation and commissioning. Whether you need a complete 1:1 transfer of your existing development environment or a tailored new setup, our experts are available during and after system setup. We also assist with release changes, minor system adjustments, and day-to-day workload support. If you have questions about IBM operating systems or mainframe components, our team is ready to help. With z/Hosting, your developers can concentrate fully on building, testing, and delivering high-quality solutions, without the burden of managing infrastructure.

SVA as the Right Partner for Your IBM Z Development Environment

SVA combines deep technical expertise with more than 20 years of experience in operating IBM Z environments for development and testing. As one of Germany’s leading system integrators and an IBM Platinum Business Partner, we provide the world’s only shared IBM Z development system outside IBM USA  — making zHosting the ideal alternative for zPDT. Our zHosting platform is 100% IBM-certified and maintained by experienced mainframe architects and administrators. SVA is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, ensuring top standards in information security and data protection. Our data center operations meet strict compliance and availability requirements, ensuring that your z/Hosting environment remains secure, resilient, and always ready for your development needs. Contact us now to unlock immediate access to your dedicated z/VM, z/OS, VSEn or Linux on z environment with z/Hosting.