Mainframe Access
Looking to get hands-on experience with a mainframe? Here are the options available, from free trials to paid environments.
Last updated: 18 April 2026
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Complementary Access
Free options for getting started with a mainframe environment.
IBM Z Xplore
Free interactive platform with hands-on access to a real IBM Z environment.
LinuxONE Community Cloud
Free access to Linux on IBM LinuxONE, hosted by Marist College.
IBM zSystems Software Trials
Trial access to IBM zSystems software products.
IBM Z Academic Cloud
Cloud-based mainframe access for academic institutions.
Paid Access
Commercial options for dedicated mainframe development and testing environments.
IBM Z Development and Test Environment
Run z/OS on x86 hardware for development and testing.
IBM Wazi as a Service
Cloud-based z/OS development environment on IBM Cloud.
IBM Virtual Dev and Test for z/OS
Virtual z/OS environments for development and testing.
IBM Z Dallas ISV Center Offerings
IBM's Dallas Technology Center offerings for ISVs.
Historical Resources
Older mainframe operating systems that are publicly available. While discontinued, some are still useful for training.
MVS 3.8j
Historical MVS 3.8j operating system for the Hercules emulator.
VM/370 R6
Historical VM/370 Release 6 for the Hercules emulator.
OS/360
Historical OS/360, the foundation of IBM's mainframe OS lineage.
OS/VS1
Historical OS/VS1 with virtual storage support.
Linux/390
Historical Linux port for the S/390 architecture.
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