Mainframes continue to play a crucial role in the operations of many of the world's leading banks and retailers, powering business-critical applications despite not being originally designed for modern cloud-based environments. As businesses face challenges integrating mainframes with cloud applications, there is a demand for solutions that optimize mainframe performance while addressing issues like data silos, programmer shortages, and high consumption costs. Confluent has introduced the IBM MQ Source and Sink Premium Connectors to enable real-time data processing and enhance the connectivity between mainframe environments and modern applications. This facilitates improved capabilities such as real-time inventory management and fraud detection. Companies like Alight Solutions, RBC, and KeyBank have successfully leveraged the Confluent Platform to modernize their operations, reduce costs, and accelerate the delivery of new solutions. By integrating mainframe data with cloud environments, organizations can future-proof their data architecture and enhance their digital and microservices initiatives while maintaining compliance and operational efficiency.