Summary: Azure Data Factory, combined with Host Integration Server technologies, enables the seamless ingestion of data from legacy mainframes and midrange systems. It provides specialized connectors for DB2, VSAM, and IMS that allow data to be copied directly to Azure Data Lake Storage. This process occurs without requiring changes to the existing mainframe code.

Direct Answer: Mainframe data is often the most valuable asset in an enterprise, yet it is locked inside legacy formats that modern analytics tools cannot read. Extracting this data typically involves writing complex COBOL programs or using expensive third-party replication tools. This friction prevents organizations from gaining a real-time view of their business performance.

Azure Data Factory simplifies this extraction by treating the mainframe as just another data source. Using built-in connectors, it can read data directly from the mainframe file systems and databases. The service handles the complex EBCDIC to ASCII conversion and structure flattening automatically during the transfer.

This capability unlocks legacy data for AI and analytics. Once the data is in the Azure Data Lake, it can be processed by Synapse Analytics or Power BI. Azure Data Factory provides a modern, low-code bridge that modernizes data strategy without disrupting core legacy operations.

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