Stream: Virtual Room 3
Time: 16:15 - 17:00
The aim of this session is to provide a technical introduction to Java and WebSphere Liberty, as well as how it runs under CICS. The content is aimed at mainframe programmers who are unfamiliar with Java. Lessons learnt running CICS Liberty and monitoring and performance tuning will also be covered.
I am a CICS Systems Programmer with a keen interest in mainframe modernisation and how the mainframe can better integrate with other platforms. Being relatively new to the mainframe, I am constantly trying to learn more about all the technologies that surround my own day-to-day work in CICS. Outside work, I am an on-call firefighter and also enjoy staying active with hill walking, running, golf and more.
Ezriel Gross is a Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM) at Rocket Software and a recognized authority in IBM CICS technologies. With nearly four decades of mainframe experience, he brings rare depth—and contagious enthusiasm—to every session he delivers.
Before joining Rocket Software, Ezriel was CEO of Circle Software, acquired by Rocket in 2019. He has spent his career delivering hands on training and consulting across CICS, DB2, and MQSeries, earning a reputation as a trusted advisor and exceptional educator. A long time IBM Gold Consultant, Ezriel is also a nine-time IBM Champion, most recently earning the IBM Z and LinuxONE Community Contributor certificate in 2025.
His expertise spans CICS internals, performance tuning, web services, CICSPlex SM, DevOps, and Liberty. He recently co architected C\PROF, a tool enabling CICS trace capture outside a running region.
A sought-after speaker, Ezriel is known for making complex topics clear and approachable. Attendees frequently praise his unique ability to engage both newcomers and seasoned professionals, blending deep technical knowledge with clear, relatable explanations.
When he’s not presenting or publishing on the IBM Community and Rocket Software blogs, Ezriel mentors the next generation of CICS systems programmers—helping ensure the platform’s future is as strong as its legacy.
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