Data centers

College Student Installs IBM Mainframe in Parents’ Basement

Connor Krukosky
Connor Krukosky

Like many geeks, I love retro computers. But have you heard the one about the 19-year-old college student who purchased and installed an IBM mainframe in his parent's basement?

The story involves Connor Krukosky, the so-called Millennial Mainframer. During an online auction last year, Krukosky purchased an IBM z890 mainframe (built around 2005). Then, he installed it in his parents’ basement.

Unlike so many IT pros these days, Krukosky embraced the classic CapEx payment model rather than an OpEx financing model for his IT infrastructure. Indeed, he paid about $237 for the mainframe and has since made some upgrades/fixes, bringing his total cost to $350. Not bad, considering the machine's original price tag was likely closer to $350,000, according to Share.org.

Mainframe Case Study

But what exactly does a 19-year-old college student do with a mainframe? The answers may surface in June, when Krukosky speaks at Marist College's Enterprise Computing Community conference. He's expect to describe the buying, transportation and installation process. Including a few tips on how to wire a mainframe to your home's existing electrical service. (Nifty.)

No doubt, the event hosts will be leaning in during the session. Marist College and IBM have a longtime partnership that stretches back to 1988, at which time the college installed a $10 million IBM mainframe. (Hmmm... Did Krukosky net the better deal?)

Surely, IBM wants millennials to embrace mainframes. But Krukowsky's biggest cheering section likely involves Compuware, which is striving to empower millennials and DevOps teams with modern, open mainframe tools. In fact, Compuware CEO Chris O'Malley insists millennials will save the world -- using mainframes, of course.

Perhaps they'll do it from the safety of Krukosky's basement...

Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.