The Move from Endevor to GitLab Explained

Whether your organization is looking to reduce costs, adopt Agile and DevSecOps, embrace cloud-native practices, or modernize your mainframe environment, migrating from Broadcom’s CA Endevor to GitLab is a smart move that supports all of these goals. GitLab – a platform originally built for cloud-native development is now extended to mainframe use cases. While Endevor has served as a dependable mainframe source code management tool for decades, it’s increasingly viewed as a legacy anchor – expensive, rigid, and poorly aligned with modern software development and operations needs. GitLab, in contrast, offers a unified, efficient, and cost-effective DevSecOps platform that accelerates innovation and reduces operational overhead.

Endevor: A Legacy Tool with Growing Discontent

Endevor is often criticized for its dated interface, lack of flexibility, and high costs. Broadcom’s acquisition and subsequent handling of the product have only added to customer dissatisfaction. In fact, many organizations feel trapped by rising costs and diminished customer support.

Real-World Sentiments

Broadcom’s treatment of its mainframe customers has sparked frustration across the industry:

– “After the Broadcom acquisition, support practically disappeared. We were left to fend for ourselves.”

– “Renewal negotiations were painful. It felt more like a ransom than a partnership.”

– “We had no roadmap, no innovation, just endless maintenance fees.”

These are real sentiments expressed in customer forums, user groups, and anecdotal reports from industry insiders. Broadcom’s reputation for price hikes and bundled contracts has pushed even long-time Endevor users to look for alternatives.

GitLab: A Modern DevSecOps Alternative

GitLab provides a single, integrated platform covering the entire software development lifecycle. Its core value proposition includes:

-Unified Toolchain

-Improved Developer Experience

-Mainframe Integration

-Automation & Compliance

-Plentiful skilled staff

Financial Benefits of Migration

Migrating from Endevor to GitLab offers significant financial advantages:

-Licensing Savings

-Lower Infrastructure Costs

-Fewer Specialized Skills Required

High-Level Migration Steps

Moving from Endevor to GitLab isn’t without effort, but with the right strategy, skills and tooling, it can be done efficiently:

1. Assessment & Planning

2. Tooling & Integration Setup

3. Code & History Migration

4. Validation & Testing

5. Training & Change Management

Technical Benefits Beyond Cost

The benefits of moving to GitLab go well beyond cost savings:

-Pipeline Automation

-Cross-Team Collaboration

-Security and Compliance

-Scalability

GitLab on the Mainframe: Yes, It Works

One of the common myths is that GitLab isn’t suitable for mainframe development. But organizations have successfully used GitLab to manage COBOL, PL/I, and JCL assets by:

-Creating CI/CD pipelines that compile and deploy to z/OS

-Integrating mainframe testing tools for automated QA

-Using modern APIs and DevOps bridges to abstract mainframe complexity

How 321 Gang Can Help

At 321 Gang, we specialize in helping organizations modernize software delivery in regulated and complex environments, including mainframe ecosystems. Our services include:

-Endevor-to-GitLab Assessment

-Migration Execution

-Mainframe DevOps Enablement

Conclusion

Broadcom’s Endevor has served a purpose in the past, but it no longer meets the demands of modern software delivery. With mounting costs, poor customer experience, and outdated workflows, it’s no surprise that enterprises are embracing GitLab for mainframe DevOps. The migration offers both technical and financial advantages — from lower TCO and streamlined tooling to improved compliance and developer happiness. With the right partner like 321 Gang, the path to modernization is clear, achievable, and rewarding.

What do you have to lose? Let 321 Gang help you evaluate whether moving from Broadcom Endevor to GitLab on the mainframe is right for your team. We’ll show you the potential cost savings, modernization benefits, and how the transition can streamline your DevOps.

Schedule a quick consultation — no pressure, just insight. info@321gang.com