Legacy Modernization Steps

To meet changing business requirements, eCube Systems offers IT managers the capability to transform and extend the ROI of their digital investments. eCube’s method, Evolution on Demand, evolves technical assets to support changing business and technological requirements through On Demand Integration, Digital Transformation, and On Demand Re-Platforming.

By utilizing eCube’s Evolution on Demand, transformation is no longer an all-or-nothing proposal - now the business can drive the circular economy-- via active evolution -- at the client’s pace and just in time.

ARM Methodology Assessment

Evolution on Demand is based on two key components: the ARM methodology and eCube’s powerful NXTware product family. The NXTware Evolution Server supports On Demand Integration, providing powerful integration between existing business logic and contemporary interfaces at the functional level. The NXTware Switch delivers the ability to immediately swap one middleware infrastructure for another with no coding – delivering On Demand Re-Platforming.

ARM (Assessment¸ Remediation and Modernization) Service makes Digital Transformation possible by managing the evolution service process and defining it as three core stages that can be applied to whole applications or individual business functions.

ARM Process

ARM consists of three components:

  • 1. Assessment:

    Discovery: Application components, characteristics, dependencies, metrics, etc

  • 2. Remediation:

    Pro-Active Maintenance and system healing: System health, consolidation, risk mitigation, and renovation to support SLA

  • 3. Modernization:

    Enablement: Legacy and current systems participate, integrate and evolve to contemporary application and security platforms using Phased Transformation and On Demand Integration.

Assessment Objectives

Among the key issues and priorities of IT organizations today are demands for cost reduction, better management of internal and external resources, and systems integration. Application portfolio management systems are essential for realizing these objectives, through:

  • Keeping track of system inventories, resources, and interrelationships, thereby improving standing procedures such as contingency and recovery
  • Providing a single source of IT information when making decisions
  • Helping to eliminate 3rd party software and carry out consolidations
  • Intelligently mining systems and application metadata and knowledge for modernization

Solution

eCube Systems’ ARM assessment process helps achieve these goals by analyzing business applications and the interrelationships of their software components. eCube has the ability to store this information in a normalized metadata repository based on easy-to-access relational technology, which can be periodically refreshed to provide users with the most updated information.

The repository also provides the base information that can be further developed and used for ARM phase two remediation and modernization projects. As a key component of the ARM process the assessment

  • Provides an extensive set of reports for viewing and analyzing information as it is collected
  • Can be customized to collect metadata from nonstandard environments through the use of M-Script, a scripting language designed specifically for analysis and modernization
  • Enables easy access to repository information through the IT Discovery
  • Allows organizations to develop customized reports that can be run ad hoc or scheduled for periodic execution and report distribution
  • Can be integrated with management and control systems for analysis and reporting
  • Performs general analysis and impact assessment for legacy modernization projects
  • Improves the management and planning for disaster recovery processes

Capabilities

During the assessment phase using IT Discovery we analyze the software components that comprise mainframe or distributed systems, cross-referencing them and recording their interconnections and operations. The IT Discovery includes both predefined and customizable collection scripts that allows easy to use and easy to modify modernization scripting language.

The following are the core set of input entities used to identify and analyze active components and their interrelationships:

  • Job Control Related Components: Submission mainframe JCL, procedures, Unix control statements, etc. All fields and parameters in the job control statements are read and analyzed.
  • TP Monitor Related Components Tables such as PCT, PPT, etc. (for CICS), and IMSGEN data (for IMS/DC).
  • Program Related Components: Source members, copybooks, load libraries, directories, source control systems, etc. Languages include most 3rd and 4th GLs, and program generators. Tables and other source-like files are read and analyzed. It is also possible to read and extract pertinent information from Assembler programs.
  • Database Related Components: Database definitions and dictionaries of various databases including DB2, Oracle, SQL/Server, IMS/DB, IDMS, and ADABAS/PREDICT. VSAM is also handled through copybook analysis.
  • System Activity Components: Logs of all forms, from tools such as TMON and Omegamon.
  • Disk File Locations: VTOC, Directory, and CATALOG information.

Site-Specific Customization

As part of your assessment, IT Discovery can be customized to analyze the collection of non-standard information of any specific site, by scanning, analyzing, and cross-referencing additional, specified data sources. For example, data from the following sources can be scanned and integrated into the IT Discovery repository, and cross-referenced with information about the software components:

  • Infrastructure Components - IT Discovery can be customized to read and analyze various products and their control tables that are typically integrated with the OS/390 system. These include:
    • Batch schedulers (e.g., CA-7) that provide information on application dependencies
    • Disk management systems (e.g., SMS) that provide further data on resource use
    • Tape management systems (e.g., CA-1) that provide data on historical file procedures
  • Operational Management Tools
    • Files and tables from tools for change management systems such as CA Endevor or PVCS and problem tracking systems such as CA Remedy. Notification of production problems can be automatically directed to the appropriate responsible parties.
  • Application Data
    • Information from applications such as job accounting, timesheets, and human resources can be cross-referenced and used in resource efficiency reporting.

Results and Deliverables

Metadata Repository

As a result of your assessment, the collected metadata will be stored in a normalized relational database, including cross-referenced data about system components and other scanned entities. It is through the structure, population, and analysis of the metadata repository that we can turn the raw data gathered from the various IT systems into meaningful strategic information.

Reporting and Analysis Tools

The eCube ARM Assessment provides an extensive set of reports for viewing and analyzing this information. In addition, we deliver program understanding by performing in-depth detailed analysis of the processes, structures, and flows within and between programs and other software components. The advanced query facility analyzes, processes, and displays them graphically.

Since the assessment uses a normalized relational database, the Assessment can leverage most modern decision support systems and executive information systems (for instance, OLAPs such as COGNOS Analytical Cubes).

Preparation for Remediation

Detailed impact analysis of application systems can be performed by tracking specified data entities through logical processes, and between programs, routines, files, and databases. The information is stored in the IT Discovery repository and forms the base for further enhancement by ARM remediation solutions depending upon the nature of the remediation project.

Preparation for Modernization

Information contained in the repository can also form the basis for ongoing enhancement by using eCube’s Enterprise Evolution methodology. Modernization can evolve existing C, Fortran, Pascal, COBOL, ADA and other legacy applications. Mainframe databases and well as applications based on legacy middleware can also be scheduled for a Digital Transformation. In addition, the information gathered during the assessment can serve as the specifications for a redevelopment project that involves changes in architecture or even replacements with a COTS package.

Evolution on Demand

ARM is a strategic component of eCube’s Evolution on Demand offering. These offerings insure that transformation is no longer an all-or-nothing proposition. Market forces drive new business requirements, but your systems’ limited agility restricts your company’s ability to respond. The truthful answer to a business request is: it will take 10 months to modernized, 18 to fully integrate, and 2 years to rebuild.

Evolution on Demand turns this antiquated model on its head:

  • Integrate what you need now
  • Modernize segments that provide the best ROI now
  • Be productive while you transform now

Transforming and integrating business systems is no longer a high cost risk wager. eCube’s Evolution on Demand provides integration and transformation at the functional level, mapping legacy systems to agile contemporary business services – while the original system remains intact or evolves at a pace dictated by utility and business benefit.

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