Many companies which chose IBM IMS/DB in the past now suffer from the fact that the IMS data can only be accessed by the “old” applications. Usually, those companies use modern SQL databases as well. From there the data is available more easily and numerous tools support their evaluation. But to be able to provide e.g. the IMS data together with the SQL data in a data warehouse, the IMS data must be extracted first. In this way, real time evaluations / applications are not possible.

Moreover, by now there is a dwindling knowledge about how IMS/DB and how it is used within these companies.

That alone is a good reason to think about a change of the applications from IMS/DB to a SQL database. Furthermore, the use of multiple technologies creates unnecessary costs which is an additional reason to start looking for alternatives.

Without the connection to IMS/DB, a lot of more cost-effective platforms are available for the applications. However, the real challenge when changing from IMS/DB to relational is the associated paradigm change.

From hierarchic to relational – 100% automated

The goal is to change the application to clean SQL – i.e. not to “translate” the IMS accesses to SQL only by using a proprietary intermediate layer during runtime.

As a result of the complexity and the potentially lack of knowledge, for such a modernization task an automated transformation is needed. A manual modernization hardly will succeed due to the diversity of necessary changes. Our solution is the AMELIO Modernization Platform, a 100% automated modernization factory that guarantees an error-free change.

The following steps, which all are automatically performed by the modernization factory, are required for the paradigm change:

• New data model:
  A proposal for the new relational data model is derived based on the existing hierarchical data model and the usage in the applications.
• Transformation:
  Depending on the context and the new data model the database accesses are changed.
• Code reduction:
  Redundant IMS coding is removed.
• Neutralization:
  The IMS-specific error handling is neutralized.

For the data model as well as for the transformation and the neutralization, at first a proposal is determined/created in coordination with the customer. This way the change process is exactly tailored to the customer’s requirements.

AMELIO Modernization Platform - Replacing IMS Databases Safe Replacement of IMS Databases: How to Suceed!

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Further Modernization Possibilities

A benefit of the 100% automated modernization is the possibility to perform additional application changes without additional risk.

In this way, there is e.g. the possibility for an architecture modernization: SQL coding could be implemented directly in the business logic, on the other hand it may be transferred into data services modules. The great advantage of data services is to keep changes low in the programs itself. As a result, the testing efforts for the transformed applications are reduced and the programs keep their appearance. Moreover, the data services also are re-usable.

The simultaneous replacement of IMS and migration to another platform is a further option. Of course, a platform change then requires further changes of the application, e.g. for the EBCDIC – ASCII change and the replacement of other platform specifics. Such adaptations can be made in conjunction with the database change and automated by the modernization factory.

AMELIO Modernization Platform: Tailor-made for your specific task

The factory is configured on the basis of the customer’s requirements, because every application is unique. Therefore it is not a “one size fits all” solution!

For this factory approach there is no necessity to test every changed application component in detail, only the correct operation of the factory must be proved. This proceeding reduces the testing efforts by over 75%. The automatic approach guarantees an extremely high security, especially at complex changes.

Success Story: RDW - Modernisation: Securing the Value of Existing Applications Modernisation of the mainframe applications in order to reduce platform costs, gain platform independence and modernise the application architecture to prepare future development.

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The final result is specified very early at a manual transformation: The point of no return is reached at a very early stage. But a factory-based project offers the possibility to reconsider and change the implementation decisions for a long time after project starting. A new factory run lasting a few days only is sufficient to take effect on the decisions.

The result of the modernization are applications which are ongoing usable and maintainable without footprint or vendor-lock-in (without any dependence and/or license fees on any emulators or other products).

AMELIO Modernization Platform: Features

The AMELIO Modernization Platform allows to perform 100% automated mass changes in your software. The AMELIO technology has proved its high flexibility, high quality and low testing efforts in many projects.

The features:

• 100% automated, strictly rule-based changes
• Transformation factory configured for the individual task – no “one size fits all”.
• Short Freezes: undisturbed maintenance and development
• Derivation of a proposal for the required relational data model
• Inline SQL or architecture transformation with data servers (the decision must be made during the project)
• Automatic derivation of the SQL data servers
• No footprint solution – for the transformed application as well as for the new data services
• Possible in combination with a platform migration also
• Audit-proof documentation of all performed changes – per module and for the overall application

Learn more in our articles on: "Successfully Replace IMS Databases"

Drivers: Business and Technology

Software modernisation projects are initiated by two types of requirements.  The first comes from a business perspective, like mobility, new business services, new frontends, Unicode and the like. The second results from a technological point of view and aims at cloud computing, re-hosting, database migration, language transformation  and such purposes. Compared with rebuilding or buying the needed software, the modernisation option is the least risky and most cost effective solution – as long as you do not allow manual changes.

What a Modernisation Solution has to fulfill

Both types of projects have an enormous impact on the organization. It goes without saying that the solution has to fulfill your specific requirements and that it has to deliver utmost quality, i.e. zero-defect. Additionally a solution has to fulfill the following conditions.

• The project should be made up of separate steps with well defined results which already bring value to the organization in the early stages of the project.
• Normal maintenance and development should be allowed to continue during these steps.
• The project itself should not have point of no return. Strategy changes have to be possibly any time.
• A smart test strategy is essential so that testing will not be the bad end of the project.
• The results of the modernisation should be future proof and must not produce dependencies (no vendor lock-ins, no footprint).

All this – and much more – can be accomplished with our automated modernisation solutions.

Information About Your Modernisation Project

What do you want to achieve? What are your requirements? Send us your Request for Information (RFI) for your modernisation project and we will explain possible approaches, costs, impacts and necessary resources. You can get in touch with other organizations and profit from their experiences with our solutions for fully automated software modernisation.

Modernise with highest quality: error-free modernisation of business applications - by a 100% automation of all changes.

Request information now

Or, find out more about important modernisation issues first

• Platform Change
• Application Modernisation
• Database Migration
• COBOL Applications

Better Software Faster

Using our tools, organisations of all branches automate the development, integration, modernization and analysis of their individually developed software applications.

• Automated Software Development: Creating high-performance data services with just a few clicks, generating software for different variants and/or platforms, accelerating (product line) development through individual software generators
• Flexible Software Integration: Reusing legacy functions in service-oriented architectures, building composite applications from applications with different architectures and development paradigms, creating new business services, joining different database architectures
• Secure Software Modernization: Implementing extensive changes and architecture transformations for large-scale IT applications risk-free and in parallel to the development and to the productive business operation – 100% automatically and error-free
• Individual Software Analysis: Extracting relevant information instead of unmanageable amounts of data as well-founded basis for optimization and re-development

Delta Software Technology

Using our generative software tools you can measurably increase the quality and flexibility of your IT applications. You can enhance the support of your business processes, implement new requirements faster - and cut costs.
We offer

• calculable costs due to tool-based solutions instead of service/outsourcing approaches
• independency, because our tools help to avoid vendor-lock-ins and footprints
• sustainable investment security, future-proof by stepwise proceeding with early results and without dead-ends but with the possibility to revise decisions and to change strategies halfway
• increased productivity and quality through mature methodology and maximised automation

Learn more about us and our offers now.

You’d like to build new applications fast and efficiently? Then our generative tools help you to

• Reuse proven functionality from existing applications
• Build composite applications and service-oriented architectures (SOA)
• Integrate heterogeneous architectures, paradigms, languages, platforms and databases
• Automate service enablement for legacy-reuse, process mapping, data mapping

Keep it simple. With our generative tools you can automatically build bridges, integrate components independently from architecture and technology and manage interfaces. Thus, you can quickly adapt your applications to changing business requirements, technical infrastructures and available resources.

Contact us

Contact us if you like to know how you can integrate your proven functions in new architectures quick and easy.
Learn more about us and our offers now..

Further Information

Read on to get more information concerning our integration solutions

• Service Enablement
• Data Integration
• Cross-Platform Applications

Productivity Tools for Software Integration

We support your application integration with the following tools:

• SCORE Data Architecture Integration – DBMS independent persistency layer
• SCORE Adaptive Bridges - generative service enablement