Newsletter June 2016

Automated Replacement of IBM IMS Attracts Great Interest

At this year’s Spring Meeting of Guide Share Europe (GSE) we presented a solution to replace IMS databases in an automated way. Many of the participating companies fight against increasing costs that result from the parallel use of various database technologies and the dwindling expertise as well as from the increasing effort for the further development and maintenance of the large and complex applications that have evolved over decades. Our topic therefore attracted a lot of interest and stimulated intensive discussions.

The Obstacles of the IMS Replacement

The participants knew the obstacles that arise from the replacement of IMS databases and the consolidation of the data all too well:

• Data: How to manage the paradigm change from hierarchic to relational? How can the actually used data model be identified and transformed into a relational one? How can the data from the IMS database be transferred to the new relational database?
• Applications: What effects do the decisions regarding the data model? And how to handle the effects on the applications? Which programs contain IMS-specific coding and must be modified and how can the modification be performed? Which testing effort is necessary to ensure the correctness of the change?
• Organisation: How can the technical and financial risk for such a project be minimised? And how to guarantee that such a transformation does not obstruct the productive operation and further development of the applications?

Safe Replacement through Full Automation

We have answered these questions and many others at GSE’s Spring Meeting. Our project experience as well as the interest of the audience and the discussions after the lecture have shown that we address and solve the right problems. Our solution, AMELIO Modernization Platform, for the replacement of IMS databases is the full automation of all changes using a rule-based modernisation factory that is exactly tailored to the respective customer situation.

Further information can be found here: "Automatically replacing IBM IMS/DB"

And How Can we Help You?

You want to replace IBM IMS DB or another database system? Then get in touch with us and discuss with us the possibilities to preserve the functionality and performance of your applications and to switch without risk to relational systems.

Read also our article about: "Successfully Replace IMS Databases"

About Guide Share Europe

The Guide Share Europe (GSE) is a non-profit association of companies, organisations and individuals who are involved in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions based on IBM architectures. GSE is an effective forum supporting the needs of today's ICT professionals.

GSE’s Spring Meeting was hosted by the LVM Versicherung (LVM Insurance) in Münster, Germany. Our presentation “Replacement of IMS databases with Delta” was part of the meeting of the working group “IMS system administration”.

For more information on GSE please visit www.gse.org

Further information on the Working Group BSMSD IMS system administration can be found here.

MoMaG – Modernisation of Macro-based Generators

The modernisation of legacy applications, offloading or downsizing are on every IT department’s agenda. Enormous costs can be saved for example by migrating the applications from host to a Unix or Windows cluster; the transformation to current languages can again secure and prolongate the maintainability.

Meanwhile, there are many promising modernisation solutions for “normal” legacy application systems – for example realised in COBOL or PL/I. All of them claim to save the already made investments into the future.

But, whoever has used software generators for the application development, expects more than a simple language transformation. Generative development profits from a higher level of abstraction, the code to be maintained as well as the effort for the application tests are thus been significantly reduced. Nobody wants to waive these advantages after the modernisation.

Research results or even tools for the modernisation of generative development systems did not exist yet. But, should the huge advantage for the software development now prove as obstacle to the modernisation?

Saving the Advantages of Generative Development

It quickly became clear for the experts from Delta Software Technology and the researchers from the University of Leipzig: We have to start the modernisation on a higher level, let’s start with the generators. If we transfer them into a modern world first, the generated systems will follow … automatically.

The concept convinced the experts of the Bundesministerum für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF, Federal Ministry of Education and Research): As part of the funding measure for innovative small and medium-sized companies “KMU Innovativ – IKT” the ministry supports the project "MoMaG – Modernisation of Macro-based Generats" that we conduct in cooperation with the University of Leipzig.

Read more: MoMaG Project

New cooperation between ELCA and Delta Software

With the Swiss IT company ELCA Informatik AG, Delta Software Technology GmbH has found a very experienced partner for the efficient and secure realisation of modernisation projects. This enables us to support our Swiss customers even better. The first common project has started already.

ELCA and Delta modernise large applications together.

Independent Swiss IT company ELCA Informatik AG, with offices in Lausanne, Geneva, Bern and Zurich has taken over the modernisation project of a large COBOL application that has been generated with Delta ADS. Delta Software Technology supports the project with its expertise and the tools and technology for COBOL and Delta ADS.

ELCA will use Delta’s tools AMELIO Logic Discovery and ADS on Eclipse for the application analysis. They make it easier to understand the application; the modernization becomes more efficient and secure.

The partnership that started successfully with this project will be extended and has the goal of completing similar projects together.

"We are happy to have found a reliable and fitting Swiss partner in ELCA. With the experience and know-how of ELCA and the use of our tools and technology we are able to support our customers extensively."
Dr. Daniela Schilling, CEO Delta Software Technology

About ELCA Informatik AG

ELCA is, with over 700 highly qualified employees in 7 cities, one of the largest Swiss IT companies in the areas software development, system integration, business consulting and application management.

Thanks to the diversification over all relevant Swiss business areas and a valuable network of technology and industrial partners, ELCA has been able to achieve an above average rate of growth and has an annual turnover above 100 million Swiss francs.

ELCA’s Mission

"We offer our customers a single source for the complete spectrum of IT services including consulting, development, integration and operations. Thereby, we provide truly workable solutions for many different industries.

Thanks to our well-developed network of technology partners, and our ambition to remain independent (stakeholder, technology partner, industries, etc.) we are always able to choose the technical solution that best meets the specific and individual needs of every client."

More information: www.elca.ch/en.

Support information: New Product Versions available

Today we have released new versions of the following products:
- AMELIO Logic Discovery 1.3.1
You can find more information about new features and fixes in the release notes at the support area of our website ...