Mainframe modernization guide: phases and RES IT solutions revealed

Introduction:

Welcome back to our newsletter. In the previous article "Mainframe cost optimization: driving savings and performance with a deep dive" of this newsletter, we discussed how reducing the cost of a mainframe-centric data center is a journey that involves several stages. Among these stages, we briefly mentioned mainframe SW modernization. In this article, we will delve into the main phases of mainframe SW modernization in more detail and explore how RES IT, with its products, can provide significant support.

Mainframe SW modernization phases:

Mainframe modernization isn't just a buzzword; it's a strategic imperative for businesses looking to stay ahead in today's dynamic digital landscape. As we navigate through the stages of this journey, we'll uncover the pivotal role that RES IT plays in providing comprehensive support and innovative solutions.

From migrating mainframe applications to optimizing workloads, updating mainframe software, implementing automation, and embracing Agile, DevOps and Low-code practices, each phase of modernization holds the promise of enhanced efficiency and cost-effectiveness. And with RES IT's decades-long expertise in system governance and IT modernization, organizations can confidently embark on this transformative journey, knowing they have a trusted partner by their side.

1. Migrating mainframe applications: Move applications from the mainframe to open systems or cloud environments, which are often more cost-effective and flexible. In some cases, rewriting certain applications may become necessary.
2. Optimizing workloads: Reassess and reallocate workloads to ensure they are running in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
3. Updating mainframe software: Replace or update outdated mainframe applications with modern, more efficient software solutions, and update, for example, Cobol itself.
4. Change vendor: If effective negotiation of some software licenses with current vendors proves insufficient, consider transitioning to a different vendor who will undoubtedly be willing to offer better economic terms in order to acquire a new customer.
5. Implementing automation: Use automation tools to optimize processes and reduce manual intervention, leading to lower operational costs.
6. Adopting Agile and DevOps practices: These practices can increase development and deployment efficiency, reducing time-to-market and development/maintenance costs.
7. Utilizing Advanced analytics: Leverage analytics to monitor and optimize mainframe performance, identifying and addressing inefficiencies.

RES IT solutions:

RES IT, a leader for 37 years in providing solutions and services for system governance, offers a variety of products dedicated to IT modernization. These products can be used independently by the customer or can be leveraged by RES IT's specialized staff, to whom you can entrust (partially or entirely) your modernization project.

As an example, here are some of RES IT's solutions:

1. Docet/EV: Streamlined documentation management and quality assurance for IT modernization (both Mainframe and Open Systems).
2. WebRatio Platform: simplifies and accelerates the development of business applications to be re-written on open systems.
3. JADe/EV – J-MAN: Jobs/Applications lifecycle support for mainframe and open systems.
4. Re-Engineering: Optimizing batch processes for mainframe efficiency.
5. BatchWatch - Planning: Advanced analytics for proactive mainframe optimization.
6. UpTown/EV: Empowering end-users in mainframe operations.

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Docet/EV enhances the DevOps approach by providing a centralized platform for streamlined documentation management, collaboration, software performance enhancement, auditing, and compliance, thereby promoting efficiency, consistency, and agility in software development and deployment processes.

Docet/EV automates impact analysis for structural changes, identifies obsolete system objects, and provides detailed software metrics according to international standards. It offers assessment indexes for various objects and systems, stored for trend analysis and deviation assessment. Additionally, it includes a rules-driven analysis engine for enforcing best coding practices and integrates with change management systems.

Docet/EV, being fully available both on mainframe and open systems, allows the preliminary assessment of applications to be modernized, provides optimization functions for the application software, measures the dimensional and efficiency metrics standards (Maintainability Index), supports the migration of applications to another system, and finally provides complete documentation support for the new applications on open systems in the target environments.

WebRatio Platform For those applications where rewriting on open system platforms is requires, we recommend low-code development instead of traditional development. This is made possible by a dedicated platform (LCDP - Low-Code Development Platform) that drastically reduces the amount of manual programming. The WebRatio platform from RES increases development speed while maximizing the quality and security of the produced software, thanks to continuous updates of the platform's technology. WebRatio Platform significantly shortens the development and validation cycles of business software, consequently leading to substantial cost reductions both immediately and in the future for the maintenance of the software itself.

JADe/EV – J-MAN: Support application life cycles for both z/OS and open systems, documenting every phase independently of scripting language or OS. They efficiently design and maintain batch flows without specific jobs language knowledge and scheduler knowledge, enforcing standards and generating execution scripts and schedules automatically. It streamlines script/JCL generation as a continuous process, providing immediate verification and error correction, ensuring smooth workflow.

These tools are also used to automatically migrate from one automatic scheduler to another.

The connection of JADe/EV and J-MAN to Docet/EV allows the available functionalities to be enhanced up to an almost complete automation of the design, maintenance, and optimization of objects, as the substantial amount of documentation required for managing jobs and schedules is provided completely automatically.

Re-Engineering: The RES Re-Engineering tool enhances batch processes by optimizing both existing and new ones, leading to reduced processing times and alignment with corporate standards. It improves reliability by offering a methodology for critical analysis and optimal design solutions, resulting in more efficient and shorter processes. Additionally, it ensures adherence to technical and behavioral standards, such as backup/restore requirements and checkpoint management. The tool also facilitates logical redesign and isolation of key processing units, enhancing overall efficiency. Furthermore, its technology automates enforcement activities for client-specific standards, enabling automatic schedule creation compatible with popular workload schedulers.

BatchWatch - Planning: Aids proactive optimization projects, it provides advanced analytics by focusing vertically on specific objects such as applications and procedures. It targets time interval analysis, dependency management, and workload distribution, aiming to eliminate redundancies and improve resource utilization. It identifies dead branches, optimizes jobs parameters, and assesses application code quality (particularly SQL code). BatchWatch also facilitates batch simulation to anticipate processing time impacts on service levels due to volume increases. Simulation scenarios incorporate organizational and technological factors, enabling evaluation of parallel processing and resource consumption over time.

UpTown/EV: A solution designed to empower end-users in executing on-demand processes, effectively reducing the burden of daily computations and alleviating the strain on the operations area by shifting many tasks under the responsibility of the end-user themselves.

UpTown/EV is also available for both mainframe and open systems platforms.

Conclusion:

Embarking on the journey of mainframe SW modernization is essential for organizations aiming to stay competitive and agile in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape. By delving into the main phases of modernization, including migrating applications, re-writing applications, optimizing workloads, updating software, implementing automation, adopting Agile, DevOps and low-code practices, and utilizing advanced analytics, businesses can unlock new efficiencies and cost savings while ensuring scalability and performance.

RES IT emerges as a trusted partner in this endeavor, offering a suite of innovative solutions tailored to address the complexities of mainframe modernization.

With RES IT's solutions at your disposal, you can leverage cutting-edge technologies to drive meaningful transformation, empower your workforce, and future-proof your IT infrastructure. Whether you're looking to migrate to the cloud, optimize processes, or harness the power of advanced analytics, RES IT stands ready to support your modernization efforts and help you achieve your business objectives.

Contact me for a chat and let's assess together how we can help you, or visit our website: https://bit.ly/45f29Ov

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