With Modernization, Question Everything

Application Modernization is complicated enough, but how we describe it can make it sound even more confusing. Revisiting some recent client collaborations, here’s my take on making sense of the noise around modernization.

Core business system modernization is, for many enterprises, a critical task for the CIO as they enter a new phase of the digital era dominated by cloud and AI. As I wrote at the turn of the year, 2024 is likely to be extremely busy for the so-called Legacy Modernization world.

The history of the term Modernization, I recently discovered, casts light upon what it means for IT leaders today and tomorrow. I tend to use the term application modernization, because that (typically) describes the thing that is being modernized, rather than where it runs. If the value is in the application (often written in tried-and-trusted COBOL), that’s what needs to be evolved and modernized.

However, the term mainframe modernization is also out there, signifying that something to do with the mainframe environment is going to be changed. In some cases, that might be true, but not always, an example of how terminology gets in the way. ?

Here’s another.? Prepositions.

Literary Lessons

For many of us, our school education included English grammar rules that had more exceptions than norms, unpopular literature, and an obsessive adherence to word order. Sadly, the only thing I remember about prepositions was the legendary quote from Winston Churchill, “Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put”. Grammatically correct, dripping with sarcasm, he cast doubt over the rule he was using.

The simplest mistake with prepositions, though, is to use the wrong one.

Consider the term mainframe modernization. Prepositions jostle for inclusion in various examples. They all have a hidden meaning.

·?????? Of. Modernization of the mainframe. This implies that we think there’s something amiss on the big old box and it is long overdue an upgrade.

·?????? On. Modernization on the mainframe. That’s a little less overt, but it is telling us that whatever needs to be done, it is going to happen on that mainframe. It is dripping with implication – stay where you are.

·?????? Off. This is even more blunt. We are modernizing off, or away from, the mainframe. Again, the strong suggestion is that this is a one-way ticket and you’re not coming back. The form of change is pre-conceived.

If you consider how different the implications are, its little wonder that the term mainframe modernization means different things to different people. My advice: beware the hidden bias in the use of prepositions.

Ask The Right Questions

If prepositions are dangerous, what linguistic construct will help us? To get a real sense of what we mean by modernization, need simply need to ask some good questions –

·?????? What? What are we trying to modernize? The business value that the organization wishes to protect and renew is encapsulated in the application code. The platform, the choice of data store, and even the choice of application language is basically irrelevant – the value is encapsulated in the business logic, which of course can be represented in any language.

·?????? Where? Where is this happening? This is a crucial one. Putting to one side a technological preference in terms of where the application runs today (which probably has a business reason behind it), the task of modernizing the application above could take place, theoretically at least, anywhere, and then the application then also be deployed anywhere – or rather, wherever it has been decided it should be deployed.

·?????? Why? Why are we doing this? This is the most important of all. What’s driving the decision to undergo this change? There will be a business reason, which should dictate strategy. The technological elements will matter only in the context of how technology can best serve the desired outcomes. And it should certainly not be a pre-set notion.

The Open Mainframe Project provides a public forum via the Modernization Working Group. This community initiative will help crystallise thinking on the subject, including how it considers the filter ‘mainframe’. In truth, critical IT systems that need modernization are not all mainframe based. Many successful organizations use other systems to run their business (Linux, AIX, Cloud, Windows). And just because they don’t use a mainframe, it doesn’t make them immune to modernization. Far from it.

A Year is a Long Time in Technology

Furthermore, a core system that runs on the mainframe doesn’t mean it is in more need of modernization than something that isn’t. A system first conceived in the 1960s will likely have already undergone iterations of evolutionary update and innovation. With the upkeep of all technology, IT professionals are painting the proverbial Golden Gate Bridge, which is equally true for all languages, data stores, or platforms.

Everything evolves - or it perishes. That's the stark choice. New technology has come and then gone again inside a generation – a decade even – because, among other things, it failed to stay up to date. Those responsible opted to replace it because they weren’t fit for purpose. Who has an early model iPhone, or a Palm Pilot, gathering dust at home? Who remembers Windows NT, OS/2, or UnixWare?

Evidently True

Modernization has been an ongoing operational requirement for decades - since IT systems first started delivering business value. An important beacon to guide IT strategy is tangible evidence. Other organizations’ testimony can act as examples, while market research data can illustrate the importance of new trends or buying patterns. In the cycle of strategic IT planning, review and assessment, market examples and thought leadership can be illuminating.

Ask The Right Questions

IT and application modernization is tremendously important to many organizations. Take care in how you phrase your questions. And be sure to ask for proof.