Popular Legacy Hardware Still Running COBOL: The Top 7 Systems on the Market

There is no denying the staying power of COBOL in today's technological landscape.

From the first day of its release, its ability to handle large amounts of data and perform complex calculations made it a popular choice for applications related to finance, government, and other critical sectors.

Those features are still a factor in today's business environment, especially for the aforementioned sectors, but modern functional requirements and a declining pool of skilled COBOL developers are creating headaches that are only likely to get more severe.

Fortunately, we have more iterative solutions than ever that prevent the need for a wholesale switch from legacy to modern. Automated workload-by-workload COBOL to Java conversions and microservices architecture are just two methods to keep the tried-and-true operating yet still evolve with the times.

...there is certainly a case to be made for polishing old-reliable and plugging in modern features bit-by-bit given a strong stable of hardware options available to make the plan work.

Moreover, COBOL is also becoming more user-friendly and accessible for newer developers through tools like Visual COBOL and IDEs such as Eclipse.

Since COBOL is here to stay, we thought we'd offer a roundup of the most popular hardware systems still running the oldest OS around.

Here are the top 7:

1. IBM zSeries Mainframes?

• Description: The IBM zSeries, including models like the z15, is renowned for its reliability, scalability, and security. It remains at the heart of many enterprise data centers.?

• Industries: Financial services, insurance, government, and large-scale retail.?

• Applicability: These mainframes are integral for processing high-volume transactions, running critical applications, and ensuring data integrity. Their robust architecture and backward compatibility make them ideal for running COBOL applications developed decades ago.

2. Unisys ClearPath Dorado Systems

• Description: The Unisys ClearPath Dorado series is a line of mainframes known for their performance and scalability, often used for mission-critical applications.?

• Industries: Banking, airlines, and government.?

• Applicability: These systems excel in environments where high availability and transaction processing are crucial. They support COBOL applications that handle vast amounts of data and complex transaction processing.

3. Bull DPS 7 and DPS 8?

• Description: Originally from the 1970s and 1980s, the Bull DPS 7 and DPS 8 systems are still operational in some sectors due to their reliability and specialized use cases.?

• Industries: Telecommunications and public administration.?

• Applicability: These systems are used for customized applications that have been in operation for decades, where rewriting in a new language would be cost-prohibitive and risky.

4. Fujitsu GlobalServer Systems

• Description: Fujitsu’s GlobalServer line includes high-performance mainframes designed for large-scale enterprise computing.
• Industries: Logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare.?

• Applicability: These mainframes support extensive COBOL-based applications, ensuring continuity, data integrity, and compliance with industry regulations.?

5. Hewlett-Packard (HP) 3000 Series

• Description: The HP 3000 series, a line of minicomputers, has been in use since the 1970s. While no longer produced, many systems are still operational.?

• Industries: Education, small-to-medium enterprises.?

• Applicability: Known for its Multi-Programming Executive (MPE) operating system, the HP 3000 runs critical legacy applications in COBOL, offering stability and robust performance.

6. Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) VAX Systems

• Description: The VAX series, particularly the VAX 11/780, were highly influential minicomputers from the late 1970s and 1980s.?

• Industries: Research institutions, healthcare, and manufacturing.?

• Applicability: VAX systems run VMS (Virtual Memory System) and support COBOL applications crucial for scientific research, patient records, and industrial automation.

7. IBM AS/400 (iSeries)

• Description: The IBM AS/400, now known as the IBM iSeries or IBM System i, is a family of midrange computers designed for small and mid-sized businesses.?

• Industries: Manufacturing, retail, and banking.?

• Applicability: With its integrated database and extensive software support, the AS/400 is perfect for legacy COBOL applications that require high reliability and low maintenance.

How These Technologies Operate Successfully Today?

Despite being considered legacy technologies, these hardware and software platforms remain operational due to several factors:?

• Reliability and Stability: These systems are known for their robustness and are often deemed more reliable than newer, less-tested technologies.?

• Cost-Effectiveness: Transitioning from these systems to newer platforms can be prohibitively expensive. Organizations often find maintaining legacy systems more cost-effective.?

• Specialized Requirements: Many industries have specialized requirements that these legacy systems meet perfectly. Rewriting applications to fit new platforms can introduce risks and compatibility issues.?

• Support and Upgrades: Companies like IBM and Unisys continue to provide support and updates for their systems, ensuring they remain secure and functional.?

• Integration with Modern Technologies: Many legacy systems have been integrated with modern technologies, such as APIs, to ensure they can interact with contemporary applications and services.?

Final Thoughts

While some may consider the hardware and platforms running COBOL outdated, many argue for their continued use in critical industries, underscoring their reliability and essential role in the modern IT landscape. Both sides make good points, but there is certainly a case to be made for polishing old-reliable and plugging in modern features piece-by-piece given a strong stable of hardware options available to make the plan work.

CM First Group Can Help

Our deep experience with legacy enterprise systems uniquely positions us to help reinvent your modernization efforts and set the stage for COBOL maintenance and Java integrations that can transform your organization.

Please contact us for more information or to schedule a demonstration of our CM evolveIT software and how its impact analysis and automated refactoring capabilities can set your COBOL to Java project up for long-term success.

You can also call us at 888-866-6179 or email us at [email protected].