Mainframes provides a cost-effective and extremely reliable platform for large workloads. In most cases, it\u2019s better to make the best use of the existing platform, since the investment is already made. If the modernization risk is too high, and the existing legacy application meets the business needs, while delivering the necessary business value, an enterprise can opt for leveraging in-place modernization solutions. The modernization solutions like API enablement, DevOps adoption, Z analytics, and Batch modernization can help the enterprises to harness the power of mainframes, while getting maximum value from the application business. We can also reduce the mainframe run cost by applying MIPS optimization techniques, license consolidation etc. wherever applicable.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reengineer or Re-architect<\/strong><\/p>\n Enterprises often choose to re-architect, when remaining on on-premises has high risk. This is because it becomes difficult to patch old systems (and thus reduce security vulnerabilities) or there are no longer any programmers who understand how the application works. Listed below are few options to re-engineer\/refactor the applications –<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rehost or Re-platform<\/strong><\/p>\n Re-hosting or re-platforming is relatively a faster and cost-effective option to port or re-platform from the mainframe to another system environment. By adopting lift and shift strategy, the legacy application can be hosted on-premises or cloud by using emulated platforms like Micro Focus or Raincode to lower the run cost of the application. It also allows easier integration of the application with open source-based technologies.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Retire<\/strong><\/p>\n Applications which have reached the end-of-life cycle are best suited to be decommissioned and archived. Such functions can be gradually built on non-mainframe technologies which reduces the mainframe footprint. Data and functionality duplication can be reduced by consolidating applications.<\/p>\n The application migration strategies will be categorized into one of the following solutions based on technical and functional capability of the application as shown in Figure 1 below.<\/p>\n Here is what we would suggest the factors that can help the customers determine the technical maturity and business value of the application:<\/p>\n Factors Determining Technical Quotient:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Legacy Tech Debt \u2013 Total number of application components, % of Non-Standard (Assembler, REXX, SAS, Easytrieve, custom-build software\u2019s etc.) versus Standard (COBOL, PL1, SORT etc.). The higher the ratio, the greater is the risk in maintaining the application, time-to-market, and integration<\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tech Debt Weightage \u2013 Figure out the dependency of critical and non-critical business functions on non-standard technologies. The higher the dependency, greater is the need for modernization<\/p>\n 3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Third Party Software \u2013 Evaluate ISV (Independent Software Vendors) tools used by application stakeholders (tools other than standard operating tools like software configuration management tools, monitoring Tools, scheduling tools) and check for the dependency on these 3rd part s\/w for continuing business as usual. Higher the dependency, more is the need to think on the modernization options<\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Application Coupling \u2013 Are the application boundaries clearly defined? Is application data clearly segregated? Is business logic for the said application housed mostly in its application programs? The more negative the response to these questions, the larger the need to modularize the application<\/p>\n 5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Time to Change \u2013 Average turnaround time to deploy the applications from inception of business needs. Average component changes, and average lines of codes changed, % of repeating components getting changed during every requirement are all factors that will give you insights on application maintainability, and whether its cost-effective to re-write into a modernized, modular architecture<\/p>\n 6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 No of Developers \u2013 Average number of developers & skillset needed for enhancement and support of the application. The more non-uniformity in number of developers and skillset, the higher is the need for evaluating technology standardization through application modernization<\/p>\n 7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 MIPS \u2013 The higher the Peak MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second) utilization of the application, the greater is the need for reducing the running cost of the application\u2019s adoption migration strategies like rehosting, re-platforming, COTS replacement<\/p>\n 8)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Legacy Database \u2013 Applications with dependency on legacy database like CA Datacom, SUPRA DB, IDMS etc. are good candidates to migrate to RDBMS databases, which can be easily integrated, while providing better database administration features. Another important point is the use of non-ASCII data types like COMP, COMP-3, HEX for business-critical data, which limits data sharing with open-source platforms<\/p>\n Factors Determining Business Quotient:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Business Criticality \u2013 Business significance of the applications whether it qualifies as system of records or system of differentiation? Does this application provide edge over your competition? Availability of application \u2013 business hours, 24* 7 would also be a determining factor. Any service level agreements with regards to monetary penalty associated with the application could be crucial in taking the decision.<\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Frequency of Change \u2013 Number of compliance and non-compliance requirements an application undergoes. If the application is changed frequently and cost of change is high each time, it is an indication to modernize the application<\/p>\n 3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Inbound\/Outbound Applications \u2013Number of internal\/external applications providing\/receiving data from these applications or out of these applications?<\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Production Tickets \u2013 Average monthly, quarterly, annual service tickets. % Of tickets resolved at L1, L2 & L3 stage<\/p>\n 5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Number of Users \u2013 Average number of users\/stakeholders using the applications once, greater than once, always. Level of management mostly accessing this application \u2013 observers, contributors, influencers, decision makers<\/p>\n 6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SME Retirement \u2013 Number of years core SME support with legacy skills is available and ability to reduce dependency on them<\/p>\n 7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scope for Application Consolidation \u2013 If any application is doing similar or near similar functions where the business functionality can be merged so that the application can be decommissioned.<\/p>\n 8)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Application Shelf Life \u2013 Does the business see the application need in immediate term, medium term, long term?<\/p>\n Once we determine the technical quotient and business quotient of the application on a scale, for all applications on the legacy landscape a quadrant like below (Figure 2) would provide a view on appropriate solution suitable for the application.<\/p>\n Infosys with its proven Zero Disruption Modernization approach has helped several customers in determining the right migration strategy for enterprises across the globe. Mainframe Modernization team at Infosys has 100+ consultants, who can leverage comprehensive framework for top-down analysis and Infosys Live Enterprise Application Development Platform for doing bottom-up analysis. By blending appropriate domain knowledge during the assessment, Infosys offers best-in-class services in defining and deciding application dispositions, cost estimates and modernization timelines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mainframe Modernization finds resonance with most mainframe shops but determining the right set of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":336,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[19,20,18,21,17],"coauthors":[15],"class_list":["post-89","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mainframe-modernization","tag-4q-model","tag-7r","tag-mainframe-application-disposition-strategy","tag-mainframe-assessment","tag-mainframe-modernization"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/336"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":636,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions\/636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.infosys.com\/application-modernization\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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