H13054 EMC Mainframe Transformation · PDF file3 EMC’s mainframe modernization approach moves all non-relational databases or VSAM files to an RDBMS. This includes eliminating IMS,

EMC MAINFRAME TRANSFORMATION SERVICE

EMC PERSPECTIVE

BACKGROUND Mainframe computers have long been used by organizations for large critical applications around the world. They are noted for their consistent reliability, predictable performance and strong security. Mainframes traditionally have been used to process very high I/O rates, large amounts of data and high transactional volumes supporting a high number of users. Most companies have invested many resources into tuning the mainframe environments to achieve critical service level agreements.

At the same time, organizations are struggling with legacy applications built, patched and expanded over many years. Companies build software to suit a specific business purpose but as needs change over time, developers add code to work their way around problems. In particular, IT departments are feeling trapped by their mainframe heritage and even though the unit costs of mainframe MIPS is decreasing, the overall costs associated with mainframe applications continue to rise.

All of this impacts the agility of IT. It is increasingly difficult to develop new mainframe applications or maintain old code. Many production systems rely on costly, static defined, physical infrastructure that is sized for peak load. Developers complain about the primitive development tools impeding their productivity. Users complain that the older application interfaces are hard to learn and slow them down.

The need for mainframe transformation is being driven by this combination of increasing costs, unparalleled data growth, unsustainable complexity of application architecture and an increasing skills shortage. With large amounts of data, high transaction rates, and the need for faster and faster I/O rates, many IT organizations feel that only mainframe processing can satisfy their requirements. Therefore, they continue to pour more resources into the mainframe adding even more cost and inflexibility into the environment.

While many recognize that existing application architectures are unsustainable, making major changes to critical applications are fraught with risk for both application owners and IT. A sense of paralysis and a tendency toward procrastination are understandable, but the longer action is deferred—the larger the problem becomes.

The good news is there are ways to move forward in modernizing the applications the business depends on today in order to speed innovation and significantly reduce costs. What’s more, proven application modernization strategies, methodologies, and tools can greatly reduce the uncertainty, risk, and effort associated with transforming applications.

EMC MAINFRAME TRANSFORMATION Mainframe transformation can solve legacy application problems, but it requires new thinking. EMC® Consulting brings over 15 years of experience in mainframe transformation and modernization of mission-critical applications, with over 100 successful projects. Our underlying technologies and proven methodology make the transition efficient while reducing risk. We can help you achieve your goals of reducing overall spending, increasing business agility and managing resource risk as mainframe skills become increasingly scarce. Our solutions open the door to the benefits of virtualized and cloud-centric computing models to drive further cost savings for today’s mainframe-based applications.

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EMC’s mainframe modernization approach moves all non-relational databases or VSAM files to an RDBMS. This includes eliminating IMS, IDMS, Adabas, Datacom legacy databases and VSAM files. Organizations that remain committed to an IBM mainframe can move toward a common open technology stack by moving their applications to COBOL/SQL with z/OS DB2. This can be the first step in a modernization effort and the precursor to application rationalization where workloads are identified as candidates for migration to a virtualized x86 platform featuring lower cost, vastly improved flexibility and an open extensible architecture.

For example a single Vblock™ system running in this modernized environment can:

• Provide up to tens of thousands of MIPS capacity

• Save millions of dollars annually in hardware and software while running the same batch jobs and CICS applications

• Concurrently run Batch COBOL and CICS/COBOL online workloads to address existing service level agreements (SLAs)

• Provide best-in-class open systems security surpassing mainframe capabilities

EMC has developed and field-proven the tools necessary to analyze existing mainframe applications to de-couple them from the mainframe and position them on an open architecture. We can import legacy data structures, like VSAM and IMS, Datacom, Adabas and IDMS and migrate them to the customer’s choice of SQL-based relational database systems, including the very high-performance SQLFire. Our tools translate the source code’s data access layer by replacing the legacy code with SQL. The client will have a COBOL/SQL based application that accesses a relational database. The business logic remains unchanged. The Heirloom Computing Elastic COBOL compiles the COBOL source code into Java source and creates a Java executable.

The client can continue to maintain their programs in COBOL or they may take advantage of the intermediate Java source and completely migrate from COBOL to Java. Furthermore, COBOL code can call Java modules making it possible to select copybooks or code segments to be converted and maintained in Java while the remainder of the program source code stays in COBOL. This flexibility to selectively exploit Java source according to the client’s changing business requirements and talent pool is very useful to all customers. The run time is now a Java run time that runs on an open, scalable platform.

Organizations that want to extend the life of valuable business logic and data locked in proprietary mainframe languages and non-relational databases should consider the option of converting, rather than re-writing, applications.

EMC has developed automated application conversion tools that convert code written in obsolete languages into industry-standard COBOL and move data from old, flat files into fully relational SQL databases, running on either a mainframe or an x86 platform. These conversion tools that produce COBOL code—as opposed to ‘black box’ conversion solutions—enable development teams to continue to “own the code” and to work with and enhance the application, using the language they already understand.

Conversion has the advantage of avoiding ‘scope creep’ and other risks associated with complete application rewrites. Testing, for example, remains straightforward—with the old application providing the baseline for new code performance and functionality. End-user screens and processes can be migrated without change, leaving business users unaffected by the platform modernization.

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In addition to dramatically reducing hardware maintenance and software licensing costs, conversion extends the life of critical applications. Converted applications gain access to new platform functionality, a larger pool of skilled developers, and more third-party solutions than the legacy platforms with rapidly shrinking market share can offer.

EMC MAINFRAME TRANSFORMATION APPROACH EMC’s approach provides our clients with the information they need to make both IT and business decisions as they migrate applications off their mainframes. We analyze the existing applications to uncover the current state of the mainframe so we can build a future state architecture. Our approach is to replace the mainframe and migrate your applications to an open systems environment without the dependencies that closed emulators impose.

PLANNING The Planning Phase is critical. This is where our expert mainframe modernization team analyzes the existing environment and designs the plans for offloading the mainframe to a modern architecture. Moving off the mainframe is an important, business critical project so we take the time to fully understand the current state and then design and deliver a customized plan for each client. This is vital because every mainframe is different. The ROM Analysis and Estimate service is an initial project that provides our clients with a clear picture of all that is involved in a migration off the mainframe. We produce a report for the client that includes a timetable, the potential risks and the estimated cost for the full migration. The Mainframe Advisory service provides our clients with a description of the current mainframe environment, a future-state architecture, an implementation plan, and a testing plan. It also includes pricing for hardware, software, and services, including any third-party software and utilities. The detailed report from the Advisory Service will enable the client to move forward with confidence to modernize their mainframe.

OPTIMIZE, CLOUD ENABLE AND MODERNIZE The EMC team works closely with our clients to migrate their applications to a modern IT architecture. Depending on the size and complexity of the mainframe, the modernization effort can take from six months to three or more years. The impact to the client organization is fully evaluated and roles and responsibilities are defined.

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Our team fully defines the testing effort and builds testing suites that may or may not exist on the current mainframe. Our team will build the new architecture end-to-end with a complete handover to the client both during and at the conclusion of the migration.

The diagram below shows EMC’s vision for a modern application platform. It is based on the Spring Framework that is the market leading open source application framework for Java. Built on a scalable, virtualized Infrastructure it automatically provides developers with the system resources they need through a self-service portal.

EMC’S PROVEN MIGRATION PROCESS

EMC’s proven mainframe application migration process is a combination of strategy, rigorous methodologies and automated processes.

EMC has the following experience:

• Successful modernization of over 1.7 billion lines of legacy source code in more than 115 different languages and databases.

• Projects executed by modernization experts including developers, quality assurance specialists, project managers, and architects.

• The ability to leverage our extensive in-house library of automated code analysis and conversion tools to reduce risk, time and cost, to achieve consistency, and ensure accuracy and deliver a complete end-to-end solution.

• For migrations to x86 platforms, we offer a COBOL-based deployment that can be transitioned to Java, giving customers the option of maintaining the source code in either language depending on the skills available in the IT team.

• Several projects have received customer recognition for their success, including Project of the Year awards at County of Marin and U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.

The ability to address unique needs and preferences—there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

In addition, EMC, through its majority ownership of and joint development with VMware®, is the leading company for helping large global companies modernize applications to run in private cloud environments.

Beyond maintaining the functionality of existing mainframe applications while moving them to standard x86 platforms, EMC together with VMware has created a third company—Pivotal™—to use modern programming frameworks to process big data and real-time data in ways that have not been possible with previous application platforms.

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Through these partnerships, we have built a future-state reference architecture for Mainframe applications that provides a path to cloud-enablement by incorporating leading-edge technologies from EMC, VMware, VCE, and Pivotal. This path includes a best-in-class approach to migrate, virtualize, converge, optimize, and deploy the applications to the cloud.

EMC also has unique technology, tools and skills to convert the multiple, confusing, and difficult to audit security subsystems (OS, CICS, DB2, IMS/DB) to modern Role Based Access Control based on the latest Standards (ANSI INCITS 359-2004).

We are excited about the opportunity to partner with our customers as a trusted modernization enabler, creating an architecture and platform that will carry them far into the future.

MAINFRAME APPLICATION TRANSFORMATION The diagram below illustrates the way that the EMC migration tools move applications from the mainframe to an open systems environment.

APPLICATION SOURCE CODE The lists below represent the most common languages and data types that EMC migrates to open systems platforms.

Z/OS PLATFORM FUTURE STATE

Assembler Elimination or Heirloom Standard COBOL Environment

IBM Standard COBOL Environment QuikJob, Easytrieve IDMS COBOL, Datacom COBOL DB2 COBOL, CICS ADSA, ADS/O, CULPRIT, OLQ IDEAL, Dataquery

Heirloom Computing Standard COBOL Environment

SAS, C, C++, Java, FTP SAS, C, C++, Java, FTP

MQ, AIA, OCA MQ MQ, RabbitMQ

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DATA Z/OS PLATFORM FUTURE STATE

Sequential File Heirloom Computing Sequential File

GDG Heirloom Computing GDG

VSAM (KSDS, ESDS, RRDS Heirloom Computing VSAM or SQL Server, Oracle, SQLFire, or other RDBMS

DB2 database IDMS database Datacom database

SQL Server, Oracle, SQLFire, or other RDBMS

MIGRATION APPROACH Each application or application subset follows a similar migration process much like that described in the diagram below.

PROJECT PHASE ASSESSMENT & PLANNING

• Define business requirements and scope

• Review implementation options

• Review Security options

• Develop a project plan

• Inventory clarification and verification

• Test planning

• Security test planning

• Inventory of non-production libraries

INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT SET UP

• Install infrastructure software

• Install security software

• Test configuration setup

• Determine configuration options

• Determine security configuration options

• Blue zone replacement

DATA MODELING

• Review data typing and cleansing options

• Apply data typing solutions

• Review security mapping

• Review data mapping

• Generate DDL

• Generate security data models

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DATA MIGRATION

• Generate Data Migration Modules

• Transform and cleanse data

• Generate security migration modules

• Transform security data

• Extract data

• Load data DDL

• Extract legacy security data

• Load security data

CODE CONVERSION AND INTEGRATION

• Retain business logic

• Determine code freeze policy

• Maintenance

• Retain run-time look and feel

• Develop co-existence with production

• Transform source code

INTERFACES & INTEGRATION

• Address integration issues

• Run initial tests to confirm set up for third-party software

• Develop and test data bridges, if needed

TESTING & TUNING

• Setup testing environments

• Prepare and create test scripts

• Unit testing

• Parallel testing

• Integration testing

• User acceptance testing

• Security testing

• System testing

IMPLEMENTATION

• Provide training for the new infrastructure

• Develop detailed task list

• Define go/no-go decision points and contingency plan

• Develop post-implementation monitoring process

• Warranty period

• Develop Deployment Document

• Confirm setup for production environment

• Perform practice runs

• Knowledge transfer

• Deliver documentation

• Complete implementation

POST IMPLEMENTATION

• Cleanup of application from mainframe

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DETAIL ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING PHASE During this phase, all of the planning for the migration project takes place. A detailed project plan is developed with all tasks, dependencies, a clearly delineated timeline, milestones, and responsibilities. A specific inventory component list is researched that includes every entity that must be considered as part of the application or application subset that is being migrated. A list of all infrastructure items that must be addressed in order to support the application is established along with timelines for specifications, delivery and implementation.

As part of this phase, EMC and the client determine which components are obsolete and do not need to be migrated. Additional components that are not part of production libraries but that should be migrated must be identified as part of the inventory. It is possible that some components may be set aside and not migrated; or migrated, but not tested as part of the migration project.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT SETUP

Once the specific hardware is in place for testing, the infrastructure software is installed and configured. Various options for configuration and setup are discussed and implemented for the test environments. Generally, any necessary training for new infrastructure software is provided for the core systems team. Once testing is underway, additional environments will be built including those necessary for Quality Assurance (QA), User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and ultimately production implementation.

DATA MODELING PHASE Once all the data entities that are part of the migration are identified, those entities that are being transformed will go through data mapping. This task involves importing the source data definitions in to the EMC migration tool. There are several options available and many decision points during this process. Time is spent reviewing data types and cleansing options that can be applied in the event they are required. Once this process is complete, the foundation for the rest of the project is established and the target Data Definition Language (DDL) is produced by the migration tool.

The migration of the legacy databases and associated applications to a modern architecture supported by DB2 z/OS / DB2 LUW, Oracle, SQL Server, SQLFire or other RDBMS provides a platform that is more readily aligned with the client’s IT goals.

Next the legacy data models are transitioned to a new, formal data definition. The standards enforced in the new RDBMS will require the elimination of the existing data model and the creation of a new structured definition of the data. Decisions will need to be made that align the corporate design standards with the new data model. It is important to have the flexibility for default settings and specific table overrides in order to address exceptions within the data. Value clauses will be eliminated and occurs clauses will be normalized to a separate table or given unique names. The new data model will conform to the vendor specific rules for data modeling, which are more widely accepted for today’s computing.

Security data modeling is also handled in this phase, identifying appropriate mapping to open systems security mechanisms for users, roles, dataset profiles and entitlements. Once the analysis and data modeling is complete, the target security system schemas can be generated.

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DATA MIGRATION PHASE After the data modeling has been completed, the components required for data migration can be generated by the EMC tools. The data is extracted from the original source, run through the agreed upon data cleansing process and transformed into a loadable module for the new environment. The load file is then used to fill the target database tables. The EMC data migration utilities reformat fields, provide migration statistics, give visibility to any data anomalies and cleanse any incorrect fields. All database tables and VSAM files identified in the assessment and planning phase will be migrated and checked. A process for moving any flat files from the source environment to the target environment is established and tested.

Data quality will be addressed during the data migration process. EMC will extract, cleanse and reformat the data as necessary to correct data that is inaccurate or does not match the data definition. Changing editing rules without an enterprise update may create historical data that does not match today’s edit criteria. The data migration process must have the flexibility to cleanse each field and provide an opportunity for establishing valid data content based on today’s business rules.

During this phase, the security data migration modules will be generated and the legacy security data extracted. The migration modules will be used to transform this data into the agreed target security schema load file that is used to load the target security system. All entities identified in the assessment and planning phase will be migrated and checked.

APPLICATION CONVERSION PHASE While retaining the existing business logic, the EMC tools translate the existing legacy source code to COBOL, if needed. With COBOL being the most widely used and accepted language on the mainframe, developing an initial strategy to translate to COBOL/SQL provides a familiar language for the existing IT staff. Application programs can continue to generate web services, support SOA and rapid development and not be tightly coupled to a single data store. Proprietary 4GL languages, such as IDEAL, IDMS ADS/O or reporting tools like Dataquery, QuikJob, OLQ, Easytrieve are also converted to COBOL.

Legacy database access or VSAM file access are replaced with new algorithms for access or smart APIs.

Business logic and the user experience remains the same. Source code control is important at this time. A plan for co-existence with current production, maintenance and conversion systems will need to be determined along with a code freeze policy. Normally, the code freeze policy is for about a 30-day period where development is deferred. High-priority changes and production fixes are always supported.

INTERFACES & INTEGRATION PHASE The mainframe along with various software packages provides specific functions that are not part of the server environment. The functionality provided by the mainframe environment and software must be replaced by other software appropriate for the server environment. This includes items like security, archive, scheduling, printing, source code control, and change management, etc. In addition, interfaces to other systems are reviewed and alternate solutions are developed.

As part of the application integration, security will need to be converted, and third party software installed and configured. This is a precursor to much of the testing; however, there are always programs and processes that can be tested independently while the interfaces are being reviewed.

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TESTING AND TUNING PHASE The testing phase is by far the longest phase, and several different levels and types of testing are performed during this phase. Generally the following tests are included as part of a migration project:

• Smoke Testing is a method to quickly assess that an application is still working as expected.

• Baseline Testing is a method where we can establish the current state of behavior for a given application.

• Parallel Testing is a method of comparing the values and data of the original systems versus the new system.

• Functional Testing is a technique where one ensures that the program physically works the way it was intended (based on requirements) and all specified menu options are present.

• Entitlements | Security Testing is a method to test the full extent of authority for a specified role and nothing more.

• File Format Testing is a way to validate that a given file format is created or consumed according to requirements.

• Negative Testing is a technique where a tester would enter invalid inputs to test an application’s error handling ability.

• Integration Testing is a method to ensure individual software modules work together as a group.

• System Integration Testing is a process that exercises a software systems co-existence with others.

• Batch Testing is a method where a testing group will measure timing of job execution under production like conditions. We will also validate that SLAs are met.

• Regression Testing is a method to uncover new or re-emergence previously resolved software bugs after a system change.

• Load | Stress Testing ensures that applications on the new platform will continue to meet current SLAs and perform under loads identified as peak by the client.

• Penetration Testing is a method of evaluating security of a computer system or network by simulating an attack by malicious outsiders and or malicious insiders.

PRODUCTION CUTOVER A deployment plan is developed in conjunction with the client. It will include detailed task lists of preparation tasks, along with actual deployment tasks. This list will be used and updated during the dry-run sessions. Go/no-go and acceptance criteria are developed along with contingency plans. The required support staff is reviewed and aligned. All final documentation and any training sessions are delivered in this phase of the project.

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CONCLUSION IT organizations looking to modernize their existing mainframe environment can follow a proven process that has been successful for many clients. Following a methodology that relies on expertise, automation, client involvement, risk mitigation, thorough testing, performance reviews and experience can insure a full transition to a flexible, virtualized, modern architecture.

Improvements in data quality, data access and data integration provide a foundation of your corporate information that can easily support your development strategies, organizational goals and your long term IT strategy.

Application development platforms will provide a vehicle that can support rapid development, service-oriented architectures (SOAs), web services, and agility. You will eliminate the risk of an aging workforce that is familiar with programming languages that are tightly coupled to a legacy, proprietary database. Modern development tools and developers can move the organization forward building applications on a relational database that permits development and deployment on a multitude of platforms.

Efficiencies in forecasting time to market, variable cost, annual budgets and ROI are also significantly improved with a modern architecture.

CASE STUDIES AN INTERNATIONAL BANK: ACCELERATED DATABASE CONVERSION

PROVIDED SUPERIOR INFORMATION TO THE BUSINESS AND ITS CLIENTS

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U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY: SUCCESSFULLY REDUCED COSTS AND MADE

INFORMATION MORE ACCESSIBLE TO USERS

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY: SAVED $2.5M PER YEAR

COUNTY GOVERNMENT: REDUCED COSTS BY 90% AND BALANCED $38

BILLION INVENTORY OF PROPERTY APPRAISALS

CONTACT US To learn more about how EMC products, services, and solutions can help solve your business and IT challenges, contact your local representative or authorized reseller—or visit us at www.EMC.com.

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EMC believes the information in this document is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject to change without notice.