Software Migration & Modernization Solution
ADABAS/Natural® Migration & Modernization Solution Natural Migration Adabas Migration
The only Fully Automated Modernization Solution for Natural and ADABAS applications to Java and C#.Net
Many organizations are still running large ADABAS/Natural® applications that were developed more than 30 years ago. The high maintenance costs and lack of ADABAS/Natural® developers is causing companies to look at migration routes to more modern technologies.
Through the years, ADABAS/Natural® has been a very popular environment for developing business applications. Nowadays, using this veteran technology brings some disadvantages such as:
Cost: The cost of licenses and maintenance an organization needs to pay every year is very high.
Resources: It is almost impossible to find trained developers in Natural and ADABAS, DBA’s.
Agility: Modern development technologies like Java or C#.NET provide a more agile environment. In today’s marketplace, businesses must have the ability to rapidly change their IT systems due to market needs or changes in regulations.
As companies try to leverage the tremendous investment they have made in their existing ADABAS/Natural® applications, they face a formidable challenge.
Our DBMSMigrator for ADABAS/Natural® is the answer: a cutting-edge, high-efficiency solution for migrating from ADABAS/Natural® to RDBMS/Java or C#.NET. The use of an automated migration has many benefits compared to the alternative of rewriting the application and losing most of the past investment. The data structure is migrated to a relational model, keeping all the connections and dependences, while enabling excellent performance. The new Java or C#.NET application maintains the content and structure of the original Natural application. This cost-effective solution significantly decreases the risk, cost, and time involved, and enables current developers to continue maintaining and enhancing the migrated application.
Business Benefits
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Dramatically reduces license and maintenance costs
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Provides Web-based application look and feel (easy distribution and pleased end users)
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Makes application enhancement easier
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Provides cost effective migration
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Eliminates the IT resources problem
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Uses proven automated tools, thereby mitigating many of the project risks
Technical Benefits
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Enables a 100% automated migration, with no manual intervention needed
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Provides a complete solution for language, database, and platform modernization
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Migrates Natural objects, leaving your business logic intact
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Maps ADABAS model into a relational database model
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Supplies a Java/C#.NET open source framework with the migrated code
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Provides a thin client application (browser based)
Migration Outcome
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Application deployed on open platform
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Open RDBMS (Oracle, DB2, SQL Server)
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No proprietary lockdown
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Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) enabled
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Three layered application (data, logic, and presentation layers)
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Clear and maintainable application code
ADABAS
Migrating away from ADABAS and Natural is not a simple task. Organizations have typically used these products to write mission-critical applications that are core to their business. Yet in today’s world, these applications are no longer mainstream, instead requiring special skills, hard to find skill sets, and proprietary environments.
Automated Migration Tool for ADABAS and Natural
There is an automated toolset that can efficiently migrate your ADABAS/Natural® applications to newer technologies. You can take your ADABAS off the mainframe or migrate it to a relational database DB2 or Oracle etc. You can migrate Natural applications to Java/J2EE. Our automated toolset has the specific capabilities for dealing with all the issues involved in migrating ADABAS/Natural® applications. Our tools provide not only the ability to migrate but also the ability to gain understanding of the application and enhance issues such as performance in the process.
Our experience and technology solutions greatly lowers the risk involved in migrating to DB2, Oracle, and SQL Server, and makes such a migration a smooth and easy process.
This is a comprehensive ADABAS solution that covers the entire ADABAS/COBOL environment - database remodeling, code and JCL migration, data-migration program generation, code "refresh", and testing. The process migrates your ADABAS/COBOL applications to a relational system that provides the optimal balance between normalization and performance while being easy to maintain, and well documented.
The automated generation of data-migration programs by DBMSMigrator enables smooth data transfer from the ADABAS environment to the relational environment. This program generation process is based on source data models and the RDBMS data definitions and mapping rules that were created during data model mapping. This process also allows the migration programmer to add rules for data cleansing and modification that go beyond those defined by the mapping rules.
These programs extract the data from the ADABAS database into sequential files, and transform the ADABAS or VSAM format data to the destination relational table in accordance with the model mapping rules.
At the end of this process, load files are produced depending on the destination RDBMS. A standard load utility is used to read the files created during the transformation phase and load the data into the relational database.
Adabas Migration
Natural
Natural Migration to Java or C#.NET
Many organizations are trapped by large Natural applications running on ADABAS. The high maintenance costs are causing many to look at more modern options - Natural migration to Java or C#.NET. Our ADABAS/Natural® migration solution allows you to migrate from Natural to a modern language using a relational database.
Natural to Java Migration
Our Natural to Java solution provides an automated migration to more modern architectures without functional change. Generated screens and windows use modern technology, but still are recognizable to current users. This minimizes end-user re-training effort while the generated code uses an object oriented open source framework, an excellent vehicle for training your Natural programmers in Java. A complete solution is provided for migrating applications, data models and data. The end result is easy to maintain, well documented, and exists in a newer, lower cost environment.
Features and Benefits
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Supports data from ADABAS, VSAM, IMS, DB2, SQL Server, or Oracle
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Handles all aspects of the Natural syntax including specific constructs such as REINPUT statements
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Handles all Natural objects including programs, subprograms, DDMs , maps and data area types
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Supports both reporting and structured mode Natural
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Can be combined with the migration of COBOL to a relational database
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Multi-tier J2EE architectures with HTML/JSP client, Java core and JDBC data access
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Highly maintainable - can be enhanced in the new environments
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Allows customer specific migration options such as naming convention changes
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Support for JCL migration for a mainframe destination OR
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JCL to script for Unix and Windows destination
Overview
Natural programs can be transformed into Java or C#.NET. The migrated code is based on a special framework that emulates the behaviour of the various Natural statements and data types. Since most of the Natural statements and data types do not exist in the Java/C# languages, and since there is no equivalent statement in Java or C#.NET to replace them, a special library is used that supplies exactly the same functionality as the Natural statements.
This framework is an object-oriented library that is inherited by all the migrated Natural programs. It includes numerous support classes that handle various aspects of the Natural language including memory management, database management, Natural variable types, Natural system variables, sorting, printing, etc
Mapping Natural Programming Objects to Java Objects
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Each Natural program, subprogram, subroutine, local data area, global data area and map containing processing rules becomes a single Java/C#.NET source file (class).
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Internal subroutines become methods in the generated program.
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The Natural library containing the application becomes a single Java/C#.NET class. The Global Data Area (GDA) becomes a class within the Natural library class.
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Each Natural INPUT statement in the application—whether in a MAP or in-line—corresponds to a single JSP (Java Server Page) or ASPX.
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Each Natural DDM in the application generates a single Java/C#.NET source program.
The Java/C#.NET code encapsulates the logical-to-physical mapping and is the single point for changes in the way data is physically stored.
Programming Objects to Java Objects Natural Migration to Java
JCL Migration
All JCL members, PROCs, and control statements that are identified as being related to the target application and that need to be changed, are modified to operate with the new subsystem(s).
If OS/390 JCL will continue to be used—either because the migrated batch application will run on a mainframe or because environments such as Micro Focus MTO, Fujitsu zBATCH, or Sun MTP are being used to execute JCL on non-mainframe platforms—global changes are made to replace the ADABAS batch related information with the new information. Based on specified defaults, ADABAS file DD statements are deleted, a TMP program name with the required parameters is inserted into the EXEC statements, a new DD statement referring to the RDBMS plan and program names is inserted, and more. Also, changes to job statements and other JCL information (file names, print class, etc.) can be made at this time.
If the destination platform is Unix or Windows, the JCL can also be converted to KShell or VB.NET scripts.
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Map Before Modernization
Map After Modernization
The application experience is upgraded by changing style sheets, using Custom Renderers and editing the JSPs with modern tools - example setting "occupation" field style and setting a drop-down list and a date picker on 2 fields.
Conculsion
Total Cost of Ownership (“TCO”) and Return on Investment (“ROI”) are two financial indicators that help decision makers ensure they are taking the right approach. These indicators enhance the operational and technology drivers to modifications and enhancements in IT systems.
Reducing license costs, facing diminishing skilled personnel for legacy systems, and providing an agile environment to cope with operational and technological challenges, are critical issues in an organization that need to be addressed.
Building a comprehensive modernization plan for enterprises can save tremendous cost over time, making the enterprise more competitive in the market, increasing profitability, and therefore making it more attractive to investors and shareholders.
There are several modernization alternatives available to organizations. Some deal with part of the modernization challenge, and some deal with the entire challenge. The use of automated tools for modernization provides a complete resolution of the legacy IT challenge with the fastest ROI and best improvement in IT TCO.