Growing maintenance fees, scarcity of trained developers, expected end-of-life announcements, cumbersome deployment processes, platform dependencies – these are just a few reasons companies are migrating from legacy Mainframe COBOL to Java or C# solutions.  Whether migrating management support systems, operations infrastructure or reporting applications, the COBOL migration process is highly complex, risky and time consuming.

BPHX offers a fully automated solution that captures the entire source base of the application, automatically migrates it to object oriented Java/C#. The resulting code has the exact functionality of the migrated application and can easily be tested and implemented in production.  Our COBOL to Java/C# translation technology produces clean Java/C# code that’s easily maintained and efficiently integrated with other Java / C# applications.  Our solution supports a broad base of COBOL components, including databases like DB2, IDMS, IMS and VSAM.  We also handle TP monitors like CICS, JCL, utilities (e.g., IDCAMS) and SORT.

Our Commitment To Your Code

Translating a procedural language like COBOL to  Java (object oriented) presents several challenges.  Our translation process is designed to deliver on a set of particular standards:

• The resulted application works exactly the same as the original application and produce exactly the same results
• The resulting application is maintainable and follow the object oriented concepts and paradigms: encapsulation, abstraction, modularization, loose coupling, etc
• The resulting application performs the same or better than the original one on the open systems platform

 

How It Works

Our COBOL translation solution focuses on three specific layers of the application.

• Data Access Layer
  Logic used to handle files and databases is decoupled from the main COBOL structure. To do this, the Data Access Objects (DAO)/Data Transfer Objects (DTO) design pattern is used.  DAO ensures communication with external data (files & databases).  DTO is used to transport data between main COBOL program and external data.  Through the duration, DAO is using DTO and only DTO to communicate with the program.
• Business Logic Layer
  Each COBOL program is converted to a Java class.  This class encapsulates all working storage fields and paragraphs, exposed as a service to the main entry point.  Data structures are analyzed and remodeled to meet requirements for Encapsulation, Reuse, Readability and reduced memory footprint for better utilization.  Program flow is normalized and GOTOs are removed. Program structure and comments are preserved during conversion, simplifying maintenance.
• Presentation Layer
  To maintain the same user experience, BMS Maps are migrated to equivalent web pages.  In all cases, the actual data fed into each new web interface is the same as the data fed into the legacy screen. When the application screen display logic is executed, the resulting HTML web page produced mimics the original 3270 screen as closely as possible. The actual screen layouts are maintained, so users of the application do not have to be retrained.  The converted code preserves the look and feel of the original application as the generated JSF defaults to using fixed-width fonts and absolute positioning of fields and text labels.  The web application will have the same navigational features as the original one.  PF Keys and return keys are fully supported using JavaScript event handling routines. In addition, navigation using arrow keys is also supported allowing the user to move from one field to another just like in the original application (without involving mouse operations or TAB key – although these are available as well).

 

What It Looks Like

Here are a couple before and after presentation layer shots.  We can fashion code examples upon request.

Before COBOL to Java conversion:

After COBOL to Java conversion:

After COBOL to Java conversion (white):

Next Steps

BPHX automated COBOL to Java/C# translation provides significant cost savings in hardware and software (no need for emulation software solution) and positions your IT department for continued growth and success.  Want to go deeper technically?  If so, download our COBOL translation whitepaper.  Done reading and want to see it in action?  Request a Proof of Translation.