COBOL Modernization Roadmap: How to make it happen in your organization?

COBOL, a 60-year-old programming language, is in the spotlight primarily because the organizations are moving towards digitalization, and most of the age-old mainframe systems are COBOL based.

Amidst COVID-19 pandemic, COBOL received some bad reviews due to its incapability and inefficiency to handle exceptionally higher volumes of traffic. According to Accenture, more than 70% of total business transaction processing, and nearly 65% of overall enterprise software are powered by COBOL.

In the era of mainframe technologies, modernization remains at the fingertips of application developers. Not to mention, COBOL integrates well with Java, XML, and JSON. However, to move forward with successful business transformation, organizations will need to initiate mainframe modernization by adopting new technologies and advanced software tools.

Why mainframe modernization should be top of your to-do list, and how
to make it happen?

Modernizing existing Legacy Systems

The strategic alignment of COBOL systems displays continuous evolution with the help of modern technology. COBOL plays a significant role in a connected ecosystem, and its constant growth is a crucial element for technology change.

Multi-platform DevOps on the mainframe

Connecting DevOps and agile with a collective and unified development platform, mainframe technology can accelerate the rapid application development and delivery process. About two-thirds of mainframe applications are now using DevOps to accelerate development and deployment.

Preparing the next-gen team with modern technology

Is your business ready to take these mammoth challenges of the new workforce and new ways of thinking about making things easier? It’s time to take a look at existing problems and assumptions that will influence many business practices. The organizations now realize the importance to build business solutions for collaboration and scale, and leveraging technology will improve business performance.

Connected infrastructure

The seamless integration of applications in IT infrastructure is the key to achieve a connected ecosystem. Modern mainframe applications tend to exist in hybrid as well as a virtual IT environment. Businesses are investing in the IT ecosystem, regardless of nature, be it Cloud or mainframe. They expect Cloud and mainframe systems to work together while ensuring that the connectivity is not compromised at any cost.

Updating mainframe applications alongside composite application architectures

Connecting the existing business application with cloud and progressive mobile apps is an affordable and productive alternate to modernize the mainframe. Deployment of Java, JSON, and XML is an effective way to connect with Enterprise COBOL and offer interactive user experience.

Modernization with the lowest cost and risk across 3 key pillars

Undoubtedly, connectivity very much decides the proper functionality of the business-critical application, but the cost and risk factors cannot be overlooked. Here, it’s essential to take an insight into the three main pillars of modernization.

Application Right from secure mobile and web experience, application programming interface, process automation, and managed code models to extend the application with a low-risk innovation, COBOL systems support hyper-synthesized application delivery.

Process The prime objective of modernization is to improve enterprise application delivery speed to keep up the pace of technological innovation in business. To expedite the business process, the IT team must consider implementing agile development practices, continuous testing, rapid delivery, and controlled user access to the application.

Infrastructure By deploying applications across multiple platforms such as Cloud, host, server, and mobile, the main aim is to achieve security, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. It is equally important to assure authorized access to applications, governance, compliance, safety, and data protection controls.

Leverage COBOL modernization to get to higher digital ground

Digital technologies, including Cloud, cognitive, and mobile, are developing new opportunities for businesses in all verticals. Innovations help to enhance quality, save millions, to improve efficiencies, and to promote products while minimizing operational cost.

With COBOL App Modernization, Unlock business value across a hybrid IT infrastructure

Accelerate time to market of mainframe apps

Consider building efficient applications that can work across different platforms, including Cloud, virtual, or distributed IT systems. Emphasize on agile development technologies and DevOps while working towards mainframe modernization.

Support flexible deployment across a hybrid IT infrastructure

Modernization practices must support the organization’s digital transformation processes. The best way to ensure flexible deployment is successfully employing applications across multiple IT platforms.

Shorten COBOL app delivery cycles and cut costs

Visual COBOL integration is a possible way to deliver a new application experience with faster functionality, and deploy new workloads to Docker, Linux, and the Cloud.

Deliver real-time, relational access to distributed COBOL data files

Handling COBOL systems demand exceptional development skills, without which the mainframe modernization process could experience delays while leading to application downtime and recovery issues, and this can affect business continuity.

Strengthen core application access security and data protection

Updating legacy system involves challenges of aligning the infrastructure with the latest security standards while ensuring uninterrupted business operations.

Integrate mainframe and UNIX systems with Cloud apps

Upgrading the existing IT infrastructure is a bewildering challenge; however, building apps that integrate well with the Cloud can be a possible solution as it will offer on-demand access to computing and storage resources. These resources are easy to scale virtually without limitations.

Role of TechAhead in COBOL application modernization

By using advanced development tools, TechAhead can help businesses to modernize legacy enterprise applications to offer the flexibility of deployment across various platforms such as Windows, UNIX, JVM, Linux, Docker, .Net, and the Cloud. With experience in developing custom COBOL apps, COBOL app modernization the team can update and enhance existing apps with new features as well as integrate apps with non-legacy applications and systems.

Final Words

Updating the mainframe system is crucial, and it’s essential to keep up with the pace of innovation and ensure business continuity. Modernizing a valuable and trusted mainframe-based IT system can help with cost reduction, scalability, and business continuity.