[tlug] Information On IBM Mainframe migration

["Sanjay Chigurupati" <Sanjay.Chigurupati@example.com>]

Hi,
This is the information that we got. Had been away for some training.

Some of the components that a Mainframe environment has are:

1) transaction processing environment ( called CICS)

2) batch processing environment ( the scheduling of job is done by using
JCL : job control language)


The programming is done via Cobol

3) The files are stored using VSAM ( 3 different types of files: differing
in the way of indexing)

4) The files can also be stored in a database ( DB2) : there are some other
database systems ( I am not familiar)

Files can be either in ASCII or in EBCDIC format.

5) BMS : maps that give display on terminals ( you can define postion of
text, text colors)

6) JCL ( job control language) : This is used to control the batch
processes


Migration Options :

CICS environment :

  1) TX Series ( This software is from IBM) :  Supports most of the
functionality Needs CICS client for terminal access and
          Universal gateway for  web access

 2) LegacyJ : java based solution, which requires a web application server.
The transaction engine runs on top of web application server. Maps BMS by
converting to HTML

3)Sun MTP : Sun Mainframe Transaction Processing ( Runs on Solaris only)


JCL :

 JCL can be replaced by using shell scripts . Conversion tools are
available


Assembler Programs :

C programs can replace these


Data Files :

 Convert to ASCII if needed


Database : DB2 : can be migrated to Oracle or different database


Cobol :

   We can use either Micro Focus Server Express or LegacyJ Percobol (
recommended if you use LegacyJ's transaction engine)


There are also windows solutions ( but I am not sure if they would be
reliable as the UNIX solutions)


HTH,
Sanjay