Reliability, uptime, data integrity —

Those are the key strengths of legacy systems. And that's the principal reason why mainframes are more relevant today than ever for certain high online transaction (OLTP) dependent enterprises.

If this is you then you know the value these systems bring to your business.

The Challenge

Unfortunately, you are not without concern for you also feel the pressure of this environment’s two main challenges — creeping CPU-driven operational costs and locating experts who are intimately familiar with both the core programming languages, like Assembler and COBOL, and have the practical experience in working with ‘big iron’ in today’s complex computing environment. It is the latter issue that’s often the most challenging.

Why is this a major concern? Because at the heart of what makes your legacy systems so valuable are hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of lines of code that are the repository of years, or more likely decades, of business rules. These embedded rules represent the results of years of organizational operation. Their worth is incalculable since it guides the operations of your critical day-to-day applications. Unfortunately this information:

• Has organically evolved with the system.
• Is often under-documented.
• And, is woven into the operating code.

Where you need to be.

Sound business systems and applications that provide an advantage over your competition is the basis of an IT strategy. In an ideal situation you would want:

• In tune applications. Avoid the high cost of unnecessary CPU cycles – excessive capital expenditures, software license fee overpayment, and lowered personnel productivity.
  
  
• Limited reliance on “tribal” knowledge. Escape from the shrinking knowledge pool quagmire. Have the expert knowledge about your code captured and catalogued.
  
  
• Increased extendibility. Revived interfaces, uncomplicated code and accurate documentation that make it easy to extend, integrate, and enhance legacy systems.
  
  
• Lessened regulatory compliance headaches. By increasing your understanding of the workings of legacy code you are better positioned to not only respond to new regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley but also make adjustments and prove that you’re in compliance.

The Solution

How do you get there?

There are limited options that provide these results, and some present considerable risk and costs that may not be acceptable.

• Trash the entire system. This is fine if it’s a low quality system that offers generic solutions with off-the-shelf packages. But, even then it might entail reverse engineering Assembler and COBOL programs. An undertaking that is far too dangerous a move for anything but the most generic needs.
  
  
• Relearn what you’ve forgotten. Dust off the old IBM training manuals and text and set about rediscovering all the landmines that you forgot about long ago. With the necessary skills, such as COBOL and CICS, virtually not being taught you might feel like you’re out on an island.
  
  
• Or call the specialists. Envision being able to quickly gather the right resource skills when you need them. We found this business on our ability to respond to your immediate legacy needs. By augmenting your resources with our consultants, you can add hard to find knowledge at the drop of a dime. You’ll realize a more flexibility and an immediate productivity boost.

How we help.

This is where we come into play.

Nate Murphy International is a specialist IT consultancy. We help clients:

• Avoid unnecessary costs.
• Take control of risk.
• Realize business value through agility.

How is this possible? We draw on the deep knowledge and expertise of our consultants. With an average 30 years of programming experience in the core languages we bring to bear our unique set of insights that allow us to recognize a system’s coding style and design the best approach to reach your goals.

Our code maintenance service brings the following benefits to our clients:

• Reduced TCO due to reduced maintenance cost and system resource demand.
• Reduced regulatory compliance risk.
• Increased customer satisfaction and productivity.

Discover how you can supplement your resources with our knowledge.

Give us a call at 856.234.2353 >>

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