Migration specialist, MigrationWare, has been selected as a key partner by IT giant Software AG Inc to deliver on a major contract with the State of North Dakota to re-host the state's mainframe systems.
The contract, won by Software AG and valued at more than $3 million, will see the re-hosting, through both migration and conversion, of about 70% of the state's mainframe systems onto a Linux platform.
MigrationWare, a leader in the provision of IT migration and modernisation solutions, will be responsible for the migration of all COBOL systems as well as the conversion of all FORTRAN, Assembler and DYL280 code for deployment onto Micro Focus technologies for the Linux platform.
The migration of these systems will enable the State of North Dakota to significantly reduce its cost of ownership associated with the existing mainframe environment. In addition, it will derive considerable benefit from the introduction of an open and agile application development and deployment environment.
MigrationWare is the developer of a unique technology, which when combined with Micro Focus products, allows the migration of COBOL/ADABAS applications by means of the "Lift & Shift" approach.
Izak Botha, Practice Manager for Software AG, pointed out that this meant that these applications, together with the NATURAL/ADABAS applications, could be re-hosted onto the Linux environment without the need to change any significant aspect of the application or the deployment configuration.
"Since MigrationWare are also a leader in the development of translators that automate the conversion of application source code to COBOL, they were also obvious candidates to assist Software AG with the conversion of the FORTRAN and Assembler applications."
He said The State of North Dakota's inventory was vast and varied and in some cases part of the inventory needing conversion required the use of tools that did not yet exist.
"MigrationWare came to the rescue by offering to develop a translation tool that would address the conversion of around 3 000 DYL280 programs to either NATURAL or COBOL. MigrationWare's commitment to the development of high class source translation tools is uncompromising, with the aim of this translator to automatically convert all the DYL280 code with 100% accuracy to target either NATURAL or COBOL."
Joao de Oliveira, Sales Director at MigrationWare, said that in the delivery of services to Software AG, the company would be maximise the cost benefits of operating from its Cape Town-based offices in the execution of all tasks that do not require the presence of consultants on-site in North Dakota.
"We will, however, be on-site to configure the Micro Focus environment and to provide training in the use of Micro Focus technology. In addition, MigrationWare will deliver all migrated programs and assist in the deployment and testing of the delivered software on-site."
Share