The document summarizes a project to upgrade two legacy applications at Nationwide from older development software, databases, and platforms to more modern versions. Key aspects of the project included upgrading from Micro Focus Net Express 3.1 to Visual COBOL 2.0, Oracle 9i to 11g, and Unix Solaris to Windows 2008 R2. The project involved over 1,200 programs and faced issues regarding interfaces, data conversion, and vendor support. After testing, the project implemented successfully in February 2013 and provided benefits like supported platforms, increased developer knowledge, and application simplification.

1. Customer in Focus
Pamela Cunningham, Lynn Richardson & Brian Erickson
Nationwide

2. • Introductions
• Project Overview
• How We Got Started
• Project Milestones/Key Components
• Project Issues, Risks & Successes
• Future Strategic Direction
• Q&A
2
Session Agenda

3. • Lynn Richardson – Consultant
• Brian Erickson – Senior Developer
• Pam Cunningham – Manager
3
Introductions

4. • ALS
– Variable Life Insurance Administrative System
– 500 end users
– Lots of interfaces with other systems
• LCS
– Life Insurance Commission System
– 100 end users
• Project/break-fix team
– 6 developers
4
Our Applications

5. • Development Software Upgrade
– Micro Focus Net Express 3.1 to Visual COBOL 2.0
• Database Upgrade
– Oracle 9i to Oracle 11g
• Platform Migration
– Unix Solaris to Window 2008 R2
5
Project Overview

6. • 10+ years behind
• Lapsed maintenance agreement with Micro Focus; running on
unsupported development tools
• Cannot deploy modern UI due to older version of Net Express
• Licensing server for Net Express had stopped functioning
6
Development Software Upgrade

7. • COBOL vs ‘modern’ languages
• Visual Cobol 2.0 vs Net Express 5.1
• Re-use of proven assets
• Visual COBOL is an emerging standard and can allow other
language developers to transition more easily
• YES – we COBOL!
7
Development Software Upgrade

8. • Application Servers were due for replacement in 2012
– Nationwide has a rolling 3-4 years server currency roadmap
• UNIX infrastructure is more costly than Windows
• Different deployment environments between batch & online
• .NET tool support
• Windows Active Directory Authentication
8
Platform Migration

9. • Current version of Net Express could not support latest
version of Oracle
• Current Oracle 9i databases
– Were out of direct Oracle support as of September 2011
– Had known security vulnerability
• Oracle database servers needed replaced and migrated to
Linux OS
9
Database Upgrade

10. • Software Purchase (Oct 2011)
• Training (Nov 2011)
– Visual COBOL & Visual Studio
• Project Kickoff Meeting (Mar 2012)
– 1 week onsite visit from Micro Focus
• Core Team
• Skills Assessment
10
How We Got Started

11. • Analysis (Dec 2011 – March 2012)
– Current State documentation, PERL, Interfaces/Handoff’s
• Conversion (March 2012 – June 2012)
– Revolve Utility to purge unused modules
• Testing (July 2012 – Feb 2013)
– Unit Testing
– Integrated/Alpha Testing
– Systems/Beta Testing
– Parallel Testing (on the yet to be live PRODUCTION box!)
• Implementation – February 22-23, 2013
11
Project Milestones/Timeline

12. • COBOL Programs/LOC
– 1269 programs/1,260,700 LOC
– 638 copybooks & screen sets/82,600 LOC
– 200 dialog systems files
• PERL Scripts
– 334 scripts
• Databases
– 2 databases
– 63 tables
• Files
– 160 ISAM
• Interface with 24 Application Teams
12
Project Key Components

13. 13

14. • Carriage Control
– Ensure no changes to interfaces
• ASCII vs EBCDIC
– Special code set for high values
• Oracle Issues
– .NET environment does not support ProCOBOL pre-compiler
– ProCOBOL vs Open ESQL
• Fileshare
• Visual COBOL Directives
• Cicero Interface
14
Project Key Issues & Risks

15. • End users no longer timeout of online systems
• Supported and stable platforms
• Developers increased knowledge and understanding
• Application Simplification
– Obsolete unneeded functions, reports, and code
– Move to one platform
• Project implementation planning was almost perfect!
• Excellent Micro Focus support
– Cicero vendor
15
Project Successes

16. • IT Value
– Technical Knowledge
– Users (Gen Y & Millennials)
• Build Server using Team Foundation Server (TFS)
• Users Love our IT Solutions
– Redesign Online Screens for LCS
16
Future Strategic Direction

17. 17
Future Strategic Direction – Current State Rate Screen
- Character/Terminal Screen Look
- Fixed Size Screen – No Scaling
- Static Field Layouts (unused fields)
- No Clipboard = No Copy & Paste
- Lots to memorize…

18. 18
Future Strategic Direction – Future State Rate Screen
- Modern Look.
- Stretchable Size Screen –Scales
- Dynamic Field Layouts (no unused fields)
- Clipboard Available = Less rekeying
- Drop-Down Lists (allowed values listed)

19. @microfocus or hashtag #devcon2013
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