This document discusses modernizing IBM i systems. It presents three approaches: refacing, restructuring, and rewriting applications. Refacing involves adding a new graphical user interface but retains existing business logic. Restructuring splits applications into presentation, logic, and data layers. Rewriting migrates applications to a new language like PHP. The document argues for preserving existing RPG code and exposing it through web services. It also discusses using PHP, private clouds, and innovative interfaces like touchscreens with IBM i systems.

1. IBM i
MODERNIZATION
Tom Presotto

2. Why modernize ?
• Your CEO:
• “… the AS/400 is old” “ ….we need a modern
open platform”
• Because of the:
• Power ?
• RAS ?
• TCO ?
• Or ……..
Green on Black
UI

3. 5250 UI = OLD
• Old programs, although proven and
reliable, are erroneously considered old
because of the UI
• Many RPG programmers still write new
application the same way they did 29
years ago: monolithic code; 5250.
• Web services support present since 2004 with
IBM WAS
• APIs and libraries to develop Web Interfaces
are available since many years

4. Three IBM approaches
Reface
Rewrite
Restructure

5. Reface
• Significant amount of time and effort
• Learning new tools
• Proprietary APIs
• Is a Window–like GUI really a modern
GUI ?
• What if nobody is impressed ?
• Payoff: only if you invest even more effort
in learning how to use the additional
customization tools.

6. Reface tools
• ASNA Wings – one of the few ready for
Rational Open Access r RPG Edition
• EDM Webgate400
• Newlook
• Axes
• IBM Hats
• Jwalk
• ……
• ……

7. Rational OA RPG Edition
• Connects any type of UI:
• Browser
• Green screen
• Remote DB
• XML
• Web Services
• Others
• APIs that use traditional RPG input/output
codes.
• You need a kind of third party Device Driver

8. Restructure
• Means splitting the code into 3 layers
according to the MVC model
View – Controller Model
View Controller Business Rules
Database
Tier Presentation Logic Data
• Separating the presentation layer from
monolithic RPG applications could result in a
very complex task

9. Restructure phase I
OS/400 OS/400
RPG
RPG
5250
5250
Business Logic
RPG
DB access
Business Logic
DB access
9

10. Restructure phase II
WAS, Apache
JAVA or PHP
GUI
OS/400
RPG
Business Logic
DB access

11. Rewrite
• Long process
• Manual migration from RPG to another language
• Preserve the investments done in writing the BL
• X-analysis 8 can help Discover and understand
RPG applications
• www.databorough.com
• The plug-in version of X-Analysis is fully
integrated with IBM Rational Developer for
i and IBM® WebSphere® Development
Studio Client

12. The need of a C.A.S.E.
RPG Rich
Client
Presentation JAVA or PHP
VIDEO C.A.S.E Layer
Presentation SOA
Layer
Business WEB
Logic
www.revorg.com
Data
Access
DB
Layer
• SFTW Reuse
• Standard naming
• 20 pre-defined structures cover 90% of the
processes
• Self documentation
• Unambiguous variables

13. Why use PHP ?
• 4+ million developers
• Over one-third of the Web runs
on PHP
• No need to learn OO
• Multitude of OO functions – most
free – available.
• PHP allows to program in a
fundamentally procedural
fashion.

14. PHP advantages
• Easy access to new technology
• As new technology emerges it appears very rapidly in
PHP
• Huge amount of free educational, mentoring, support,
manual, documentation, samples, forums, community, etc
• More PHP programmers in the world than there are RPG
programmers
• Low learning curve
• Easy integration
• Scalable & Secure
• Runs completely on your good old “i”

15. ZEND PHP and IBM i
• Zend Server community edition
• Preloaded with IBM i 5.4, 6.1 and 7.1
• Zend Studio for IBM i
• Can be downloaded from Zend’s website
• Dedicated IBM i APIs
• Includes extensions and a toolkit to access DB2 and
applications on IBM i
• Zend 5250 bridge
• Connects interactive 5250 RPG programs from
PHP and expose them as Web Services

16. Migration to Windows
• Why migrate to a
platform with:
• Higher TCO
• Greater complexity
• Extra components
• Requires heterogeneous
skills

17. ASNA makes it easy
ASNA Visual RPG for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
• Monarch
• Monarch is a comprehensive tool that transforms IBM i
applications originally written RPG into native .NET
applications.
• For a complete platform migration, Monarch converts
your iSeries database to SQL Server.

18. Tom’s opinion
systeminetwork.com/article/modernisation-use-your-as400
My article 13 October 2010 on:

19. Tom’s opinion
• Don’t touch the RPG code
• If you need a quick solution: reface
• Make your IBM i a bulding block of a SOA
architecture
• Add new components using either PHP or
JAVA
• Expose BL components using Web
Services

20. W
S
Cloud W
Computing
S
Use the PHP stack to
easily expose and
consume other
platforms’ services W
S
using standard Web
Services W
S
W
S
Preserve your RPG
business logic

21. IBM i and Cloud Computing
• Build your “private cloud” around IBM i
• Give all your application a Web GUI
POWER7 in the Clouds
IBM has expanded its CloudBurst family of private cloud appliances to
include a new POWER7-based
unit, as well as offer the brains of CloudBurst as a software solution
capable of installation on a company's
currently installed system. IBM's previous CloudBurst solution was x86
for IBM BladeCenter, but this new POWER7 option, IBM CloudBurst v2.1
on Power Systems,
is based on IBM Power 750 servers. The "appliance" can support from
160 up to 2,900 virtual machines and securely keep the data in those
applications separate. T
he operating systems that run on POWER7, of course, are AIX, IBM i,
and Linux.
Incidentally, IBM estimates that private clouds built on Power systems
can be up to 70 percent less expensive than stand alone x86 servers.
21

22. What’s the right interface ?
• Too often the wrong reason behind the
abandon of a midrange reliable system
• Modern tools allows easy UI to GUI mapping
• Not always a modern GUI is the right choice
• 5250-UI is still the fastest way for data-entry
operators
• Multi-touch screens, hand-gestures or eye-
movements recognition devices can be easily
“connected” using SOA Web Services to
access the Business Logic components.
22

23. The right interface for the right
audience
Executives
Middle
tier
Data entry

24. Innovative approaches - VIDEOS
• Revorg: MyPower
• www.revorg.com
• Blusys: Mplug
• www.blusys.it
• Prodigity : multi-touch for IBM i
• www.prodigyt.it

25. Need more Information ?
Email me:
tom.presotto@evog.it