SNS Bank modernized its core banking application that runs on a Unisys mainframe in order to improve developer productivity, reduce business risk, and create a future-proof IT infrastructure. The bank automatically converted 95% of its existing 2.8 million lines of COBOL code to a new distributed environment using Micro Focus Visual COBOL and rewrote the remaining code in C++ and COBOL. Working with IBM Global Services, the project team successfully transferred the application to the new platform, achieving excellent performance while adhering to service level agreements.

1. Visual COBOL delivers a future-proof
infrastructure for SNS Bank

2. How modernization
made the difference
for SNS Bank
Significantly reduced business risk
Improved developer productivity
Future-proof IT infrastructure
Single, consolidated development environment

3. About SNS Bank
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
CORE APPLICATIONS: Banking application for all financial transactions
COUNTRY: The Netherlands
Founded in 1817, SNS Bank is a top
four bank in The Netherlands and
holds €70 billion in assets.
The bank is part of the SNS Reaal
group and provides financial services,
including mortgages, insurance,
bank accounts, investments and
pensions through a variety of
award-winning brands.
All SNS Reaal companies use a core
banking application which integrates
all key systems including an online
banking facility.

4. Challenge
For over 25 years SNS Bank has relied on its core banking
application, which runs on a Unisys mainframe and is used
daily by nearly all of its 5,000 employees.
Since the advent of the internet, the bank has seen a steady
rise in online transaction volumes, raising concerns over the
readiness of the Unisys mainframe to cope with the increased
business demand.
Business continuity was of paramount importance to SNS
and the bank decided to rethink its whole IT infrastructure
to meet the demands of a modern and dynamic world. At the
same time, the organization wanted to foster collaboration
between development teams while retaining a high-
performance core banking system.

5. Successful team effort
The large modernization project began with the
automatic conversion of 95% of the current
COBOL code, using the Micro Focus COBOL
solution. The remaining code was rewritten to
C++ and COBOL.
Since this was a considerable task, involving
2.8 million lines of code and a sizeable DMS II
database, an environment was introduced to test
all major components, which involved up to
40 developers.
IBMGlobalServicesmanagedthesolutionarchitecture,
development of certain re-platform components
and the data interface modules; while Micro Focus
performed an advisory role and was heavily involved
in software and architecture configuration.
The result was a successful transfer to a
distributed environment, with excellent
performance levels and full adherence to
current Service Level Agreements.
ORIGINAL PLATFORM: Unisys mainframe
APPLICATION RE-HOST TECHNOLOGY: Micro Focus Visual COBOL for Eclipse, Micro Focus COBOL Server
APPLICATION RE-HOST PARTNER: IBM Global Services

6. “We wanted to streamline our development and
standardize on a single environment so that our
team of 25 COBOL developers can collaborate
more effectively. Visual COBOL is a natural
next step for us and we can see many benefits,
including superior debugging capabilities which
will enable earlier fault detection. We expect to
see efficiency gains as well as a rise in developer
productivity levels.”
Alex Pot, Head of Application Development
Core Banking, SNS Bank
“Moving our core banking system to a distributed
environment has drastically reduced our business
risk and has given us a path to the future.”
Ramakant Patki, Head of IT Infrastructure
and Operations, SNS Bank

7. Start a new era of innovation
Discover how Micro Focus application re-hosting can help you modernize
your apps at lower cost here.
Read the complete SNS Bank success story in the case study.
See how other companies are modernizing their COBOL applications.