I think, therefore I modernize: introducing Enterprise Suite 6.0

I need to change – IT needs to change

Rapid and large-scale IT change is a very costly exercise. Worse still, it is fraught with risk, the IT world beset with uncomfortable stories of failed transformational programs. CIOs can ill-afford such risk. By reusing valuable, trusted core applications and data, a smarter approach is available to IT leaders to supply fresh innovation: modernization.

I need to modernize the right way

The term modernization means many different things to many different people. As the IDC InfoBrief* summarized it, “Modernizing investments in core mainframe and other existing systems for DX and innovation is vital across applications, process strategies, and infrastructure.” Micro Focus’ comprehensive Modernization capability embraces three aspects of core IT.

– Application – Increase application value with low-risk innovation. From a modernized, secure web and mobile experience, to process automation, to APIs, web services and managed code models that support composite application delivery
Process – match application delivery speed to the pace of change. Achieve rapid application analysis, agile development, enable continuous testing and accelerated delivery
Infrastructure – organizations seeking greater connectivity, flexibility, security and cost efficiency can rapidly deploy applications across host, server, Cloud and Containers

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I need the right way forward

Each modernization journey will differ due to the uniqueness of the business situation and technology strategy, and will need to consider Application, Process and Infrastructure. Recent market and customer input suggests emerging trends in terms of CIOs’ success criteria for digital-ready enterprise systems:

– Superior Integration from Application Modernization – Execute important application changes to support SOA/API initiatives to expose and integrate trusted functionality as new services
– Insight through Process Modernization – Rapidly understand, identify, execute and test critical business system changes as part of a modern delivery process using a modern delivery toolchain
– Innovation through Infrastructure Modernization – Seize upon the advantages offered by cloud computing and containerization to deploy new business services flexibly at scale

This list reflects a core requirement to build on strength: take proven business systems, and adapt, evolve and innovate to accelerate business outcomes. These topics are the emphasis for Micro Focus’ Enterprise Suite 6.0. Let’s review some of what’s in store.

micro-focus-enterprise-developer-mainframe-devopsImproved Application Modernization

One industry report states integration challenges are slowing digital transformation initiatives for 85% of IT organizations.  Expectations for today’s IT landscape is one of highly connected composite applications that offer the functionality, reusability and integration the modern business needs.

A common complaint about COBOL systems is how big they are – making the task of building reusable services tricky. The latest release of Enterprise Suite 6.0 provides incremental facilities to support both the reuse and repurposing of core nuggets of code that represent business rules in critical applications. Identifying, categorizing, extracting and deploying those business rules (then callable through a standard API) is something we refer to as “Code Slicing”, and is a major new capability in 6.0. Check out the intro video.

Insight through Process Modernization

As many organizations are now finding, using modern tools and processes greatly simplifies the task of core application delivery, and also provides an easier environment to train those coming on to the team. Learning COBOL or PL/I syntax is straightforward, and much less effort than finding and training mainframe professionals on traditional tools.

Building mainframe applications should be as efficient and contemporary an experience as any other applications. Enterprise Suite 6.0 provides yet further support application delivery for today’s mainframe developer. Integration into an agile tool chain of application information, provided by Enterprise Analyzer, further streamlines and improves process efficiency. REST API integration means application changes submitted into source control will then automatically update the knowledge repository, so that developers always have current analysis information. This “always current” IDE information is vital to the application developer for obvious reasons. Furthermore, it supports a more streamlined, higher-quality delivery pipeline, with application insights built in to an automated CI/CD process.

Innovation – Infrastructure Modernization

In a recent Cloud industry report, only around 23% of organizations surveyed plan to be cloud-only in 2020, suggesting a mixed, hybrid model elsewhere. The BMC mainframe survey 2019 echoes this – 59% of executives recognize the mainframe as a platform for growth, while 45% of them say cloud is a priority.

Enterprise IT requires an application deployment model that works across all environments. Micro Focus Enterprise Suite 6.0 introduces further enhancements to its scale-out architecture for supporting large, complex (and often hybrid) enterprise systems. One noteworthy example is support for building and deploying to Kubernetes infrastructure. This offers an even more cost-effective operational flexibility and availability through rapid deployment, automated recovery, auto scaling and zero downtime systems management. Kubernetes offers a clean and generic way to deploy through containers across a range of cloud platforms, offering even greater flexibility and portability.

Additionally, support for deployment platforms CentOS and Ubuntu is available in this release, while the deployment admin tool, ECSWA, receives further improvements, including integration with application monitoring tools.

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Enterprise Application Modernization from Micro Focus

At Micro Focus, we know Modernization matters. AMC General Manager, Neil Fowler, shared recently, “Micro Focus have been successfully delivering modernization projects over 3 decades, equating to thousands of successful projects and engagements.” Here’s what you can expect from Micro Focus.

– Effectiveness: We can help streamline development and delivery activities by 40%, using contemporary technology, DevOps agility and unrivalled flexibility
– Experience: We have delivered 1,000+ modernization projects in recent years and we are supported by the best global partner network
– Evolution: Deploy COBOL and PL/I applications in a native or managed code environment, and across all major supported platforms on the market unchanged.
– Enterprise-wide: Works for all core applications, major data stores, virtualized and Cloud environments including AWS and Azure, and containers, including Docker and Kubernetes.
– Efficiency: Customers can expect 50% – 90% reduction in IT operations costs and a performance improvement of up to 50% for batch and online transactions
– Expert delivery: The Micro Focus Modernization Maturity Model provides a robust framework for planning and implementation of a modernization journey

I want to learn more

To hear more, sure to attend our launch webinar (a recording is available if you missed it). Also, why not check out our new brochure and 6.0 Tech Tips information.

Insight, Innovation and Integration: Enterprise Suite 6.0
Refactoring in 6.0
Enterprise Server Common Web Interface 6.0
New IDE Updates in 6.0
Visual Studio Docker Support in 6.0 Products
Project Portability in Enterprise Suite 6.0

If you need to try it yourself, 6.0 is available now to all maintenance customers. For anyone else, to get hands-on, why not use our Azure marketplace based trials, or request an on premises evaluation of Visual COBOL or Enterprise Developer 6.0.

www.microfocus.com/modernization

*IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Micro Focus, Modernization Strategies as a Foundation for Digital Transformation (DX), April 2020

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