The first step of any modernisation initiative, our Mainframe Assessment is performed using our automated tools to develop a complete understanding of the application, infrastructure, and operational components of a mainframe environment. It exposes mainframe artefacts that organisations did not know they had, relationships they did not realise existed, and assets that are no longer in use. An Automated Assessment provides stakeholders with valuable insight to inform application modernisation decisions such as disposition strategies and target environment architectures. It also mitigates cost and risk by highlighting potential challenges and how to overcome them.
APPLICATION MODERNISATION
Mainframe Assessment
Why modernise?
CHALLENGES
Scarcity of domain expertise
Developers who understand mainframe technology are reaching retirement age and no one is trained to replace them, resulting in a steadily diminishing talent pool. As this shortage grows, the costs and risk of relying on the mainframe will continue to rise.
Limited flexibility
Companies are rapidly moving to modern environments and practices such as DevOps and the Cloud. The mainframe and its underpinnings were not designed for modern IT, resulting in difficult integrations and limited flexibility.
Exorbitant costs
Mainframes cost as much as 4,500 per cent more to operate than equivalent Cloud counterparts. This figure is compounded by rising licensing and maintenance fees for ancillary mainframe applications and databases.
Automated Assessment
OUR SOLUTION
Our Automated Assessment solution enables organisations to discover artefacts they did not know they had, relationships they did not realise existed, and assets that are no longer in use in their mainframe environments. It consists of multiple service activities, including an Automated Application Assessment executed using the collaborative Modernisation Platform as a Service (ModPaaS) platform, as well as Operational and Infrastructure Assessments. Additional activities such as a Test Strategy Workshop, Disposition Strategy Analysis, and an Application Grouping and Bridging Review can be added to any Assessment.
Throughout the Assessment, we highlight topics that could cause issues, and which must be addressed prior to beginning a modernisation effort. Once these areas of concentration are identified, our experts and relevant customer teams work together to plan for and implement appropriate solutions.
Automated Application Assessment
Mainframe components are classified and listed in detail and notes are attached to components requiring special attention during the conversion process. All application components are inventoried, classified by language, and cross-referenced. Missing components are collected and added to the inventory, while duplicate components residing in multiple repositories are eliminated from the inventory. The Assessment results in a complete understanding of the current processing environment.
We designed and developed our Automated Assessment technology to allow preliminary refactoring of the database design and application software during the Assessment. This preliminary refactoring further defines areas of concentration and is used in preparation of the project plan for the modernisation initiative. It also proves the modernisation concept and identifies any special requirements for a successful migration. After an Automated Application Assessment, you will:
- Know what you have, what you use, how you use it
- Know the size, composition, and complexity of every application
- Determine groupings or independent applications for workload offloading
- Know all databases and files, and how and when they are used and shared
- Eliminate dead and unused code, reducing the mainframe footprint
- Determine application Cloud readiness and any modifications required for optimisation
Operational and Infrastructure Assessment
The Operational and Infrastructure Assessment cross-references Application Assessment findings to ensure a complete understanding of the entire legacy landscape. It seeds hardware and other operational requirements for the appropriate target distributed systems architecture. We work with cross-functional teams to understand necessary service levels, performance requirements, and ancillary software products in use. This informs target environment design decisions such as the size and composition of the infrastructure hardware, systems software, monitoring apparatus, data storage, etc. At the conclusion of the Operational and Infrastructure Assessment, you will understand:
- The legacy landscape
- Every ancillary product used, how they’re used, and the nature of licence agreements that are in place
- The size and composition of your mainframe, servers, and other devices
- The processes in place for managing and monitoring applications
- How to monitor and enhance performance
- Target operational and infrastructure options, from mainframe to Cloud
Knowledge is power
At the conclusion of the Automated Assessment, a complete catalogue of the legacy environment is delivered. This includes areas that require special consideration by the teams, which are isolated and summarised so that they can be addressed when the modernisation processes begins. Dead, unused, and unreferenced code is removed, reducing the mainframe footprint by an average of 40 per cent. Details regarding use of third-party utilities and products in both batch and online applications are organised and presented alongside findings and decisions pertaining to target operational and infrastructure setup. All of this information is harnessed to coordinate a refined project plan, which kicks off the modernisation process.
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Over 35 years of mainframe modernisation experience
Over 35 years of mainframe modernisation experience![]()
More than 500 successful modernisation projects completed
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Over 2.5 billion lines of code refactored through automation
"I thought I knew what my application did, but I was wrong. Advanced showed me how much more there was than I assumed. My skepticism evolved into the realisation that this assessment was one of the best things we did.”
Marc Rubel, Executive Director of Application Development,
GE Capital
Additional resources to help you modernise
ON DEMAND
How to begin your modernisation journey
By joining this webinar you will discover how assessments provide stakeholders with valuable insight to inform mainframe modernisation decisions.
WHITEPAPER
Know the details, reduce the risk
This whitepaper details why a detailed assessment of legacy applications and databases is essential for risk mitigation prior to any modernisation effort.
REPORT
2022 Mainframe Modernisation Report
Exploring the impact of the new era of digitalisation and change on the current state of legacy systems and organisations' modernisation plans.
ON-DEMAND WEBINAR
Live discussion: 2022 Mainframe Modernisation Report
ON-DEMAND WEBINAR
Inside the largest modernisation in UK Government history
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Digital transformation: Overcoming the challenges
Companies across the globe are seeking to embrace digitalisation and cloud infrastructure. However, there are a number of potential challenges one might face.
21st Oct 2022 by Tim Jones, Managing Director of Application Modernisation, Advanced
The current state of legacy IT skills shortages
The pandemic seems to have jump-started a season of rapid change in IT, and companies with legacy systems are feeling this shift the hardest.
10 Jun 2022 by Rob Anderson, Vice President of Marketing and Product, Advanced
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