Mainframe Integration: The Best Alternative is Enterprise Evolution

IT managers are facing a variety of business pressures that are forcing them to evaluate what the best choice they have in regards to maintaining and upgrading mainframe application systems: Mainframe Integration (EAI) or Software Modernization (Enterprise Evolution). What is the difference between these two approaches? Here are three main differences:

1. Mainframe Integration involves custom developed adapters (sometimes called wrappers) to existing application interfaces in order to interface with newer technology or other applications. As more and more of these Mainframe Integration projects arise, more and more adapters or modifications to existing adapters will have to be developed. These changes require additional maintenance to support the modernization of legacy systems due to business rule changes. As time goes on, the profileration of adapters on the application resembles a Christmas tree with too many ornaments: it just falls over. Enterprise Evolution, eCube's Software Modernization approach incorporates a three step process to ensure that the application evolves and is not buried under a myriad of adapters. With ARM, the Assessment incorporates Architecture analysis, Technical Assets, Knowledge and Business requirements into an intelligent evolutionary re-design of the application. The output of this process, unlike Mainframe Integration, actually lower operational costs, provides better performance, and extends ROI. It shares the reduced risk benefits of mainframe application integration, but provides the additional benefits of compliance with industry and corporate standards that are driving the Software Modernization process.
   
2. Mainframe Integration projects are typically labor intensive and one-off creations just for one customer, making most of what is developed not re-useable. This results in a consultant bonanza for the EAI Integrators.  Instead of developing independence from vendors and older systems, Mainframe integration actually entrenches the customer further in and compounds that with the maintenance of a unique, custom made adapter just for their company.
   
3. Enterprise Evolution is a strategic approach to increasing ROI - traditional mainframe integration is just a Band-Aid, requiring constant changing and ever-larger Band-Aids. With the A.R.M.- Assessment, Remdiation and Modernization approach,  complete analysis of the risks and costs associated with mainframe integration are identified. Based on acceptable risks, avenues for reducing costs by eliminating the mainframe are explored, and because it is a phased approach, that decision can be postponed by the IT manager indefinitely.

With NXTera 5.0 and NXTware EV, eCube Systems provides an alternative to Mainframe Integration with a systematic approach to Enterprise Evolution and  makes legacy evolution the extension of technology equity. This process is based on the evolution of existing business logic and the integration/Implementation of contemporary platforms, such as .NET, J2EE, Web Services, HTTP/Servlets and XML.

eCube's Software Modernization process - Enterprise Evolution enables companies to extend the value of existing applications and business logic by defending it from “software hardening” the growing inflexibility of legacy systems and enabling it to participate as an enterprise service provider.

Mainframe integration or modernization has a cost, but it shouldn't be performance.  In many cases IT organization are finding that  Mainframe Integration with EAI to integrate  legacy systems together have created a bottleneck that severely impacts performance. A true mainframe modernization strategy embraces a commitment to steady improvement in performance and the fulfillment of service level goals.

Correspondingly, risk is the something every business executive has to deal with.  Whether a company decides to “stay put”,  integrate, or modernize, there is risk involved. eCube is committed to balancing the risk, with proven technology and software modernization methods that insure the value of IT efforts moving into the future.   Software modernization means that old mainframe applications can be maintained, renewed, evolved, transformed or harvested to speed new development in such a way as to assure the ability of IT to meet its commitments to the business and exceed expectation to reliability. With Mainframe Integration, if it adversely affects performance or doesn't work, your investment in time and money becomes a total loss.

 For more information on Enterprise Evolution, see our Evolutionary Solutions section.