Fermat Re-Engineering Workbench

Presentation

Agenda

• Assembler business issues

• Fermat Solutions– Workbench– Migration Service– Documentation engine

• About SML

Introduction

• IBM Mainframe Assembler– 2nd generation language– Optimisation of performance & resources

• Issues– Slow development environment– Inhibits business agility– Expensive to maintain and enhance

• Reality– Core transaction/utility systems– Continually modified and enhanced– Often self modifying code– Evolved code often poorly documented

SML Fermat Solutions

• Fermat Workbench– Presentation, comprehension, documentation

includes:• Business Rule Extraction• Code slicing to identify where data is used or modified• Identification of redundant code

• Migration Engine– Assembler to C,Cobol or Java

• Documentation Engine– High level collaboration

        

Core of the Fermat Solution is WSL

• Wide Spectrum Language– Solid Mathematical Foundation

• Infinitary First Order Logic

– WSL placed in Public Domain under General Public License to stimulate further academic research

– Examples• Conditional code slicing• Extending the WSL language for real time systems• WSL to UML transformation

Fermat Architecture

Fermat Workbench

• Key User interface to the assembler system for–Comprehension–Estimating–Documentation–Business Rule Extraction

Fermat Workbench

• Set of Integrated tools– Function catalogue– Functional call graph– Data catalogue– Interactive editor and data tracker– Interactive program flow chart– Batch data tracker– Report generators– Business rules extraction (BRE)– Complexity metrics

Function Catalogue

• Automatically generated

• Shows relationships between modules, subroutines, macros and copy books

Function Call Graph

• Automatically generated

• Graphical representation of the functions in the system

Data Catalogue

• Details of all data and variables referenced by a module

Text Editor

• Fully featured text editor for locating and marking text and variables

• Used for annotating the source to aid documentation

Program Flowcharts

• Dynamically generated Flowchart used to aid comprehension of complex modules

Dynamic Integration of tools

Batch Data Tracker

• Sophisticated search engine used to identify data items in program modules across projects

• Faster and more functionality than using text editors.

Impact Assessment Reports

• Generated using the Batch Data Tracker or Easy Data Tracker

• Gives details of impact of change including hits, complexity and BRE impact

Business Rules Extraction

• The Workbench input process analyses the assembler code for Dataflow and control dependencies

• Via the text editor select data item(s) for BRE.• Backwards search will determine code used to

generate current data value• Forward search determines what other code is

affected as a result of this data item.• Used to assess impact of change and extract

hidden business rules from code

Metrics

• Metrics generated automatically as part of the import process.

• Raw WSL is the original assembler, structured WSL is after transformation ready for migration.

• Used to Estimate effort required for change requests.

Fermat Workbench Benefits

• Reduced skills dependency• Automatic documentation of system• Better estimating of costs and effort

required for system change requests• Easier comprehension of complex

systems reducing coding and testing time required

• Increases productivity by 50%

Assembler Migration

• Assembler code is imported into WSL using input parser

• Comprehensive analysis and restructuring transformations applied

• Restructured WSL is translated to target source using export parser

Assembler Migration – Goals

• 100% Automatic migration of code• Guaranteed functional equivalence• Migrated code is structured, efficient and

maintainable by programmers• Original source and comments retained• Fermat comments included in migrated

code for integration into Fermat Workbench for comprehension

• Use of Parsers enables support for multiple assemblers and output languages

Supported Migrations

• Input Assemblers– IBM Mainframe 370,390,ZOS,TPF,Jovial

plus compatibles plus Intel x86 plus embedded systems

• Output languages– C, Cobol, Java

• Other languages can be supported such as proprietary assemblers (e.g. TAL) with minimal development effort

Assembler Migration Service

• Service provided by SML off-site

• Fixed price project per line of code with minimal consultancy

• Based on an iterative cyclic project approach to fine tune the input and output parsers to meet user specific requirements

Assembler Migration – User input required

• Validation of migrated code to meet agreed standards

• For C no further action required

• For Cobol assistance to develop templates for various divisions, definition of Data Section, Working Storage and Linkage Sections

Assembler Migration Testing

• Migrated code will clean compile on target system

• Uses standard customer test bed systems and tools to test for functional equivalence

• Migrated Cobol code can be further processed to include more meaningful data description names as post migration project

Assembler Migration Benefits

• Fixed price projects

• Reduced cost (up to 80%)

• Reduced time and effort

• Guaranteed results

• Migrated code is maintainable by customer programmers

Documentation Engine

• Automatically populated by Fermat Technology

• Enables assembler systems to be documented in business terms

• Enables collaboration of analysts

• Internet based technology

Documentation Engine

Assembler Source

Documentation User Interface Model

•Browser Based

•Easy Navigation

•Comprehensive levels of documentation and approval levels

•Populated by Fermat

•Integrated with the workbench

•Project collaboration

Introduction to SML

• Mid ‘80’s– Core technology research (Oxford, Durham University)

• Early ‘90’s– Migration projects to validate core research funded by IBM,

CAA, DTI, etc • Mid ‘90’s

– Industry focus shifts to Y2K– FermaT 2000 launched users include: IBM world-wide, CSC,

Equifax, New York Life Inc, El Al Airlines, etc• Late ‘90’s

– FermaT Workbench – focus on software maintenance• 2003

– SML re-launched as a tool vendor specialising in Assembler Migration and Comprehension

Introduction to SML

• Fermat Technology developed over 17 years with over 120 man years effort

• Widely published in the academic arena• The Fermat Technology and WSL kernel

published as a textbook for the Academic arena and industrial practitioners

• Proven technology based sound mathematical principals

• A unique solution• Delivering an unfair competitive advantage