Innovation and the Next Generation of COBOL Applications

Alwyn Royall | Solutions Consulting

Scot Nielsen | Product Manager

Application modernization encompasses many needs

DATAWeb Services

Web services and COBOL

Mature software architecture, supported by diverse software tooling

Easily integrate with other programming languages/systems

Add mobile services to your application

Build your ‘API Economy’

“Web Services offers a rapid approach to extending COBOL application logic to new use cases”

Web Services are stateless

Web Services using Managed Code

C#/VB/Java/COBOL

Web Services using Micro Focus SOA

Define web service using Interface Mapping Toolkit Web Services hosted

within Micro Focus Enterprise Server

Deploy

COBOL program provides web

service functionality

Design

COBOLProgram

COBOLProgramCOBOL

Program

CICS IMS

JCL PL/I

The Demo AppA car allowance mileage log

The Trip Log Application

Purpose:• Collate my business mileage

claims• Calculate my tax rate based on

total mileage claimed• Helps me become ‘tax efficient’

How it works:• Trips entered using

postcode • Rate tables held internally• Distances held on look up

ISAM file• Classic green-screen app in

need of a facelift

Wrapping up

• Web Services• an industry standard approach to extending application value

- well suited to COBOL apps• Inherently a stateless architecture - but REST helps• Multiple web service frameworks to choose from - JVM, .NET

or Micro Focus SOA and the IMTK• We created a COBOL Web Service, Javascript, .NET client,

Android and WPF demos

• What existing application logic can you offer to your clients?

#MFSummit