Tata Consultancy Services Modifies and Maintains Legacy Apps Using the .NET Framework

Tata Consultancy Services’ Microsoft .NET Center of Excellence, CoE, which offers consulting, development, integration, training and post-implementation services for solutions developed on .NET, has created unique migration offerings consisting of toolsets and methodologies for customers wishing to re-write their legacy applications, such as VB, ASP and Access, and PowerBuilder applications to feature-rich, easily extensible Microsoft front-end technologies.

According to Sudheer Warrier, who heads TCS’ global practice for re-engineering and legacy modernization, modifying and maintaining legacy applications can help firms exploit new business opportunities, leverage development and deployment of Web services through newer frameworks like .NET on careful evaluation of aspects such as performance, security and reliability.

WFS: Sudheer, Tata is an independent, a neutral consultant providing advisory services. Relative to mainframe modernization, what are these services?

SW: Our approach to advisory services – we call it consulting – is one of a ‘practitioner.’ Our projects’ experience is the backbone of our consulting success, including mainframe modernization. Our credibility stems from the fact that our project experiences are spread across a very broad mainframe technology base, including IBM, Unisys, ICL, DEC and BULL besides client/server and web technologies. We also have Centers of Excellence, CoEs, focusing on most of them. The dedicated practice we have for ‘migration and re-engineering’ takes corporate responsibility for nurturing such expertise and operates in a collaborative model with other CoEs.

For example, we work very closely with the Microsoft CoE for evaluating and implementing Windows and .NET-based solutions. Engage us and you get a holistic, independent perspective where recommendations contain implementation options, not merely broad technology directions.

WFS: Being as large and as global as you are, what importance have you placed on mainframe modernization?

SW: Most large customers in the financial services space still run their core applications on mainframes. However, they are constantly looking to make these applications more agile. Due to the wealth of customized functionality embedded within their mainframes, the preference is to modernize where feasible.

WFS: In real-world terms, just how complex is mainframe modernization?

SW: Mainframe applications are not restricted to one language, database and a single transaction processor or job control, but a multitude of databases – hierarchical, networked, relational and file system – and language environments, such as assembler, host of languages and 4GLs, code generators, etc. Many come from ISVs. Typically, each one has a specific architecture to solve a business problem, which is why architecture definition on target technologies is a critical aspect of application performance.

WFS: Any other reasons?

SW: Yes, the absence of documentation of the current state and the volume and complexity of online and archived data.

WFS: How do you serve the different types of insurance and financial services customers?

SW: Understanding the complexities, we focus on two essential aspects – mapping architecture and extracting business logic. Our experience in executing large, end-to-end, mainframe-based projects on various platforms – IBM, Unisys, ICL, DEC and BULL – helps us understand the different architecture patterns that need to be addressed.

From an automation perspective, we also have capabilities on proven technologies for application conversion and business logic extraction.

WFS: Such as?

SW: Different languages like flavors of mainframe COBOL, FORTRAN, PL/1, Natural, Mantis ADS/o, and MASM. Pre-relational databases like DMS II, DMS 2200, IDMS, ADABAS, Supra, VSAM and IMS. Transaction monitors like CICS, HVTIP, DPS, IMS/ DC. And job control languages like JCL, ECL, WFL and SCL.

Secondly, we have strong practice groups for banking, financial services and insurance firms. As we design solutions for customers, we also validate functional architecture and propose best practices. As appropriate, we position TCS’ domain assets to enhance the modernization solution and as a result, we have executed many large modernization engagements for insurance and financial services firms globally.

WFS: What methodologies have you adopted?

SW: Our methods and processes for migration and re-engineering are tailor-based on the experience of executing many large mainframe transformation projects since the late 1980s. A typical modernization effort is a combination of several methodologies, including processes for reverse engineering each technology component in the application portfolio, product integration, forward engineering, one-to-one conversion, re-platforming and data migration.

Defining the tailored process is the first step.Preparations of the modernization strategy and automation plan are also key.

The solution architects within the practice provide necessary expertise and support in each of the above-mentioned steps so that sharing best practices happens beyond what is documented.

Another important aspect of our methodology is the collaboration we bring in from different CoEs.

WFS: What are some of the major obstacles you advise customers to avoid?

SW: Get a holistic approach to any decision over modernization, which should include total cost of ownership, qualities of service, complexity and return on investment. In cases where applications are complex and involve multiple technologies, we recommend technology proofs–of-concept leading to solving a critical piece of the business issue.

Applications cannot be viewed in isolation. The pieces of the puzzle – the development environment, configuration, security, system administration, business continuity and disaster recovery, data and interfaces – must be acknowledged as parts of the same puzzle.

WFS: Which is why these projects need a clear business objective?

SW: Yes, many times over. Large modernizations must have a clear business objective. Often, this is seen purely as an IT initiative with little or no buy-in from business. These projects are large, to the tune of 100-plus person years of effort and 12-plus months for implementation. Quick-win scenarios should be evaluated. In addition to architecture and methodology, automation is a key enabler to success. Further, care has to be taken therefore to ensure that the methodology and tools are not only well integrated but also there is scope for building more engagement-specific automation.

Above all, we recommend customers plan for performance and other qualities of service in the design and architecture itself. Performance assessment of the existing application, capacity planning and architecture definition are very critical. TCS’ methodology is tuned to deliver these recommendations. Our collaborative model allows customers to draw upon our diverse expertise in a unified manner.

Also, from a customer point of view, our in-house R&D technologies, automation investments and alliances take away the pain of having to deal with multiple vendors and the management overhead of integrating them.

WFS: Thank you for sharing this information.

SW: You’re most welcome….