Legacy to Mobile
I was speaking with a good friend the other day. A PL/1 and COBOL programmer by trade who has transitioned from a Project Leader, Technical Architect, to a Program Manager for Mobile Applications.
We discussed the massive amount of legacy code that companies have. It’s not just AS/400 or Mainframe shops but any company that has been around for more than twenty years has it. Regardless, the question is still the same. How do you unlock its value so it can be used in mobile and web applications?
He shared a recent success story of how they were able to take legacy data and bring it to the user via a mobile app.
Be proactive
He feels that organizations must take a proactive approach to their modernization projects. The reason companies struggle to modernize is because it takes a complete shift in thinking. Technology, hardware, software, development processes, skill sets, and business needs have all changed.
He added, that it is critical whoever is leading the initiative has to be proactive and play the role of a Program Manager. This is someone who as a broad and deep understanding of legacy systems, data, web technologies, as well as the needs of the business.
And React
He believes the future of the web and mobile is in JavaScript and technologies like React, a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. One reason is that React makes it painless to create interactive UIs. It’s easy to learn, powerful and a great way to uncover and present your legacy data.
The project
The sales reps for his company were frustrated with the process they had to go through to check their commissions so they were looking for a mobile app that would allow them to get updates on their mobile devices.
The solution
They developed and released a Sales Commission App that leverages legacy code (PL/1 and COBOL) and ReactJS. The beta version of the App took 6 weeks to develop and has been rolled out to 50 sales representatives. It allows for them to track their commissions in real-time.
The results
In just the first 30 days it had a 100% participation rate. Out of the 50 reps using it, every single one checked their commissions between 3 to 4 times a week.
In summary
This was a huge win.
The IT leader that understands the value of legacy systems is invaluable. Especially, when they understand the need to modernize in order to serve the ever-changing needs of the business. This does not mean doing away with legacy code. It simply means knowing how to use it.
IT leaders need to be proactive and take risks. They have to champion their projects and get buy-in for their solutions. Developers need to be open-minded, willing to dive into new technologies and new ways of doing things.
The end result is when you combine the use of legacy applications, written in RPG or COBOL with technology like Javascript and React, modernization projects can be incredibly successful.
In the end, everybody wins.
In The News
Virtualization: Data Dynamics StorageX 8.0
“It doesn’t appear that the company’s technology addresses storage requirements for enterprises using mainframes or single-vendor environments, such as IBM i.”
Data integration is part of virtually every IT modernization project that we encounter. Attunity is just another option for IBM i shops.
IBM is going back to its roots
History typically repeats itself. “IBM has long held a dominant position in the data center, with its mainframe, database and middleware technology.”
“The solution is built on a Kubernetes-based container architecture, supporting Docker containers and Cloud Foundry.”
Legacy Systems: Dealing with security threats
“Mainframes have long been considered impenetrable data storage centers because of they can be isolated from outside threats” but this is changing as more and more organizations go mobile.
Open Source
Leveraging React with your Legacy Code
“While it’s easy to get started with a brand-new React app with create-react-app, a lot of us are working with pre-existing “legacy” applications written in various different technologies. How do you go about introducing React to this situation?”
What are the most important languages for developers to learn?
There are some interesting findings in this article that indirectly relate to the AS/400 and the RPG Developer community. HTML, Java, Javascript, and PHP are at the top of the list of important languages to learn. But, the most interesting finding might be this. “If you want a high-paid job for life, you just need to learn….”
Career
LinkedIn and Word are linking up to help produce your resume
“LinkedIn and Microsoft are teaming up on a Resume Assistant tool inside Microsoft Word that promises to help you tailor a resume to your chosen career path.”
Candidates “seeking new jobs will need a new resume that takes into account changes in job search strategies.”
Common sense interview tips that will help you land the job
Here are 9 tips that will help you prepare for the interview. Most of them fall into the category of interview preparation.
If you are looking for IBM i talent or a better opportunity, feel free to contact us.
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