Discover the benefits of migrating mainframe environments to AWS and the best practices learned by helping customers modernize mainframes through IT transformation strategy and planning. Learn about running mainframe software in the AWS Cloud, including different approaches, benefits of modernization, how to deal with legacy code, and more.

1. Mainframe Modernization with

2. Introduction
TM
Introduction
Aaron Bawcom
Chief Technologist
Candid Partners

3. Be CANDID
Candid Partners — Founders View
Create a different type of consulting company
Don’t be all things to all people
Be the greatest cloud experts in the world

4. Agenda
Overview of Methodologies
Overall Process
Detailed Migration Case Study
Migration Challenges

5. Modernization Challenges
Technical
Complexity
Monolithic code
dependencies
Business Impact
Green screen interfaces
Data requirements
Strict NFR
Granular discretionary access
control
Low latency OLTP transactions
Large scale batch transactions
Languages
Assembler, Natural,
Ideal, Easytrieve, Focus,
RPG
Data Stores
File-based VSAM/GDG/PDS
IMS, IDMS (Hierarchical)
Unknown Code
Unused, missing,
undocumented
Skills
Supply shortage

6. Approach, Patterns, and Process

7. Approach
Approach
A
Approach B
Approach C Approach D
Pattern 1
Pattern 2
Pattern 2
Pattern 1
Pattern 2
Pattern 3
Pattern
4Patterns
Pattern 1
Pattern 1Set of applications
Set of batch jobs
Set of online
transactions
Entire mainframe
per Application
Pattern 1
Pattern 3

8. Pattern Comparisons
Move Off
Premise
• Physically move
mainframe
• Co-Locate
hardware or
Repurchase
• Managed
services
Middleware
Emulation
• Emulate
applications on
x86 runtime
• Keep
maintaining
Cobol
• Avoids
Mainframe
hardware costs
• Performance
challenges
Augmentation
• Integrate data on
the mainframe
into the cloud
• Call cloud based
compute from the
mainframe
Manual
Rewrite
• Rebuild
applications
• Increased costs
• Eliminates years
of layered
technical debt
• Viable for limited
transactions
Automated
Rewrite
• Algorithmic
rewriting of
code
• Usually includes
data access
conversion as
well

9. Big Bet Projects
Die under normal
PMO structure
Career limiting, even
with typical program
governance
Apple Newton – CEO John Sculley
Could destroy the
organization
Enron
Run
according to
schedule
HistoricalCosts
Political Support
1. Deliver POC
2. Continuously Evolve
Solution

10. Process for Moving a Mainframe
1 2 3
Program
Increment
Planning
Complex
Proof Of Concept
(POC)
DesignDiscovery
4
PlanningDelivery
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
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Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Program
Increment
Planning
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Convert
Test
Integrate
Program
Increment
Planning
…
Fail
Check
Fail
Check
Fail
Check
Fail
Check
Fail
Check
Fail
Check

11. In Flight Mainframe Application
Migration Projects

12. Automated Refactor #1
Automated Refactor #2
Augmentation #1
Augmentation #2
Short Term Migration with Automated Re-factoringAutomated Refactor #1
Profile • Healthcare insurance provider
• Access to historical reports
• Online production of new reports
Mainframe
Technology
• IBM Z
• 100K lines of COBOL
• 100’s of MIPS
• DB2, IDMS
Business
Drivers
• Eliminate Mainframe hardware costs
• No development funding available
Rationale • Automated refactor of COBOL to x86 Java
• Automated refactor of IDMS database to x86
hierarchical
• Automated refactor of CICS interface to modernized
web UI

13. Automated Refactor #1
Automated Refactor #2
Augmentation #1
Augmentation #2
Short Term Migration with Automated Re-factoringAutomated Refactor #2
Profile • Fortune 500 financial services firm
• Batch production of custom reports
• 1600 partner organizations
Mainframe
Technology
• IBM Z
• 1M lines of Assembler
• 10,000 MIPS
• Variable record, variable field flat files
Business
Drivers
• Modernize code base
• Integrate into new cloud based data platform
• Eliminate undifferentiated heavy lifting
Rationale • Automated refactor of Assembler to COBOL
• Refactor data sources to cloud based data set
triggered compute

14. Automated Refactor #1
Automated Refactor #2
Augmentation #1
Augmentation #2
Short Term Migration with Automated Re-factoringAugmentation #1
Profile • Fortune 500 financial services firm
• Payments settlement processing
Mainframe
Technology
• IBM Z
• 1.2M lines of COBOL
• Batch processing
Business
Drivers
• Current system difficult to maintain
Rationale • Augment to cloud native serverless batch

15. Automated Refactor #1
Automated Refactor #2
Augmentation #1
Augmentation #2
Short Term Migration with Automated Re-factoringAugmentation #2
Profile • State agency
• Tax records applications
Mainframe
Technology
• IBM Z
• 1M lines of COBOL
• Online and batch processing
Business
Drivers
• Current system difficult to maintain
• Excessive software, hardware, and labor costs
• Shortage of skilled labor to support
Rationale • Augment to cloud native processing
• 90% reduction of infrastructure related costs

16. How Candid
Partners Moved a
Mission Critical
Mainframe to the
Cloud

17. Usage Information
Subject Matter Experts
Source Code Forensics
Cloud Licensing Models
This isn’t
going to
be easy

18. PROJECT
STRUCTURE
MIGRATION
APPROACH
ARCHITECTURE VENDORS &
PARTNERS
APPLICATION
DISCOVERY
SOURCING
THE
TOOLS
METHODOLOGY
APPLICATION
RATIONALIZATION
Scoping the
Migration

19. LICENSING DISASTER
RECOVERY
HIGH
AVAILABILITY
SECURITY
CONTROL
MAPPING
OPERATIONALIZATION
Architecting the
Cloud

20. • Greatly reduced
operating costs
• Modern, flexible
infrastructure
• Continually improve
• Reduced dependence
on disappearing skills
and unrecoverable
tribal knowledge
At operational and
business levels, the
results include …

21. Example Migration Planning and
Execution

22. Plan the
Migration
The Architecture
The Right Tools
Licensing
Service Providers
Change Management and
Communication
Project Plan

23. Infrastructure on the
target cloud platform
Code migration and
refactoring
Testing
Training
Cut Over
Execute the
Migration

24. It is now possible to move a
mainframe to the cloud
Savings
Flexibility
Balance of Risk
Mature Environments
Automation

25. Partners Can
Expedite the
Migration
Plan and Manage
Mainframe to Cloud
Faster
Less Risky
Selecting the right services partners can make
migrations faster and less risky and produce
more cost-effective and flexible cloud
environments in the end.

26. Mainframe
Migration
Assessment
Get the vantage point needed to
see the best path forward
• Executive summary
designed for stakeholders
• Detailed business case for
migration signed off by
finance
• Proof of Concept
Deliverable showing
technical feasibility
• Detailed migration approach
• Phased roadmap of project
execution

27. Thank you