Application Consolidation and Modernization

Application Consolidation and Modernization is the phrase Micro Focus uses to describe an approach to application modernization that involves consolidating applications from a variety of proprietary mainframe or mid-range platforms onto IBM z/OS. 

Consolidation and Modernization is most commonly utilized in large organizations who are committed to IBM z/OS mainframes but who often take ownership of applications running on a wide variety of other platforms, typically as a result of a merger or acquisition. 

The first step in consolidation may simply be to migrate applications, currently running on platforms that are not strategic, onto an existing z/OS mainframe in order to reduce costs and adhere to your strategic IT architecture or an approved IT infrastucture. The result is a reduction in annual operating costs for the acquired applications as all costs related to the non strategic platforms are removed and there are additional savings from increased system administration efficiency.

Once such applications have been consolidated to z/OS and utilize your approved transaction systems and databases (e.g. CICS and DB2), the next consolidation and modernization project is often to merge the functionality from multiple applications performing similar business functions. This often includes modernization of one of the applications to incorporate functionality from other applications to deliver a single system that meets the business requirements of multiple lines of business in a more cost efficient manner. The new merged application can then be modernized further to provide new improved capabilities to these multiple lines of business from a single system. 

For example,

Through historical merger and acquisitions you may have three completely different applications performing similar services but for different sets of customers. Application A runs on z/OS, application B runs on a Unisys mainframe and application C runs on a VAX mid-range server. 

Utilizing our Consolidation and Modernization offering you may chose to:

1. First, migrated Application B to consolidate the existing functionality onto z/OS
2. Second, migrate Application C to consolidate the existing functionality onto z/OS
3. Merge the 3 sets of functionality into Application D via SOA utilizing our z/OS Modernization offering to provide a richer set of functionality to all 3 sets of customers 

Through our world-wide network of partners Micro Focus can help you consolidate applications to z/OS from a wide set of historical platforms as follows:

For details of completed application consolidation and modernization projects click here or contact a Micro Focus Migration Expert for more information.