Modernizing Cobol Applications

Keyhole Software COBOL, Keyhole, Modernization, Videos Leave a Comment

The world of technology is constantly evolving, but despite the rise of cutting-edge programming languages and modern software frameworks, COBOL applications continue to play a critical role in the business world. COBOL, one of the oldest programming languages, still powers many of the core systems of industries like banking, insurance, and government. Why, then, are businesses increasingly considering modernizing COBOL …

What is Mainframe Modernization & How Can My Business Benefit From It?

Keyhole Software COBOL, Keyhole, Modernization, Videos Leave a Comment

Mainframes have long powered critical financial transactions and government operations. However, across the U.S., particularly in Kansas, these systems are showing their age. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a critical issue: essential services like unemployment insurance were crippled by outdated COBOL systems, causing significant delays. This is more than an inconvenience; it’s a clear signal that mainframe modernization is urgently needed …

Cobol Modernization with Spring Batch Header Image of Mainframe Racks

White Paper: COBOL Modernization Strategy with Spring Batch

Keyhole Software Articles, COBOL, Development Technologies & Tools, Java, Modernization, Spring Batch Leave a Comment

The Keyhole team is proud to announce the publishing of a new, free white paper: COBOL Modernization Strategy with Spring Batch

This strategy positions Spring Batch as an irresistible proposition for organizations ready to bid farewell to their COBOL legacy. Keyhole Software offers guiding principles for COBOL modernization, with a comprehensive guide based on tangible experience for enterprises navigating the realm of COBOL modernization. 

COBOL: The Language that Won't Die

COBOL: The Language That Won’t Die

Kevin Roper Articles, COBOL 1 Comment

This post contains an introduction to and demo of the mythical language that every programmer seems to know about but doesn’t really know: COBOL.

By learning about COBOL, you learn about basic concepts in computing in general, and how all of these languages are really doing a lot of the same activities underneath.

-Everything old is new again – Stephen King, The Colorado Kid

Modernization Lessons: FTP & the Mainframe

Clayton Neff Articles, COBOL, Consulting, Development Technologies & Tools, Java, Modernization, Programming, Spring Batch 1 Comment

One of my most recent projects involved helping a client move many decades of code from a mainframe environment to a distributed Java web environment. The client had engaged another company to actually transform the mainframe code to Java, and our team was tasked with making it all actually work.

One of the major areas we had to deal with was the transition of all of the batch processes. Of course, Spring Batch came to our rescue for most of the work, and was an easy choice as we were already using Spring Boot to wrapper the converted applications.

The most challenging part of the entire project was that the client did not want to move everything at once in a Big Bang, but rather a few programs as a time. This meant that some programs would be running in the Java environment while others remained on the mainframe.

In this blog, I discuss three data challenges we encountered in the transition of an enterprise mainframe to Java web application with Spring Batch, how we overcame them, and tips to keep in mind going forward when in similar migration situations.