Frequently Asked Questions

How do you price your conversions?

Our pricing is component-based. Contact us for a link where you can enter your component counts and receive a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost for conversion, migration or modernization of your legacy applications. If you do not know your component counts talk to us about an IT Assessment!

What happens to comments that we have in our code today?

All comments that are in your current COBOL, ADS/Online and Natural programs are preserved during the conversion so that they appear in the same locations in the new application.

What is the difference between converting, modernizing and migrating?

For ATERAS, a conversion is a change to a new database management system and/or a new language while keeping the application functionality exactly the same. Modernization is a change that includes a new database management system and/or a new language, along with new functionality and new look-and-feel. Migration is the process of making any change, from a simple release level upgrade to a mainframe to an off-mainframe move of a COBOL application to a full conversion from Adabas Natural to C# .NET.

We have a new relational database design that we want to use to replace our current Adabas files. Can ATERAS convert our applications to use our new design?

Yes. With ATERAS Natural modernization, the new applications can use any database structure (your design, off the shelf, or a converted version of a former database).

Is the target code maintainable by the customer after the conversion?

Yes! The logic of the converted code parallels the logic of the source code. In most cases the conversion of a line of the source application code results in a single line of the converted application code. Application developers who maintained the application prior to the conversion will be able to maintain the resulting converted application code since it is similar in structure and additional code has not been added.

What is the quality of the code that is generated using the ATERAS automated solution?

The quality of the converted code is one of ATERAS’ top priorities. A single line of code in the source application is converted to a single line in the converted application a high percentage of the time. The goal of ATERAS is to provide functional equivalency using the previously mentioned methodology. The resulting code provides functional equivalency while also providing the required performance demanded by high volume transaction environments. ATERAS has many conversion customers that can attest to the high quality of the converted code.

What is the value of an IT Assessment? Can this be done without a conversion?

The ATERAS IT Assessment results in a well-defined plan for the conversion project including costs, timelines, and a project map detailing concept to deployment. Both high-level and detailed assessment reports are presented to appropriate customer team members for discussion.

The Software Assessment is a complete research and analysis project that outlines all mainframe application and database conversion candidates. Components are classified and listed in detail. Notes are attached to components requiring special attention during the conversion process. All application components are inventoried, classified by language, and cross-referenced. Missing components are collected and added to the inventory. Duplicate components residing in multiple Customer repositories are eliminated from the inventory. The Assessment results in a complete understanding of the current processing environment.

An assessment can be completed without doing a conversion. To find out more information please contact us.

What makes the ATERAS .NET solution different from other solutions?

ATERAS has integrated the latest versions of Visual Studio and SQL Server into its Microsoft .NET Framework-based solution, following the Microsoft architecture. This strategy helps companies migrate applications away from proprietary environments to modern, open technologies such as Microsoft .NET in support of an “off-mainframe conversion solution.” DB-Shuttle™ automatically migrates mainframe applications and databases to modern languages and database management systems.

DB-Shuttle supports automated conversion of Integrated Data Management System (IDMS) Mainframe databases and applications to a multi-tier .NET environment. Future capabilities will include the migration of Information Management System (IMS), Adabas and Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) to the .NET platform.

Are program changes allowed during the conversion process?

Yes. DB-Shuttle can be instantly executed against any changed IDMS source components throughout the conversion process. The modified programs must be re-extracted and passed through DB-Shuttle for analysis and inventory. DB-Shuttle can then execute against these changed components to produce the SQL components required for the conversion.

Program changes can be made anytime throughout the conversion effort. Re-testing of the changed source components is recommended.

Are database changes allowed during the conversion process?

Yes. SQL Imager© requires about 2.07 seconds per IDMS record type to convert the schema and write the related extract programs. If the schema changes, SQL Imager© is re-executed against the revised schema. If SQL Imager’s data cleansing features are used, they must be reviewed and reapplied to the revised schema.

Database changes can be made anytime throughout the conversion effort. Re-testing of the programs that access the changed structure is recommended.