CICS COBOL DB2 program replacement depends upon the current use of CICS services and selected target language. The conversion process may vary based upon current use of CICS system-level services.

Conversion Components

Using DB-Shuttle™, ATERAS converts all CICS COBOL DB2 component types, including:

• CICS COBOL DB2 programs
• Dataset copybooks
• DB2 Database Access Calls
• BMS Maps

Database Options

Former CICS COBOL DB2 database access is converted to process against the relational database of choice:

• IBM's UDB on Windows
• IBM's UDB on Solaris
• Oracle on the mainframe
• Oracle on Windows
• Oracle on Solaris
• SQL Server on Windows

Language Options

Several DB-Shuttle options are available for CICS COBOL replacement:

• Windows COBOL .NET using ASP.NET
• Fujitsu NetCobol and NeoKicks
• Micro Focus Studio and Enterprise Server
• Sun Mainframe Rehosting Environment

Architecture

All CICS COBOL DB2 conversions maintain the general architecture of the former COBOL program. No changes to the program structure are introduced during the conversion. However, changes are made during the migration to introduce some layering aspects that provide flexibility for future processing:

• Business Layer
  The former CICS COBOL program includes logic flow and field editing within the COBOL program structure itself; the conversion preserves these functions within the base program
• Presentation Layer
  If the selected target language is not one of the COBOL dialects, the presentation layer processing may be placed into a separate layer
• Database IO Layer
  Performs SQL database access and updates

Manual CICS COBOL conversion or re-write has presented fewer obstacles than conversions from some of the fourth generation languages. The automated DB-Shuttle conversion preserves the flow of CICS COBOL DB2 programs while converting the database calls, the presentation of the screens to the user, and possibly the COBOL language itself