Details About REMEDY2000 (from Agiss' web site)
The REMEDY2000 approach to the resolution of the Year 2000 Problem is a combination of a precise and controlled methodology coupled with the use of an automated conversion tool designed to convert complete applications.
The technology has the ability to handle several environments which include IBM MVS, UNIX, UNISYS, DEC VMS and BULL GCOS. The translator is designed to convert procedural languages such as COBOL and PL/I with the ability to be extended to other languages such as RPG and Easytrieve. It also handles TP monitors such as CICS, databases (networked, hierarchical and relational), files, JCL and command line control inputs.
The standard conversion project includes the following phases:
Planning Phase
The application is profiled by completing a simple questionaire which will form the basis for an estimate.
Impact Estimate Exercise
This is an optional phase which is designed to provide an automated examination of the application in order to produce a report which identifies the size of the application, the number of date occurances by location.
Identification/Impact Assessment Phase
This phase is based on an automated cataloging of the system that produces a complete inventory of all source components such as JCL, programs, file definitions, database schemas, screens and command line control inputs. It also produces a comprehensive report of dependencies within the system.
Based on this exercise, an automated search of all components is conducted to identify all date/time occurances. All procedural code involving date/time occurances are also identified. The customer and Project team will work together to validate the reports enumerating all date occurances, so that there is some capability to enhance the automated process with a human overview.
Conversion Phase
The automated tool will generate a standard conversion rule for each date. Then a review process by the project team and customer will identify specific cases where special rules will be required for date processing and those rules will be added to the automated tool's database. A trial conversion will be done and the results reviewed. This process may take a few iterations.
After a final conversion, a verification report will be used to confirm the completeness of conversion and the system is ready
for testing.
Testing Phase
First, the application will be tested in pieces by the Project Team to ensure that the process operated as expected. Finally, the customer will subject the converted system to testing for Year 2000 Compliance.
A brief overview of the methodology can be described as:
- Optional Impact Estimate run to provide a sizing estimate.
- Cataloging run to take and store an inventory of all system components.
- Parsing run to read application sources and build a global application "repository".
- Analysis run to identify and store references to all date locations.
- Analysis run to identify and store references to all procedural date references.
- Review and establishment of additional rules for date processing.
- Translation of sources throughout the system to the converted form.
- Generation of extraction and reloading routines for data translation.
- Process Testing to verify that the conversion operated properly.
- Customer Testing to very that the converted system operates properly with year 2000 dates.
BENEFITS OF THE REMEDY2000 APPROACH
The approach ensures a rigorous and consistent method to identify scope, technical, design and delivery issues before commencing conversion.
Project deliverables including converted sources are delivered in accordance with a pre-defined plan to control testing and implementation.
There is NO ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE overhead on the target development environment (no emulators, bridging modules) and no need for additional training.
Because the solution is automated, the customer benefits by:
- substantially-accelerated delivery schedules (in the realm of 6 months)
- totally consistent code that is native to the customers environment and fully maintainable.
- immediate, system-wide rectification of any conversion errors (immediate correction and minimal turnaround time). |
