Legacy-to-Web tools put your data in place
Migrating legacy systems to the Web can be like transplanting a tree. Only when you try it do you find out how deep and in how many directions the roots run.
| SPECIAL TO GCNMigrating legacy systems to the Web can be like transplanting a tree. Only when you try it do you find out how deep and in how many directions the roots run.Most agencies have a variety of legacy data and applications, found on platforms ranging from old IBM 360s to modern minicomputers. It's not possible to convert everything at once, so the first challenge managers often face is deciding which data and applications should go online first. Unlike gardeners, network managers don't have to move the whole thing at once.The year 2000 triage, which everyone went through to decide which systems and data got upgrade priority, can be used as a starting point in prioritizing this legacy-to-Web conversion effort, with some important exceptions:Most familiar legacy-to-Web tools are middleware products that actively manage the conversion of input and output between old applications running on old hardware and new Web-enabled front ends.In deciding whether to use middleware tools or to rewrite the code in a Web-friendly language, your primary consideration often is how intelligent the legacy apps are.Many have been upgraded frequently during the decades they've been in use; they might be old, but they're much more than mere interfaces between users and databases or raw data. The more auditing and management tools these applications have, the more difficult and less practical it is to recode the software. Legacy-to-Web middleware becomes the best bet.You also should consider whether the legacy applications are running on very old, difficult-to-maintain hardware. If they are, you're looking at an eventual rewrite; the only choice is when.Some agencies have no resources for a major new effort to convert legacy applications to Web-based applications at the code level. Others might have developed a cadre of hot programmers during the year 2000 frenzy who are looking for a big, new project and could handle a relatively fast conversion with in-house resources.Although data is often the first thing that comes to mind when you think of legacy-to-Web migration, applications also are being moved into the enterprise to support agencies' full slate of users, including telecommuters.Data conversion and publishing are relatively straightforward, with lots of tools available to access old databases via browsers. Converting legacy applications is far more complex.The most common legacy applications operate on IBM 5250 and 3270 terminals, or are OpenVMS or Unix applications running on various terminals.User-friendliness is a nebulous term, but in this case it's easy to define: Simplify the process and provide extensive error-handling routines.Think twice, though, before you carry your desire for simplicity to the point of outsourcing a conversion.Such services are available, and you could be tempted to take advantage of them. But doing it yourself will develop in-house conversion skills and build a knowledge base among your programmers that can be applied to the next conversion project, which will almost certainly come along.The Web is evolving, with new features being added to browsers and new languages such as Extensible Markup Language replacing or complementing Hypertext Markup Language, so legacy-to-Web conversion isn't a one-time job. Once XML is in widespread use, you can bet that new metalanguages will come along and be adopted.XXXSPLITXXX-
BY JOHN MCCORMICK
Time to upgrade
John McCormick is a free-lance writer and computer consultant. E-mail him at poweruser@mail.usa.com.
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- The way agencies prioritized mission-critical work that had to continue right through midnight Jan. 1, 2000, might not be the approach you want to take in migrating legacy systems to the Web or an intranet.
- High-priority data destined for enterprisewide accessibility might already have been converted to a modern system during year 2000 work and probably will be the easiest to move onto a TCP/IP network.
- Pay careful attention to old data that did not get year 2000 priority because it was not deemed mission-critical. It's difficult, if not impossible, to know what legacy data will be important 20 years from now, so don't leave behind data tapes that are unreadable or drives that can't be repaired.
Time to upgrade
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John McCormick is a free-lance writer and computer consultant. E-mail him at poweruser@mail.usa.com.
| Vendor | Product | Platform | Notes | Price |
Advanced Software Development Corp. Houma, La. 504-851-6007 www.advancedsoftware.com | Total e-Biz | Windows | DBMS middleware | $2,495 |
Allaire Corp. Cambridge, Mass. 617-761-2000 www.allaire.com | ColdFusion | Windows, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX | DBMS middleware | $1,295 up |
Allegis Corp. San Francisco 888-638-4866 www.net-it.com | Net-It Central | Windows and any Web server | Workgroup publishing for Microsoft and Corel suites | $9,999 |
Apple Computer Inc. Cupertino, Calif. 408-996-1010 www.apple.com | WebObjects | NT, Solaris, HP-UX, Mac OS X server | Application server | $699 up |
Attachmate Corp. Bellevue, Wash. 425-644-4010 www.attachmate.com | e-Vantage Host Access Server | Windows, AIX, Linux, HP-UX, Solaris, AS/400, OS/390 | Application middleware | $189 up per client |
Anota Inc. Grapevine, Texas 817-442-8480 www.anota.com | WEB-ifier | NT | 3270, 5250, and VT terminal emulator | $1,695 up |
BEA Systems Inc. San Jose, Calif. 408-570-8000 www.beasys.com | BEA WebLogic Server | NT, Unix, Linux, Solaris | Application server | $10,000 |
BCL Computers Inc. Santa Clara, Calif. 408-225-2679 www.bcl-computers.com | Magellan | Acrobat plug in | PDF to HTML conversion | $199 up |
Bluestem Technologies Inc. Overland Park, Kan. 913-685-0065 www.pchelponline.com | dB Page Builder | Win95 up | dBase and FoxPro to HTML file conversion | $99 shareware |
Bluestone Software Inc. Philadelphia 610-915-5000 www.bluestone.com | Total-e-Business | Windows, Linux, Unix, Solaris | DBMS middleware | $95,000 up |
Borland Software Corp. Scotts Valley, Calif. 831-431-1000 www.borland.com | AppServer | NT, Solaris | Application server | $12,000 per server |
Computer Associates International Inc. Islandia, N.Y. 631-342-6000 www.ca.com | Jasmine ii | Windows, Unix | DBMS middleware | $2,000 up |
Ingres II | Windows, Unix | DBMS middleware | $995 up | |
EDBC | Windows, OS/390 | DBMS middleware | $10,000 up | |
Core Technology Corp. Lansing, Mich. 517-627-1521 www.ctc-core.com | CTC Application Miner | Unix, AS/400, OS/390, Unisys mainframes | Application mining | Developer kit $10,000; server $5,000 |
Crystal Software Melbourne, Australia 61-3-9888-310 www.crystalsoftware.com.au | DropConvert | Win95 up | Text filters to speed HTML conversion | $20 shareware |
CyberMatrix Corp. Calgary, Alberta, Can. 888-664-0383 www.cyber-matrix.com | Text2HTML | Windows | Inserts HTTP, FTP, Telnet, WAIS, NNTP,Gopher and Mailto tags into text files | Freeware |
Data Access Corp. Miami 305-238-0012 www.webappdeveloper.com | WebApp Server | NT | DBMS middleware | $2,495 |
Data Junction Corp. Austin, Texas 512-452-6105 www.datajunction.com | Data Junction | Win95 up, Unix | Data and application conversion | $1,995 up |
eBT USA Providence, R.I. 401-752-4400 www.ebt.com | DynaBase | DBMS middleware | $60,000 up | |
Esker US Inc. Stillwater, Okla. 405-624-8000 www.esker.com | Corridor for Active Server | Win 2000 | Mainframe and AS/400 application middleware | $12,000 up |
Pulse | Win 2000 | Application middleware | $17,500 up | |
Persona Insight Server | Win 2000 | Terminal emulator | $2,700 up | |
Expertelligence Inc. Santa Barbara, Calif. 805-962-2558 www.expertelligence.com | WebBase | NT | DBMS middleware | $695 up |
Extensis Products Group Portland, Ore. 800-796-9798 www.extensis.com | BeyondPress | Win95 up | QuarkXPress to HTML conversion | $300 up |
Haht Commerce Inc. Raleigh, N.C. 919-786-5100 www.haht.com | HAHTsite | NT, Solaris, Linux, HP-UX, AIX | Application middleware | $7,500 for 25 users |
Inline Internet Systems Inc. Mississauga, Ontario 905-813-8800 www.inline.net | iHTML Merchant | Windows, Linux, HP-UX, Solaris | DBMS middleware | $795 up |
IBM Corp. Armonk, N.Y. 914-765-1900 www.ibm.com | WebSphere | NT, Solaris, NetWare, AIX, AS/400, OS/390 | Application server | $6,000 up |
Inzone Software Ltd. Glendale, Wis. 414-961-7077 www.clicktoconvert.com | Click to Convert | Win95 up | Converts most printable documents, including PowerPoint, to HTML | $149 shareware |
Jacada Inc. Atlanta 770-352-1300 www.jacada.com | Jacada for Java | Platform independent | Java client development kit | $8,000 up |
Jacada for Visual Basic & Windows | Platform independent | Builds GUI interface for mainframe and AS/400 applications | $8,000 up | |
Jacada Connects | Platform independent | Java or COM API for mainframe and AS/400 applications | $5,000 up | |
JafSoft Stockport, Cheshire, UK 44-161-718-0211 www.jafsoft.com | AscToHTM | Windows | ASCII txt to HTML conversion | $40 shareware |
AscToTab | Win95 up | Tab delimited text to HTML conversion | Freeware | |
Metagon Technologies LLC Matthews, N.C. 704-847-2390 www.metagon.com | Dqbroker | NT, Unix, Linux, Solaris | DBMS middleware | $40,000 per server |
Oracle Corp. Redwood Shores, Calif. 650-506-7000 www.oracle.com | Oracle9iAS | Unix, Solaris, HP-UX | Application server | $195 per concurrent user |
Pervasive Software Inc. Austin, Texas 512-231-6000 www.pervasive.com | Tango 2000 | NT, Solaris, Linux, Mac OS | Application server | $1,295 up |
Relativity Technologies Inc. Cary, N.C. 919-678-1500 www.relativity.com | RescueWare | NT, Win 2000 | Mainframe applications to standalone components conversion for use in distributed computing | $25,000 up |
Silverstream Inc. Billerica, Mass. 978-262-3000 www.silverstream.com | SilverStream App Server | NT, Unix | Application server | $8,500 |
SiteSoft LLC New York 212-533-9210 www.sitesoft.com | Database2Net | Win95 up | DBMS middleware | $150 up |
Sybase Inc. Emeryville, Calif. 510-922-3500 www.sybase.com | Sybase Application Server | NT, Solaris | Application server | $1,995 per server |
Tela Communications Montgomery, Texas No phone telacommunications.com/ant | ANT_HTML | NT, Mac OS | Word to HTML conversion | $39 shareware |
WRQ Inc. McLean, Va. 703-749-0555 www.wrq.com | Apptrieve/Super Nova | NT, Solaris | Application mining | $20,000 up, includes 10 concurrent sessions |
Xbridge Systems Inc. Sunnyvale, Calif. 408-541-8440 www.xbridgesystems.com | Xbridge Professional | OS/390 | DBMS middleware | $20,000 per year up |
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