In this episode of The Disruptor Podcast, host John Kundtz interviews Caitlyn Truong, CEO and Co-founder of Zengines.
Mainframe Modernization Prioritization and Challenges
While mainframes are highly performant and reliable, many organizations are seeking to modernize them to de-risk legacy technology.
Mainframe legacy technology is risky to organizations for several reasons, including:
- Code written decades ago with SMEs no longer available
- Fewer people familiar with older programming languages
- Lack of standards in older code making maintenance difficult
According to Caitlyn, "There are more lines of COBOL code in existence than any other programming language," making mainframe modernization particularly challenging.
Zengines Mainframe Data Lineage Product
Caitlyn explains that Zengines' Mainframe Data Lineage product was developed when they discovered a client struggling to modernize because their mainframe was a "black box." The product ingests schemas, metadata, code (including COBOL and JCLs) to create a data lineage information base, helping business analysts understand calculation logic and conditions critical to modernization success.
Zengines' Mainframe Data Lineage product helps organizations understand their legacy systems by providing:
- Interactive research application and data
- Data lineage with graphical visualization
- Relationship mapping between modules, tables, fields, and variables
- Tables and fields inventory with profiling
- Calculation logic analysis
- Branching/conditional statement analysis
Recommendations for Mainframe Modernization Success
Caitlyn's recommendations for mainframe modernization success include:
- Understand what you're converting and the full lineage/interdependencies
- Have a guiding strategy and design - use phased approaches rather than "big bang"
- Employ proper tools for data lineage to answer questions about the system
- Start small with something you know you can convert, then celebrate successes
Her most important advice is to "get started" rather than spending too much time planning: "You'll learn and get more value just by doing."
Listen to the full episode