COBOL Migration Takes Flight, Helps Ensure Regulatory Compliance and Safe Operations for Airlines Worldwide

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - September 11, 2013) - BluePhoenix (www.bphx.com) (BPHX), the global leader in legacy language and database translation, announced completion of a complex modernization project with AeroSoft Systems, Inc. that will help airlines worldwide ensure cost control, regulatory compliance, and maintenance management.

Specifically:

• BluePhoenix's ATLAS Platform was used to translate over 800 programs from AcuCOBOL to Java and migrated data from C-ISAM to a modern SQL Server environment.

• Modernizing with BluePhoenix enabled Aerosoft to:

  • Keep the proven business logic and functionality of their application

  • Get new features to the market faster

  • Reduce maintenance cycles through better data normalization and by uniting language and platforms with other AeroSoft Systems products

  • Increase the addressable market for AeroSoft Systems by extending the technology to meet more customer requirements

  • See the full case study on the BluePhoenix website for more technical details.

"AeroSoft Systems was a unique case for us," says Rick Oppedisano, BluePhoenix Vice President of Product R&D and Marketing. "They were not seeking to modernize in the traditional sense. They weren't looking to alter the user interface or customer experience. Their effort wasn't driven by saving mainframe MIPS. They wanted a change that would be transparent to their current installed base and enable operational and business goals behind the scenes."

AeroSoft Systems, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada since 1997, maintains a unique position in the aircraft maintenance management software industry. The company's flagship software, DigiDOC™ (CMS), WebPMI™ and DigiMAINT™, work in conjunction to ensure strict adherence to the OEM aircraft requirements for regulatory compliance and safe operations. A market leader, AeroSoft Systems delivers 7x24x365 support to over 900 aircraft operated by 30 airlines worldwide.

AeroSoft Systems CEO Thanos Kaponeridis learned about BluePhoenix via reference from another customer, SABRE, a global travel technology provider who successfully modernized their software. "Our solution is proven and mature, it served our market for nearly 20 years," says Kaponeridis. "However, we're always looking for ways to streamline testing, development and support."

Initially, AeroSoft Systems evaluated the time and cost of rewriting its application from COBOL to Java as a project requiring over 10 man years. They also evaluated runtime converters and other conversion tools, but were not convinced of their effectiveness or fit with AeroSoft's long-term strategy. "We have direct experience with different ways of modernizing, from tools to re-hosting," says Kaponeridis. "The Proof of Concepts coming back from such 'auto-conversions' produced code that was unusable and still based in COBOL -- it would require 5-7 man years in SQL optimization or learning proprietary OO languages. The Proof of Concept executed by BluePhoenix produced maintainable Java, which met our requirements."

The modernized applications enable AeroSoft Systems to market their software to customers that expect current tools and platforms like Java and SQL Server for their MRO environments. In addition, commonality with DigiDOC development was achieved, allowing better integration for project planning and reporting via Java modules.

As a result, Kaponeridis anticipates more efficient testing and support cycles. "We initially invested heavily in a user-friendly browser front end for our applications. Now the functional pieces of the application are aligned for a more direct data and integration model. COBOL maintenance resources are becoming increasingly hard to find, so this puts us in a position to work with a global community of young talented developers."

>>Click here to download the full Aerosoft case study.

"The flexibility of the ATLAS platform creates business value for customers in many different ways," adds Oppedisano. "For AeroSoft Systems, it enabled them to reduce costs and extend the product's viability in an affordable and manageable timeframe."

With BluePhoenix's ATLAS Platform, customers can:

• Reduce MIPS and Overall Mainframe Cost By 50%

BPHX's Batch In The Cloud service leverages off-mainframe processing power to significantly reduce batch processing cost. Use cases for this service are detailed in BluePhoenix's website blog.

• Unlock Legacy Data, Get the Big Picture

Businesses are looking to make better decisions based on data, but can be hampered by legacy systems. BPHX's BI Enablement Services enable companies to integrate legacy databases like IDMS with SQL Server, DB2 and Oracle.

• Modernize legacy COBOL, Natural, CA COOL:GEN apps and legacy ADABAS, VSAM and IDMS databases

BPHX's Automated Translation technology is the only solution on the market that guarantees 100% business logic and functionality match between the source and target environments. This empowers customers to keep the best of their legacy system while moving to a modern codebase and infrastructure. This service translates legacy languages like Natural, CA COOL: GEN and COBOL to Java or C#- and legacy IDMS, ADABAS and VSAM to DB2, SQL Server and Oracle.

• Use Maintainable Code
  Our Automated Translators generate clean, maintainable Java and or C# code. This approach reduces project risk and gives the customer freedom of choice -- for their architecture, data tier and physical infrastructure.

For more on BluePhoenix, research, whitepapers and case studies, see the company's website at www.bphx.com.

About BluePhoenix Solutions

BluePhoenix Solutions Ltd. (BPHX) is the leader in legacy platform modernization. The BluePhoenix portfolio includes a comprehensive suite of tools and services for automated database and application migration. Leveraging over 20 years of best-practice domain expertise, BluePhoenix works closely with its customers to minimize risk and provide a clear path from legacy platforms like COBOL, Natural/Adabas and others to modern solutions like SQL, DB2, Java and more. BluePhoenix customers come from diverse industries and vertical markets such as automotive, banking and financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and retail. BluePhoenix has 6 offices in the USA, UK, Italy, Romania, and Israel.

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