New Technology Enables DevOps for Core Legacy Applications

Software Named "Cool Tool" by Gartner, Cited to Reduce Application Modernization Costs by Two-Thirds


SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - March 26, 2015) - Modern Systems (NASDAQ: MDSY) announced completion of a successful project with its new Rapid Program Modernization (eavRPM™) software. The eavRPM™ technology architecturally transforms legacy applications, enabling faster feature development and reducing time-to-market for critical software updates.

Working with Modern Systems, the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) leveraged eavRPM™ to transform its Student Information System from Software AG's Natural syntax to a modern application leveraging C# and SQL Server. The newly modernized system enabled UCSB to leverage agile development methods and more extensive application integration.

"The core system that was originally intended for internal use needed to provide more self-service capabilities to students, staff, and faculty including web-based and mobile access," says Lubomir Bojilov, Chief Technology Officer and Student Information Systems and Technology Executive Director at UCSB.

The university, seeking to leverage service-oriented architecture (SOA), replaced the software that had connected the mainframe application to web servers with a Windows Communication Foundation interface.

"Our student information system went live on the Microsoft platform over a holiday weekend, and no one noticed that we had made a conversion," James Kinneavy, Associate Director for Enterprise Architecture and Technologies says. "There was no disruption in service, and we have tens of thousands of users."

"This technology will have great impact for customers with COBOL or Natural applications," says Rick Oppedisano, Modern Systems Vice-President of Product and Marketing. "eavRPM™ enables companies to take advantage of integration, cloud deployment and more while maintaining the business value of the legacy system." 

<DOWNLOAD THE UC SANTA BARBARA MAINFRAME MODERNIZATION CASE STUDY>

How It Works

eavRPM™ empowers developers to drag and drop functionality from the source system into the target environment and seamlessly translate the new procedures into C# or Java. Source codebases can be either COBOL or Software AG's Natural syntax.

Because eavRPM™ generates native C# or Java solutions, it is able to generate true C# objects that are delivered to Visual Studio as a project, or object-based Java applications that are delivered to your Integrated Development Environment (IDE) of choice. No additional tools are required.

Modernization using eavRPM™ can be performed as a service by Modern Systems or by your in-house development team using eavRPM™ licenses. eavRPM™ delivers:

  • Native web applications with no middleware, no black boxes, and no ongoing license fees
  • Proven business rules with a brand new user interface, continued keyboard features with new mouse-driven and scrollable features, and much lower operating costs
  • Transformation to modern object-oriented structures, opening the door for agile development methodologies such as SCRUM and DevOps

Cited as a "Cool Tool" by Gartner, the eavRPM™ framework's automated scanning for application understanding speeds analysis for migrations and improves quality, while saving up to two-thirds of the cost of manual efforts.

<DOWNLOAD THE eavRPM™ TECHNICAL WHITEPAPER>

Enabling DevOps for Legacy Systems
Agile and continuous integration and release are the outputs of Development, which are the inputs into IT Operations. In order to accommodate the faster release cadence associated with DevOps, many areas of the ITIL processes require automation, specifically around the change, configuration and release processes that are difficult to achieve with procedural languages and centralized IT architectures. 

Aligning a distributed architecture with object-oriented code produced through eavRPM™ empowers companies to embrace DevOps for core applications throughout the business. According to a recent study by Vanson Bourne, companies embracing DevOps have experienced anywhere from a 17 to 23 percent improvement in business in the form of increased revenue, faster time-to-market, improved competitive positioning and enhanced customer experience. 

About Modern Systems Corporation
Modern Systems Corporation (NASDAQ: MDSY) is a leading provider of legacy modernization services. The Modern Systems portfolio includes a comprehensive suite of tools and services that modernize legacy applications and databases incrementally or all at once. 

Modern Systems technologies can be applied to source applications and databases leveraging COBOL, Natural Adabas, IDMS, CA GEN and more. The modernized environments can leverage Java, C#, SQL Server, Oracle Database, IBM DB2 and virtual infrastructure to deliver identical or better functionality and performance. Modern Systems customers come from diverse industries and vertical markets such as automotive, banking and financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and retail. The company delivers services worldwide through offices in the USA, the UK, Italy, Romania, and Israel.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are based on Modern Systems management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to Modern Systems management. All statements other than statements of historical facts are "forward-looking statements" for purposes of these provisions, including those relating to future events or our future financial performance and financial guidance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "project," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "intend" or "continue," the negative of terms like these or other comparable terminology, and other words or terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. These statements are only predictions. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to Modern Systems on the date hereof, and Modern Systems assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Any or all forward-looking statements in this document may turn out to be wrong. Actual events or results may differ materially. Forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions Modern Systems might make or by known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: the risk that the businesses may not be combined successfully or in a timely and cost-efficient manner the risk that business disruption relating to the merger may be greater than expected; and such other risks and uncertainties as identified in Modern Systems' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed by it with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All names and trademarks are their owners' property.

Embedded Video Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QyuWfFzxLk

Contact Information:

Media Contacts
Rick Oppedisano
Vice President of Global R&D and Marketing
Modern Systems
ricko@modernsystems.com