Mainframe Application

Development Strategy
White Paper
Abstract
The new Micro Focus was launched on August 13, 2001 when
Micro Focus separated from MERANT to become a totally
independent company. Originally founded in 1976, Micro Focus
has long been a leader in providing COBOL technology solutions
to Fortune 500 companies in the United States and around the
world.

Since late 2001, Micro Focus has met with a significant number of
customers, including those from our existing APS and AppMaster
Builder™ user base, to understand how the products were used
historically, how they are being used today and what Micro Focus
could do to enable customers to move their applications forward.

Based on these investigations, Micro Focus has developed a new

strategy and resulting product release, detailed in this paper,
which outlines a positive and exciting future for all customers
currently using Micro Focus products to develop mainframe
applications. This paper is therefore equally relevant to users
developing mainframe COBOL applications using Micro Focus
Mainframe Express®, COBOL Workbench®, APS and AppMaster
Builder products.

This strategy and the resulting product reinforce our dedication to

our existing customers, their investment in our technology, and
their future success.
Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................................................4
Micro Focus Pedigree ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Customer Input ................................................................................................................................................... 4

Micro Focus Technology Assets.................................................................................................5

Micro Focus APS for z/OS 5.0............................................................................................................................. 5
Micro Focus AppMaster Builder V4.0 ............................................................................................................... 5
Micro Focus Component Generator technology............................................................................................. 5
Micro Focus Mainframe Express........................................................................................................................ 5
Micro Focus Revolve® V6.2 ............................................................................................................................... 5

The Micro Focus Vision for Mainframe Application Development ..........................................6

Mainframe Marketplace Direction ................................................................................................................... 6
Mainframe Market Requirements .................................................................................................................... 6
Realizing the Vision............................................................................................................................................ 6

Product Strategy........................................................................................................................7
Business Value Benefits...................................................................................................................................... 8

Benefits for Existing Customers ...............................................................................................9

APS and AppMaster Builder Users .................................................................................................................... 9
Mainframe Express and COBOL Workbench Users .......................................................................................10

Moving to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition ................................................................. 12

Development Process Outline .........................................................................................................................12
AppMaster Builder (AMB) Users .....................................................................................................................12
AppMaster Builder Users with Mainframe Express ......................................................................................13
AppMaster Builder Users with Workbench ...................................................................................................13
APS for MVS or APS for z/OS Users.................................................................................................................13

Commercial Considerations .................................................................................................... 14

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 14

Appendix A – Milestones......................................................................................................... 15

Appendix B - Future Releases.................................................................................................. 16

The Micro Focus Studio Vision ........................................................................................................................16
Capabilities Not Being Carried Forward ........................................................................................................16
Introduction
With over one billion lines of application code running in production daily, APS and AppMaster
Builder (AMB) are proven products for rapidly creating high quality, high performance applications.

The architecture of the products was such that existing customers could tailor the application code
generated to their unique needs. This is a key reason why APS and AMB are still in use today at over
200 major corporations around the world. With the new Micro Focus taking ownership of the APS
and AMB product lines, and our pedigree in COBOL, it seemed prudent to understand the value of
the technology and to validate how the technology would fit into Micro Focus’ future strategy.

Micro Focus Pedigree

Micro Focus has over 28 years of experience in COBOL analysis and development technology,
primarily focused in two areas:

1. Development, extension and deployment of COBOL applications on Open Systems architectures

where Micro Focus COBOL is the de-facto industry standard on Windows and UNIX.

2. Development of IBM mainframe applications using workstation-based technology to offload

analysis, development and maintenance activities from the mainframe. Hundreds of major
corporations worldwide are today using Micro Focus technology to create and maintain
mainframe COBOL applications.

Over the last two decades Micro Focus has produced the most comprehensive, state of-the-art
Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) for COBOL developers working in a 3GL paradigm.

Customer Input
APS and AMB offer quite a different development paradigm. They provide a framework and tools
to define applications and generate application infrastructure code to enable developers to focus
on solving business problems.

When they met with Micro Focus management, existing APS and AMB customers reported
productivity gains of up to 120 percent compared with using traditional mainframe-based native
COBOL development tools. Users of Micro Focus products for mainframe COBOL development on
the PC also reported significant productivity gains.

Both approaches remain valid, and indeed they target the same end-result, namely the efficient
creation and maintenance of robust, mission-critical COBOL applications. Our customers’
commitment to realizing the very real value in these technologies was a key factor in shaping our
future strategy.

Before describing this vision and strategy, let’s re-cap the existing key technology assets available
from Micro Focus today.

4
Micro Focus Technology Assets
Micro Focus APS for z/OS 5.0
Micro Focus APS is a native IBM mainframe framework-based development technology to
generate applications for compiling and executing on IBM mainframes. Micro Focus released APS
5.0 for z/OS in February 2003.

See http://www.microfocus.com/products/more/aps/ for more details.

Micro Focus AppMaster Builder V4.0

AppMaster Builder (AMB) is a native Windows framework-based development environment to
generate applications for compiling and executing on IBM mainframes.

See http://www.microfocus.com/products/more/AppMasterBuilder/ for more details.

Micro Focus Component Generator technology

Component Generator is a native Windows technology that enables users to capture complete
legacy application business processes and automatically generate reusable, industry-standard
components in the form of JavaBeans, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs), XML, WML, J2EE and Web
services for use throughout the enterprise, without the need for host application code changes.
Contact Micro Focus for more details.

Micro Focus Mainframe Express

Mainframe Express (MFE) is a native Windows 3GL based IDE for IBM mainframe COBOL
applications combined with:

• CICS, DB2, IMS, JCL and Assembler emulation engines that provide a mainframe on the desktop
for developers.

• Advanced mainframe connectivity technology to transparently transfer source and data between
the mainframe and the LAN and keep revisions synchronized, or to enable connectivity to
mainframe data or processes, which must remain only on the mainframe.

Contact Micro Focus for more details.

Micro Focus Revolve® V6.2

Revolve is a native Windows*1 application understanding and impact analysis environment for IBM
mainframe and other COBOL applications. It provides developers with a means to rapidly
understand and fully scope the impact of any potential modification before applying any change,
thereby ensuring all necessary changes are made before the job is promoted to the next testing
stage.

See http://www.microfocus.com/products/revolve for more details.

5
The Micro Focus Vision for Mainframe Application
Development
Micro Focus’ strategy for the future of mainframe application development is based upon our
vision of how the marketplace is evolving, and the technical and operational requirements of our
customers.

Mainframe Marketplace Direction

Micro Focus sees the following key attributes of the mainframe application development
marketplace today and into the near future:
• Increased focus on ‘exploiting the assets’ with emphasis on re-use
• Greater application heterogeneity (COBOL, Java, middleware[MQ], WSDL, SOAP, etc.)
• …and architectural complexity and associated skills shortages (e.g. J2EE)
• Need for faster time to production – through renewal of the development process
• Re-evaluation of strategic vendor choices to find the provider of world-class products and support

Mainframe Market Requirements

Micro Focus therefore recognizes the need to assist customers looking to:
• Do more with less…
• …and re-use human and IT assets (legacy is an asset)
• Exploit new platforms while reducing complexity
• Make business sense of J2EE, Web services and .NET
• Look for a new COBOL partner as other vendors move out

Realizing the Vision

Micro Focus’ vision, and therefore strategy, is the provision of a single product entity, providing a
fully coherent and integrated development environment for mainframe applications. The product:
• Is the strategic path for all our existing mainframe development product customers
• Is the default mainframe application development solution to all new customers
• Contains real added value to encourage migration from predecessor technologies

The strategy is built upon Micro Focus’ foundation of distinctive competence, namely:
• The de-facto standard for COBOL across the enterprise
• World-class customer support
• Proven and scalable technology

6
Product Strategy
In simple terms, Micro Focus’ product strategy was to create a successor product to APS,
AppMaster Builder and Mainframe Express, for release within 20041.

Our offering for mainframe application development, this is the strategic upgrade path for AMB
and APS customers, as well as users of all Micro Focus mainframe application development tools.
This product is called Micro Focus Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition, and includes a
combination of the following Micro Focus technology:

• Mainframe Express

• Revolve-based analysis technology

• AppMaster Builder technology

• Component Generator technology

AMB
Workbench MFE
APS AMB+ ELCG
Workbench+ MFE+ Workbench
Revolve Revolve
AMB+MFE

All customers
have the same New product draws on strengths
upgrade path of all predecessor products.
So, all customers
Have migration path
Derive added value
Mainframe Express Support the strategy
Enterprise Edition

Enterprise Edition

Additional facilities and Fast analysis, development, testing

integration provides best-of- and deployment of mixed
breed application Java/COBOL applications on
development. WebSphere for zSeries running
zOS or Linux.

1
The launch date for Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition was June 2004

7
Having discussed this with our existing customers, we see many advantages of this strategy, both
from a higher-level business value perspective, as well as at a more detailed product perspective.

Business Value Benefits

The value statement for Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition is simple yet compelling: Micro
Focus' unified environment for mainframe development significantly reduces risks and costs, and
offers improved business agility through extension to J2EE, .NET and Web Services. Aligning IT to
the business with improved application delivery will yield a more impressive ROI.

Essentially Micro Focus is providing organizations with the ability to ‘Leverage and Extend’
existing assets in order to realize the value of legacy. Each of the aforementioned business value
benefits is supported by specific capabilities as follows:

Reduce costs…
Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition provides existing developers with the most productive
workstation-based environment for all aspects of mainframe application delivery, including code
generation, analysis, development, extension, debugging and testing. Mainframe application delivery
is faster than ever before, yielding high availability and quality. By improving application turnaround
time and removing the burden of maintenance tasks from the mainframe, IT costs on core
infrastructure and even software will be greatly reduced, and mainframe power refocused on running
business-critical production systems.

…and risks
Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition dramatically reduces ongoing risks by providing a complete,
familiar and unified environment for all mainframe application delivery. Removing organizational
fragmentation will improve the flexibility and availability of IT skills, and therefore operational
efficiency. Micro Focus’ support of open standards, together with capabilities to extend existing
business processes into new architectures, further minimizes risk by removing dependencies on
outmoded or proprietary technology, and motivates programming teams with a best-in-class,
contemporary development platform.

…with increased agility

Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition also benefits organizations needing to extend legacy
functionality. By helping improve time-to-market of application maintenance projects, it frees up
key staff to work on strategic initiatives. Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition includes capabilities
to allow COBOL programmers to quickly and easily extend legacy systems into J2EE, .NET or Web
Services, without changing the original code, or having to learn new architectures. This further
improves organizational dexterity by delivering proven business value into new channels.

…and a total commitment to customer success

• World class customer support2
• Customer driven development
• Partnerships with solution providers

2
See http://www.microfocus.com/pressroom/releases/pr200402261427000.asp

8
Benefits for Existing Customers
Recognizing the broad portfolio of existing technology our customers have today, it is important
to highlight the additional benefits of moving to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition, in the
context of each particular current environment.

APS and AppMaster Builder Users

Today, users of APS and AppMaster Builder are seeing real benefits in the productivity and quality
of the generated business applications. However, even today there are hidden costs in terms of
host CPU cycles and time waiting for compiles (in the case of APS), and for all users the additional
cost of providing suitable compilation, debugging and analysis technologies. Even then there are
few existing technologies that allow those applications to be extended to a modern component-
based deployment environment (for example Web services). By providing a single product to
embrace the whole life cycle of mainframe application development, Mainframe Express
Enterprise Edition reduces the ongoing cost and effort of mainframe application development by
limiting the required tools, skills and administration to a single, integrated product.

• The provision of APS maintenance releases as part of the Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition
strategy allows our APS customer base the ability to effectively plan their transition to the new
environment at a time suitable to their business priorities. All improvements made to APS for z/OS
v5.0 are also incorporated in the AMB technology within Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition,
including support for the latest IBM sub-system releases.

• Instead of using the host for analysis, generation, compilation, debugging and unit testing
activities, APS developers can utilize the workstation for these activities, thereby reducing costly
mainframe cycles.

• APS developers can use state-of-the-art workstation based user interfaces to improve their
productivity in creating applications.

• Transparent access to processes and data still resident on the host reduces the overhead of
changing the development environment and thereby improves productivity.

• The necessary first step of moving APS source artefacts to the PC environment is greatly facilitated
by the “Migration Wizard” utility, which will greatly reduce the effort required and provide the
necessary environmental support changes to move to the PC environment. “Migrated” APS
applications will be functionally equivalent and the generated code will be the same.

• The generation and compilation process is greatly simplified in Mainframe Express such that users
can automatically generate and compile applications without switching between tools. Generated
APS code can be fed simply into the Mainframe Express IDE where the developer can undertake
further test compilations, analysis, source-code debugging and unit testing.

• The Mainframe Express editor recognizes and colorizes APS and AMB S-COBOL syntax
automatically. Using the advanced editor capabilities available in Mainframe Express, it is possible
to provide automatic validation for APS (S-COBOL) statements, and highlight typing errors
immediately, rather than having to wait until after compilation for the error to be flagged.

The Mainframe Express source-code debugger can debug at the APS/AMB S-COBOL level or on
native COBOL.

• AppMaster Builder project information can be automatically used to populate 3rd party tools via
XML.

9
• During maintenance, Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition developers will be able to utilize
analysis capabilities in a number of ways:
• Application generator source-code (S-COBOL) can be automatically analysed to provide vital and hitherto
unavailable information about relationships, dependencies and impacts.
• Generated applications can be examined by the developer and the Analysis option will automatically provide
a wealth of application information, for example:
o Invokes and invoked by information at a program level
o Possible values and previous/next modifications at the variable level
o Graphical representation of application dependencies
o Automatic location of items of interest
• During defect investigation, generated COBOL code can be examined to help Mainframe Express Enterprise
Edition developers understand the structure and organization of the native COBOL application.
• Items of interest identified by the Analysis option can be automatically investigated in the Mainframe
Express IDE, thereby allowing the developer the ability to more productively undertake maintenance
activities.
• The Analysis capabilities are further described in the sub-section, Mainframe Express and Workbench Users.
• The Component Generator technology allows Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition developers to
make existing mainframe transactions (possibly generated by APS/AMB) available for access via
de-facto standard or open industry standard interfaces like Java Beans, .NET, EJBs, XML or Web
services. This support will include capturing IMS transactions as well as CICS, 3270 and
COMMAREA transactions and then exposing them as Web services or other industry standard
“components”.

• Micro Focus’ continued commitment to open standards means:

• We will always certify against the latest releases of IBM systems (operating system, COBOL version, sub-
system releases).
• We will always generate native COBOL to allow customers the flexibility to move their applications forward.
• This evolutionary strategy allows customers to exploit technology improvements without having
to undergo expensive re-training.

• This strategy provides customers with an unequivocal confirmation of the commitment and
support Micro Focus is investing in its loyal APS/AMB customer base.

Mainframe Express and COBOL Workbench Users

Users familiar with offloading the development of their mainframe applications to the PC will
need little introduction to the value and cost reduction of this approach: existing Mainframe
Express or Workbench customers understand the profound benefit of using the PC for this task. In
addition to the environment and tools with which they are familiar today, Mainframe Express
Enterprise Edition widens the scope and flexibility of what they are doing to include highly
effective programmer analysis capabilities, and provides further flexibility in their deployment
options, such the COBOL applications, their major asset, remain truly open, flexible and easy to
take forward to meet future needs.

• Major improvements have been made for the native COBOL programmer, to help them
understand more about the application code being worked on. This is the Analysis Option, a
feature built-in to the development environment. Facilities include:
• A new, dockable ‘Auto Browser’ that provides application information, which the user may find
useful in their current context and which can suggest actions they may wish to perform. For
example, the Window will indicate if multiple programs use the current copybook, and from
where the current program is called.

10
 • A new, dockable Browser window that can be used to query for data-names, procedure names,
etc across the whole Mainframe Express project - not just within an individual COBOL program,
and display the usages of these items. It is possible to search for Wildcards, to narrow the scope of
the search, and to search for non-COBOL artifacts (e.g. BMS maps). The tool window simplifies the
approach of “browsing” for information, to provide a minimal amount of information, which is of
maximal use to programmers.
• A graphical Inventory view of a program that shows the resources it uses, such as copybooks,
BMS/MFS maps, files, etc. This and other views can be accessed easily from within the Mainframe
Express IDE.
• A Flowchart facility to show a flow chart representation for a paragraph. This will intuitively
explain the structure of complex procedural code.
• A Program Call Tree gives a graphical view showing how the programs within the application call
one another.
• A Programmer-oriented Code-Flow Analysis facility that allows the programmer to ask such
questions as previous / next places this data item could have been modified
• Various HTML reports that identify copybook usage, program calls, and the results of code-flow
analysis.
• The new ‘Workset’ concept. Worksets are mechanisms for the programmer to persistently mark
items of interest, and provide a description. A new, dockable, Workset manager window is
provided so the programmer can keep track of all the Worksets they have created for a project.
Items can be added to a Workset from most of the views of the Analysis Option (including the
HTML reports) and from many of the views within the standard Mainframe Express development
environment (including the source & BMS editors). Many views also support drag and drop into a
Workset.
• Additional Editor improvements that help navigate the source file. The Editor now shows the
locations of errors and breakpoints in the right hand border of the window. This provides an easy
means to locate to these positions. This mechanism may be used to display other information in
future.
• When typing in the Editor, the programmer can request (by right clicking) to "complete word"
and the Editor will display a list of data & procedure names that matches the word typed so far,
from which the user can pick.
• The Component Generator technology allows Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition developers to
make existing mainframe transactions available for access via de-facto standard or open industry
standard interfaces like Java Beans, .NET, EJBs, XML or even Web services. This support will include
capturing IMS transactions, as well as CICS, 3270 and COMMAREA transactions, and then exposing
them as Web services or other industry standard “components”.

• Micro Focus’ continued commitment to open standards means:

• We will always certify against the latest releases of IBM systems (operating system, COBOL version,
sub-system releases).
• We will always generate native COBOL to allow customers the flexibility to move their
applications forward.
• The Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition strategy reaffirms Micro Focus’ commitment to
providing world-class technology and support for mainframe application development.

• This evolutionary strategy allows customers to exploit technology improvements without having
to undergo expensive re-training.

• These benefits would equally apply to users of Micro Focus Workbench or Mainframe Express.

11
Moving to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition
Let us consider the migration path to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition. As a start point, it is
worth summarizing the anticipated development process.

Development Process Outline

One of Micro Focus’ core beliefs is that application development is more productive on
workstations, regardless of where the application will execute, and workstations will become the
standard platform for all developers in the future whether they are COBOL, C or Java developers.
Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition will be a PC-based product.

1. Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition supports both an “application generation” development

paradigm, as well as a 3GL “native development” paradigm. The start-point for the developer is
therefore optional, as flexibility will be required to support existing development procedure.
Importantly, the Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition development process also allows the
following:
• Developers using the 3GL paradigm wishing to exploit application generation facilities to more
productively develop new code.
• Developers using the application generation paradigm wishing to exploit native COBOL facilities of
compilation, debugging and unit testing on the workstation.
2. The customer’s development support team will set up a synchronized LAN/mainframe
development infrastructure utilizing the mainframe connectivity capabilities within Mainframe
Express. This will ensure source code is synchronized between the LAN environment and the
mainframe SCM system and that the Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition developers can access
processes or data, which must be accessed on the mainframe from the developer’s workstation,
transparently during unit testing.

3. Within Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition, developers will use the AMB technology to define
their application characteristics on the workstation and then generate the application code. The
generated application code will then automatically be set up within Mainframe Express, where it
can be compiled on the workstation, rather than the mainframe, so the Mainframe Express
Enterprise Edition developer can perform unit testing on the workstation.

4. For large and complicated tasks, considerable time was often required to build large test suites
and databases. Within the Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition environment, developers have
the freedom to use their own test suites, or access test components that already exist on the
mainframe platform.

Let us look at the migration considerations specific to each customer community.

AppMaster Builder (AMB) Users

The transition to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition will involve broadening the existing
LAN/mainframe synchronized development environment to support analysis, compilation and
testing capabilities. Once this is done, the rollout of Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition can
begin and AMB developers will immediately see significant improvements in productivity, while in
parallel, significantly reducing mainframe CPU utilization.

For all AMB users, the transition from a developer usability perspective will be easily accomplished,
as we will provide, wherever possible, the same user interface of the existing AMB Windows GUI.
12
AppMaster Builder Users with Mainframe Express
The transition to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition will be very straightforward (provided an
appropriate LAN/mainframe synchronized development environment is already established).

AppMaster Builder Users with Workbench

The transition to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition will involve the replacement of COBOL
Workbench with Mainframe Express, along with replacing any bespoke LAN/Mainframe
development “infrastructure” with one that supports the more modern Mainframe Express
Enterprise Edition synchronized environment for analysis, compilation and testing capabilities.
Dependant on the infrastructure you have in place around COBOL Workbench, to synchronize
source between the LAN and mainframe SCM systems and provide mainframe connectivity, efforts
can vary widely.

APS for MVS or APS for z/OS Users

The transition to Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition will mean setting up a new LAN/mainframe
synchronized development environment to support analysis, compilation and testing capabilities.
Once your development support team completes this and installs Mainframe Express Enterprise
Edition on their workstations, the transition training can commence. This will enable the APS
developers to understand how to perform the functions previously carried out via ISPF dialogs
within the Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition GUI environment. Once trained, developers will
immediately see significant improvements in productivity, while in parallel, mainframe CPU
utilization will be reduced drastically.

Additional tools, utilities and on-line help will be available to assist with the migration from the
APS environment to the new product.

13
Commercial Considerations
To ensure we can encourage the majority of both APS and AMB customers to migrate to
Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition, we will be providing the following:

• Aggressive upgrade programs for all existing customers.

• Training and consulting services to assist with transition and migration.

Conclusion
We at Micro Focus sincerely hope our customers share our excitement as we move forward with
this strategy, and in particular with the Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition product line. Micro
Focus wants to strengthen its relationship with all customers and we believe this strategy, and the
resulting product Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition, marks a significant step forward for all
existing mainframe customers, which will enable you to service your business better over the
coming years.

For information on the release of Micro Focus Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition, please visit
www.microfocus.com.

14
Appendix A – Milestones
The following table lists the product deliverable dates mentioned in this document:

Product Deliverable Target Release

Timeframe

Beta Program for Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition Summer 2003 onwards
GA Release of Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition May 28th 2004
Launch Date for Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition June 2004

Release Certification
Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition application code will be certified for the following IBM
Releases:

Z/OS Z/OS 1.2

Enterprise COBOL Enterprise COBOL V3R1+
CICS CICS TS 1.3 and 2.2
IMS IMS TM V7R1+
DB2 DB2v7r1+
ISPF ISPF V4R2+

NOTE: The Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition development environment is certified for use
with Windows 2000, NT and Windows XP Professional.

15
Appendix B - Future Releases
The Micro Focus Studio Vision
The ethos for Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition is to provide application developers with
everything they need to develop enterprise COBOL-based composite applications today and in the
future. On the deployment side, Micro Focus is looking at similar unifying concepts, where the same
application should be deployable across any of a range of servers. To allow the creation and
deployment of such applications within a heterogeneous architecture (z/OS, Linux, UNIX, Windows)
from a single development environment is a broad objective for the future, and will – over time -
culminate in the availability of the Micro Focus Studio (Development) and Micro Focus Server
(Deployment) brands. We recognize the need for our customers to have the necessary flexibility and
openness to support the ever-changing needs of their business: Micro Focus Studio is the single
unifying brand that will support this flexibility.

Capabilities Not Being Carried Forward

During our discussions with existing users it was clear that there is only limited functionality within
APS or AMB, which the majority of our customers do not exploit. Also, where there is overlap in
functionality we have decided to eliminate this over time rather than for initial release, as we
believe this will help facilitate the easiest migration path for both APS and AMB customers.

Some functionality introduced to generate application code not targeted at the mainframe, which
is seldom used by existing customers, will not be carried forward in Mainframe Express Enterprise
Edition.

The following elements of APS and/or AMB will not be carried over as standard functionality
within Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition. If you are using any of these capabilities, please
contact your Micro Focus representative to discuss potential options.

• Importers, Generators and Screen painting for AS400 applications

• User Interface Painters, Generators and Client Express for Windows applications

• Generators for OS/2 applications

• Additional DBCS support, other than what is currently available

• Generators for SQL/DS for VM, Informix and Sybase SQL Server 4 Databases

• Client/Server Generators for OS/2 CPI-C Server, CICS APPC Server, MVS CPI-C Server and IMS
TM/APPC Server

Generated Windows Applications

In the case of applications generated for Windows (which make use of the native WinAPI
interface), these are standard COBOL applications that could exploit other Micro Focus technology
to provide a forward path. Net Express is the Micro Focus development system for building and
maintaining applications in a distributed environment – we would be happy to discuss how Net
Express would be able to help maintain and extend these types of applications.

16

Micro Focus – Unlocking the Value of Legacy™
Micro Focus is a leading provider of legacy
development and deployment software for
enterprise platforms. Micro Focus enables
organizations to reduce costs and increase agility
with minimal risk by reusing their legacy
applications with contemporary architectures and
Web services. Founded in 1976, Micro Focus is a
global company with principal offices in the
United Kingdom, United States and Japan. For
more information, visit www.microfocus.com.
17
Micro Focus
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