Why You Should Use the Assess Application Migration Tool

When considering application migration from mainframe DB2 to SQL Server, you need answers to these important questions:
  • How fast can I get my application migrated, up, and running on SQL Server?
  • How do I figure out how heavily my application relies on mainframe technology?
  • How can I eventually eliminate all reliance on mainframe technology such that my application uses SQL Server exclusively?
The Assess Application Migration tool helps you to analyze your COBOL and PL/I code with these questions in mind, and provides valuable information that guides you in determining the best migration option for your application. Using HCOSS, you have several options. You can:
Migrate your code as-is to SQL Server
Use this option if your goal is to get up and running as quickly as possible with SQL Server, without a dependency on mainframe compatibility or behavior. This is a great option if you have few statements to remediate, and you want to eliminate mainframe behavior dependency immediately.
Migrate using the HCOSS Code Conversion tool
Use this option if your goal is to automate the migration process as much as possible, thereby reducing the amount of time it takes to get your application up and running. The Code Conversion tool automatically translates DB2 SQL statements to T-SQL statements compatible with SQL Server, where possible. However, you might still be required to remediate some statements with this approach.
Migrate converted DB2 statements to SQL Server statements
Use this option if you want to identify all SQL DB2 statements that require conversion to SQL Server statements to ensure 100% SQL Server compatibility after migration, and manually convert that code before migration. Contact Micro Focus SupportLine for more information on this approach.
Migrate your original code using HCOSS without the BIND option
Use this option if your goal is to get up and running as quickly as possible with SQL Server, but you do not want to BIND your application. This approach requires that you remediate SQL package and plan statements.
Migrate your original code using full HOCSS functionality
Use this option if your goal is to get up and running as quickly as possible with SQL Server. This option exploits all HCOSS functionality and ensures that your application runs with mainframe compatibility.
We also recommend that you use the Assess Application Migration tool Data Analysis feature to analyze your schema extract files and identify structures that are not supported by SQL Server, or that could require manual modification before HCOSS can accurately transfer the data to SQL Server. Data analysis includes the identification of:
  • SQL data types
  • SQL Stored Procedures written in an unsupported application language
  • SQL Sequences
  • Defined Global Tables
  • SQL ALIAS objects
  • SQL SYNONYMS