Conversion Project Description

Project Definition

Initial setup:

At the start of the project agreement is established on various topics, including:

	Project management processes
	Target dates and milestones
	m2o responsibilities
	Company responsibilities
	Test data provision
	Testing criteria

Data Conversion

Datacom Dataview Definitions:

As a first stage in the conversion process, m2o will take your Datacom dataview definitions as the basis for generating equivalent SQL table and view definitions. These are then used to generate Datacom CA-IDEAL unload programs and COBOL SQL load programs. COBOL copy files for the data definition of host variables are also generated.

 
Both these sets of programs are then tested and refined, to ensure that any application or operating environment issues are dealt with correctly.
 

Data Dictionary

The basis for conversion of program code is the m2o Data Dictionary. This gives a complete picture of all data name references in the application together with details of each data element, such as data type, length, structure and value.
 

Configuring the Conversion Environment

The I2C conversion environment supports many destination platforms and source format options. The conversion environment is totally configurable.

 
m2o will configure the conversion software to match the individual clients requirements. Such options include support for the use of the mouse pointer and user definable screen colours.

 
By changing the components that make up the conversion stream we are able to format the generated source code in accordance with the client's requirements.
Such configuration options include the insertion of generated copy code and version control information.

The Conversion Environment

Once the converter has been configured there are three steps in performing the conversion. All of these steps are function key driven from the I2C main menu.
The load screen, which is accessed by pressing function key one from the main menu, shows all of the source files that have not yet been loaded or if there is a later version of the source that is to be loaded.

 
To initiate the conversion process the user may enter an optional mask, which is used to determine the files that are to be converted. By pressing function key four, from the main I2C menu, the user may start the conversion.

 
Using function key six, from the I2C main menu, it is possible to review the I2C generated log files. These contain information relating to problems that arise while loading CA-IDEAL source into the conversion environment. These may include missing source files, etc.

 
When a CA-IDEAL program is converted the system generates a log file for each program. These log files contain information relating to any errors encountered during the conversion process.

Using function key seven, from the I2C main menu, the user has the option to extract all successfully converted source from the conversion environment into a ZIP file.
 

JCL

m2o technical staff will help and advise the client's staff in the conversion of any JCL that may be required.

Unit & System Testing

Prior to the despatch of converted code to the client, m2o staff normally perform unit testing. Any problems that relate to the conversion process, encountered during the system testing performed by the client, should be reported to m2o and accompanied by a test script which will allow m2o technical staff to re-create the problem.

Hardware and Software Requirements

m2o and the customer need to establish similar environments to eliminate site-specific problems. This will largely be accomplished during the pilot phase, however a number of areas may need to be verified:

	Terminal emulation software must be the same
	The different monitors used by the customer must be available at m2o's site
	Data must be easily transferable between MVS and the target platform/RDBMS (it is suggested that test files are transferred as soon as possible)
	m2o needs to know the exact versions of the target databases and languages

Responsibilities

THE CLIENT The customer will need to assign certain staff, equipment and expertise to the project. The client's responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

	Export the programs, panels and reports from CA-IDEAL
	Export the BTG and Dataview definitions from CA-Datacom
	Export COBOL programs and associated copybooks
	Verify and approve the Oracle table definitions created by m2o
	Import, compile and run the data extract programs
	Run the data load programs on customer's testing machines
	Be responsible for establishing a testing environment, including user accounts, database environments, network access
	Provide test scripts for m2o testers
	Test the programs in a timely manner
	Provide error reports to m2o staff during testing
	Provide system programmer and DBA support when required
	Provide application users for questions and testing
	Provide documentation where available
	Provide COBOL programmers for training
	Adjust MVS JCL scripts based on m2o example shell scripts
	Establishment of parallel test and production implementation procedures

m2o's responsibilities will include:

	Creating the target table, view and index definitions based on information provided by the customer
	Creation of unload and load programs to migrate the data, including identifying any existing data errors
	Adjust the load programs to handle data errors subject to specification by the customer. For example if invalid dates exist what action should occur to these occurrences will be specified by the customer and included in the load programs
	Conversion of CA-IDEAL programs, panels and reports
	Conversion of DBNTRY programs
	Establishment of a mirror system at m2o's offices for testing and development when required
	Providing base and template shell scripts to replace MVS JCL scripts
	Provide replacement modules to the CA-IDEAL built-in functions
	Provide advice on implementation considerations