COBOL :: Essays Papers

COBOLIn the summer of 1998, St Louis Public Schools ( SLPS ) chose to convert be its IBM System/390 central processing unit to a client server environment. Not further was the SLPS affected but the Public School Retirement System ( PSRS ) was withal affected since they use their central processing unit arrangement.PSRS started looking for a solution for their touch on requirements. They were debating on weather to obtain an existing package to replace their system If they did would the be able to convert it to support how they run their business, or would they live to change how they conduct business to match the clean packet. They were also woolly-headed as to what new equipment might have to be purchased since they currently were test on older standalone workstations without a server. The organization obstinate to purchase new workstations, a server, a high-speed networked laser printer and Windows/2000 workstation and server components. repayable to the organiz ations small size they elected to hire two contract parcel engineers to assist in the modulation, as well as process yr end systems.The company also had to select a programming language, they decided on COBOL, the SLPS had a free copy of Micro Focus solve pull out COBOL called the University Edition. It is available for schools to utilize in a classroom situation. The package was reviewed, it was decided that it would be adequate for their needs. It had features necessary to satisfy the requirements. Net Express is a Windows based product that is extremely powerful.That mainframe COBOL code organise the basis of the conversion, The conversion consisted mostly of modifying select statements, CICS code, some program calls to mainframe support routines, compare statements also had to be checked for sequence problems ensuring that a mainframe if statements of equal to or greater than were still valid for an ASCII based environment. The company found Downloading software an d data files from the mainframe relatively easy, they used a mainframe accession program called Extra Packed fields were unpacked on the mainframe, downloaded to the server, and repacked if necessary.After the conversion took place the next task was to conduct year-end processing. This involved many tasks for the organizations, including closing out of last years business, income tax, providing information to our retirees, allowing for Open Enrollment for unlike insurance plans, and providing data to our actuarial firm to assist in reenforcement and benefit decisions.