Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs

Céline Deknop; Johan Fabry; Kim Mens; Vadim Zaytsev

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-64148-1_17

Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs

Céline Deknop^*, Johan Fabry, Kim Mens, Vadim Zaytsev

^*Corresponding author for this work

Formal Methods and Tools

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

121 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Software written in legacy programming languages is notoriously ubiquitous and often comprises business-critical portions of codebases and portfolios. Some of these languages, like COBOL, mature, grow, and acquire modern tooling that makes maintenance activities more bearable. Others, like many fourth generation languages (4GLs), stagnate and become obsolete and unmaintained, which first urges and eventually forces migrating to other languages, if the software needs to be kept in production. In this paper, we dissect a software modernisation process endorsed by Raincode Labs, utilised in particular to migrate software from a 4GL called PACBASE, to pure COBOL. Having migrated upwards of 500 MLOC of production code to COBOL using this process, the company has ample experience with this process. Nevertheless, we identify some improvement points and explain the technical side of a possible solution, based on migration log differencing, that is currently being put to the test by Raincode migration engineers.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Product-Focused Software Process Improvement
Subtitle of host publication	21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Turin, Italy, November 25–27, 2020, Proceedings
Editors	Maurizio Morisio, Marco Torchiano, Andreas Jedlitschka
Place of Publication	Cham
Publisher	Springer
Pages	270-286
Number of pages	17
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-030-64148-1
ISBN (Print)	978-3-030-64147-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64148-1_17
Publication status	Published - 21 Nov 2020
Event	21st International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement, PROFES 2020 - Virtual Event, Turin, Italy Duration: 25 Nov 2020 → 27 Nov 2020 Conference number: 21

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher	Springer
Volume	12562
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	21st International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement, PROFES 2020
Abbreviated title	PROFES 2020
Country/Territory	Italy
City	Turin
Period	25/11/20 → 27/11/20

Keywords

4GL
COBOL
Code differencing
Legacy programming languages
PACBASE
Software evolution
Software migration
Software modernisation
22/2 OA procedure

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-030-64148-1_17

Deknop2020improvingFinal published version, 1.63 MBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

Deknop, C., Fabry, J., Mens, K., & Zaytsev, V. (2020). Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs. In M. Morisio, M. Torchiano, & A. Jedlitschka (Eds.), Product-Focused Software Process Improvement: 21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Turin, Italy, November 25–27, 2020, Proceedings (pp. 270-286). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 12562). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64148-1_17

Deknop, Céline ; Fabry, Johan ; Mens, Kim et al. / Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs. Product-Focused Software Process Improvement: 21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Turin, Italy, November 25–27, 2020, Proceedings. editor / Maurizio Morisio ; Marco Torchiano ; Andreas Jedlitschka. Cham : Springer, 2020. pp. 270-286 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

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Deknop, C, Fabry, J, Mens, K & Zaytsev, V 2020, Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs. in M Morisio, M Torchiano & A Jedlitschka (eds), Product-Focused Software Process Improvement: 21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Turin, Italy, November 25–27, 2020, Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 12562, Springer, Cham, pp. 270-286, 21st International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement, PROFES 2020, Turin, Italy, 25/11/20. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64148-1_17

Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs. / Deknop, Céline; Fabry, Johan; Mens, Kim et al.
Product-Focused Software Process Improvement: 21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Turin, Italy, November 25–27, 2020, Proceedings. ed. / Maurizio Morisio; Marco Torchiano; Andreas Jedlitschka. Cham: Springer, 2020. p. 270-286 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 12562).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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AB - Software written in legacy programming languages is notoriously ubiquitous and often comprises business-critical portions of codebases and portfolios. Some of these languages, like COBOL, mature, grow, and acquire modern tooling that makes maintenance activities more bearable. Others, like many fourth generation languages (4GLs), stagnate and become obsolete and unmaintained, which first urges and eventually forces migrating to other languages, if the software needs to be kept in production. In this paper, we dissect a software modernisation process endorsed by Raincode Labs, utilised in particular to migrate software from a 4GL called PACBASE, to pure COBOL. Having migrated upwards of 500 MLOC of production code to COBOL using this process, the company has ample experience with this process. Nevertheless, we identify some improvement points and explain the technical side of a possible solution, based on migration log differencing, that is currently being put to the test by Raincode migration engineers.

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Deknop C, Fabry J, Mens K, Zaytsev V. Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs. In Morisio M, Torchiano M, Jedlitschka A, editors, Product-Focused Software Process Improvement: 21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Turin, Italy, November 25–27, 2020, Proceedings. Cham: Springer. 2020. p. 270-286. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-64148-1_17

Improving a Software Modernisation Process by Differencing Migration Logs

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Keywords

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