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Why would I want to do a language conversion?
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Why would I want to do a system migration?
The main reason to migrate your system or application is simply to
modernize your current environment. Many factors can influence this
decision, including but not limited to the following:
- Support. The availability
of support for both legacy platforms and legacy
languages will continue to decline.
- Developer Availability. The pool of
programmers familiar with legacy technology will continue
to decline.
- Cost. Migrating from
one system platform to another can save money in operating costs. Also,
a language conversion may save money in runtime costs.
- Performance/Speed. Migrating from
one system platform to another can improve the speed at which jobs and
operations run.
- Market Expansion. Porting your application to a
different platform may help you expand your customer
base.
- Feature Availability. Different platforms and
languages may offer different functionality (e.g., web
integration, hardware availability, etc.).
- Third-Party Product Availability. Different
software
products may be available on other platforms.
If any of these factors are pertinent to your current situation, contact
Datatek to discuss available options. Datatek can evaluate your
environment and recommend a solution that fits your specific
needs. Additionally, Datatek uses automated
conversion tools, which offer numerous advantages,
including speed, efficiency, and reliability. If you are interested in improving your IT system, please
contact us for more information.
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Is your conversion
service a full turnkey
solution?
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Is your migration
service a full turnkey solution?
Yes, Datatek is responsible for returning to the customer a working
system or application that is functionally identical to the
original. The customer's only responsibilities are to provide the
appropriate site-specific information (files, databases, etc.)
and to perform the qualification.
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Why convert my existing application when I can switch to a software
package?
Software packages often seem like easy solutions, promising a new
and better way. But before you embrace the "out with the old
and in with the new" adage, be sure to consider what you're
really getting. Package replacements are
often expensive; however; the real expense lies not in the
purchasing price, but in the long-term cost of change to your business.
Though some packages may appear to offer similar functionality
and/or a variety of new
features, they were not designed with your business in mind. Differences will
exist and these differences will affect your business. For instance, your
business will most likely have to modify its processes and
practices to accommodate for differences in implementation.
Additionally, the package
may have to be modified to accommodate for gaps in functionality,
thereby increasing your total replacement
cost. Another change to consider is support. With a software
package, you will not have the same level of control over the
application as you did before. Instead, you will be at the mercy of the
vendor and the limited functionality that they provide. How will your business be
impacted by these changes? That answer will depend on many other
factors, but the point is this: you shouldn't change your business
to accommodate your software.
Your company has spent considerable manpower and money designing/maintaining your current application so
that it fits your
business processes (e.g., certain functionality is handled by certain modules, information is
available at a certain level of granularity). So, keep your
investment by modernizing your application
via an automated
conversion. Automated conversions are quick, efficient, and
cost-effective. They allow you
- to keep the look and
feel of your application without major modification,
- to eliminate
and minimize retraining for your
users and support staff,
- to reduce the downtime that so often
accompanies change,
- and, in many cases, to incorporate additional
functionality into your application.
If you would like more information on how Datatek can help you
retain your investment while modernizing your application,
contact a
technical specialist today for a free quote.
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What if we've outgrown our application and need new
functionality?
Datatek can frequently provide additional functionality as part of the
conversion process. Datatek understands that a business's
application must remain current, reflecting the needs of the
business. If your current application seems outdated,
contact
a technical specialist at Datatek to discuss options that may be
available (e.g., modernizing the user interface, updating database
data fields, modifying the screen layout, changing the underlying
data access method, etc.).
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How can I modernize my legacy applications?
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How can I extend the capabilities of my legacy applications?
Several options exist for modernizing or extending the
capabilities of your legacy application; however, they are all
dependent on details particular to your site. If all or some of your
applications are written in an outdated language, a complete or
partial language conversion may increase your efficiency and
speed, as well as broaden the availability of support personnel. If your
applications are sitting on a legacy platform,
migrating to an
Open System may improve your performance. Perhaps you're
still using character-based terminals and want to
improve your interface by adding GUI functionality. Regardless of
your needs and/or limitations,
Datatek can help you find a solution that will improve your legacy
applications. Contact us today to
talk to a technical specialist.
[Email now]
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We have coding standards
in place for new code. Can you convert the code to use these standards?
Yes, Datatek can meet existing or designated coding
standards. We can even match the coding methodology used in existing code (use of
specific/custom types of objects for certain operations). Because we use
automated
conversion tools, the formatting and
object use will be consistent across all source files.
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Is the converted code easy to work with?
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How maintainable will the converted code be?
Datatek's goal is to provide a high-quality
conversion that produces consistent, maintainable code. It is for
this reason that our automated conversion tools have been
designed to allow us to match the customer's coding specifications.
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What if the target language doesn't support all the features
of the original
language?
Some code conversions make more sense than others
because some operations are more easily accomplished in one language than
another. As part of the code conversion
service, Datatek can evaluate your current environment and recommend a
conversion solution that fits your specific situation. For instance,
you may
have modules or libraries that would be better served by a different
language. If a
specific language is not available, alternatives can be
provided.
Always, Datatek's goal is to provide a
high level of quality and maintainable code.
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What happens if something isn't converted correctly?
Datatek is responsible for the conversion process; therefore, any
conversion errors encountered will be resolved during the
qualification phase of the conversion. Because Datatek uses an
automated conversion
process, modifications can be made quickly and across-the-board.
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Do automated conversions
cost less than manual rewrites?
Unless you are dealing with only a few thousand lines of code, an automated
conversion will be
significantly
less expensive in both time and effort than a manual rewrite.
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What are the pitfalls of a manual migration?
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What are the advantages of doing an
automated conversion versus a manual rewrite?
Automated conversions offer several distinct advantages
over manual rewrites.
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Automated conversions are fast. Manual rewrites can
very easily take man-years to complete because the logic of the
legacy code must be evaluated before it's converted to the new
language. Then, the
compile | test | modify
cycle begins, which can
also be a lengthy process since modifications must be made
one line at a time rather than across the entire body of
code.
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Automated conversions are consistent. Multiple developers
manually converting code can lead to a lack of coding consistency
(e.g., different programmers will write constructs differently). In addition,
the modifications may not be made consistently throughout the
body of code.
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Automated conversions are reliable. When a
conversion bug is fixed, it's fixed throughout the entire body of code.
When a bug is fixed manually (often times by multiple
developers), all instances of the bug may not be found.
Additionally, human error can sometimes lead to the further introduction
of bugs.
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Automated conversions are adaptable. The speed and accuracy of the
automated compile | test |
modify cycle allows developers greater flexibility than
that afforded by the manual rewrite process. Sections of code
can be quickly added
and/or removed
throughout the conversion cycle, thus allowing for immediate
feedback. Manual rewrites do not permit such luxuries.
Datatek has developed tools that perform automated language conversions that accomplish
far more than their tedious,
time-consuming alternative. Using these tools, Datatek can help you retain your
investment while maximizing the potential of current languages. [Email now] [Back
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What is the price of a
typical language conversion project?
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How is the cost of
a code conversion project determined?
The price of a language conversion is dependent on many
site-specific issues. The
following list contains the most common criteria used by Datatek
when determining a price:
- the amount of code to be
converted
- the number of operating system
dependencies
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the number of hardware dependencies
- data access issues
- the number of languages
to be converted
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the language(s) being converted
from and to
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additional vendor costs (e.g. license and
runtime costs)
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the amount of third-party product integration
required
- the amount of project
management required
- the amount of formal
customer training required
If you are interested in pricing for a specific project,
please contact Datatek for a free quote or estimate.
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Can I buy your converter
product/tool?
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Why does Datatek do language conversions only as a service?
We have found that a general purpose
converter tool used as a stand-alone product does
not provide a satisfactory solution for language conversion. In
order to provide the best possible code conversion, we
customize our tools to interact with the site's environment as
well as to accommodate for site-specific changes.
Additionally, even though our converters have a successful
conversion rate of over 99%, a small amount of hand-coding is
almost always necessary to produce the quality of code that we demand.
Dedicated to
maintaining a high level of standards with
regard to our products and services, Datatek believes that these
factors necessitate that language conversion be offered as a
service to ensure an outcome that meets and/or exceeds the
expectations of the client. The benefits of having a programmer who specializes in language
migrations customize the converter to produce readable,
maintainable code that matches the client's coding specifications
cannot be overstated. [Back to
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How do I deal with systems that are programmed in a language
that no one in-house
knows?
Obtaining legacy language support is a common problem. What
was considered cutting-edge technology 10 to 25 years ago is
considered old-school technology today. Languages that had been
routinely taught are no longer part of the college curriculum. Experienced
developers in these older languages are either retiring from the
workforce or are switching to a newer technology field out of
fear of technical obsolescence. As a result, the
number of available
personnel to support many older systems continues to dwindle. By converting
your legacy code to a more widely used industry-standard language, you
will benefit from a larger pool of qualified programmers. Datatek
has the knowledge and experience to help you easily make this
transition. Quotes are free so contact
Datatek today and start your move to a language
that can be easily supported. [Email now] [Back
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How do I deal with my legacy systems if the younger workforce does
not have skills in legacy
technologies?
Applications written in
older languages are sometimes dependent on the proprietary operating
system and/or
hardware. Unfortunately, many of these
languages are no longer part of the college curriculum. Experienced
developers in these languages are either retiring from the workforce
or are switching to a newer technology field. As a result, the
number of available personnel to support many older systems
continues to dwindle.
Obviously, alternatives are site-specific. For instance, if you are on a
legacy platform that is no longer supported, you may want to consider a
platform migration. The combination of the new platform and your
application's current programming language will determine whether you
will need any type of language conversion. For instance,
applications written in assembler will have to be converted if they
are to be moved
to an Open System. If you are not in a position to move
platforms, yet are unable to find support for your applications, you
may want to consider a language conversion only. For instance, you
may have several applications running in PL/I that would be better
served in C/C++.
As you can see, solutions
exist that can ultimately save money, improve performance, and
increase the availability of support personnel. As with any
complex issue, all options cannot be listed here. Please contact
a technical specialist at Datatek for more information.[Email now] [Back to Top]
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How easy is it to migrate a legacy system?
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Why shouldn't I just migrate the system myself?
The key to a successful migration is migration
experience. You must know the differences between the existing
system and the new system, identify the changes required for the
application to be moved, and be able to implement the necessary
modifications. Consider the following list of typical migration
issues:
- the language extensions
provided by the legacy language compiler will most likely not be
available on the new system
- system calls
and shell commands utilized in
your programs may not be available on the new system
- data format (field sizes and alignments,
big/little endian issues)
- data access (databases and flat files)
- there may be differences in the
arguments for system calls and shell commands
- the system configuration will, most
certainly, be different
- addressing and handling devices
- printing functionality
- different system program locations
- environmental differences
- program execution differences
- differences in vendor-specific language and
database features
Some of
these differences may only show up at runtime, which can have
serious implications if the application is not tested adequately.Datatek
has a decade of experience in system migrations. Experts on legacy
code and Open Systems, Datatek's
staff has the knowledge and experience to move you to a new system in
a short period of time. Additionally, Datatek has developed
conversion tools that automate
most of the migration process, which greatly increases the speed and
efficiency of the migration as well as guarantees the reliability of
the final product. With a suite of products,
tools, and services, Datatek can provide a smooth and seamless
transition to your new system. [Email now] [Back
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Why shouldn't I just outsource my migration from a legacy system?
Frequently, the motivation to outsource is cost savings.
If cost
is guiding you, it's important for you to know that our prices are
competitive. In addition, we offer significant benefits that
outsourcing companies cannot match. To effectively compare various
migration options,
consider the following factors:
- Will the conversion be
automated
or will it be a manual rewrite?
If the process is done manually, don't expect clean,
consistent code. Hand coding and multiple programmers
typically lead to errors and problems in consistency.
- Does the company have real experience
in legacy technology? Can they offer elegant and intelligent
solutions? Some migrations are done by people who
have access to manuals, but who don't have any hands-on
experience with the language they are converting.
- Consider the location of the company.
Will their location adversely affect their support?
- What is the reputation of the company?
Will your code be secure?
- What is the time frame for the migration?
How much involvement
will be expected of your staff? How much downtime will your
business experience? Will retraining
be an issue?
Datatek is a leader in the migration business with a reputation
for fast and responsive support. Experts in both legacy and new
technology, Datatek staff can move your applications off of your
legacy system in a short period of time. Using its automated
code converters, Datatek produces a high-quality converted product
that is consistent and maintainable. If you are considering any
type of conversion or migration project,
contact
the migration
specialists at Datatek. [Email now] [Back
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How can I cost effectively move my legacy application
to a new platform?
The most cost effective way to move your legacy application
to
a new platform is to automate the conversion.
Automated
conversions cost less than manual code conversions and they are
far more accurate. Even if you are not changing languages, your code
will most likely have to be
modified to accommodate vendor-specific features on the new platform
and can therefore benefit from
the automation process.
Whether you are interested in moving your application to a
different platform, converting your application to a different
programming language, or both, Datatek has the necessary
experience to meet your specific needs. Using our automated code
converter tools, we
can migrate your entire system in a short period of time. You can
trust the
migration specialists at Datatek to provide a smooth and seamless
transition. Contact Datatek today for a
free quote. [Email now] [Back
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How much involvement will be required by my development staff during the
migration process?
In an effort to create a smooth transition process that is
financially feasible, Datatek will involve your IT staff only where
needed, allowing them, as much as possible, to keep their regular work routine.
Initially, your IT staff will be responsible for providing Datatek with
needed files, databases, and source code. Once this responsibility
has been fulfilled, their involvement will be minimal until
after the conversion phase has been completed. At this point, they will
use their expertise in the application's functionality to qualify the
converted application. During qualification, Datatek will fix all
conversion-related errors as they are found. Once all errors are
reported and resolved, your staff will make
a final qualification of the converted application.
[Click
here to see the steps involved in a typical migration.]
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How much disruption is there to my users when changing to the
converted application or moving off the legacy system?
The migration off the legacy system should be seamless to your
non-IT employees. Unless
modifications to the user interface
were requested, they may never know a
change has taken place.
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Can you convert my data access to Oracle or some other
modern relational database?
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Can Datatek convert my hierarchical database to a
relational database?
Yes, because Datatek has developed and
maintained both a relational and a hierarchical data manager, Datatek has the tools, knowledge, and
expertise to move your database application to a modern relational
data manager. Please contact a
technical specialist at Datatek for more information. [Email now] [Back
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Can Datatek move my legacy system to J2EE or Microsoft's .NET?
Yes. Datatek can customize
its conversion tools to separate your application into components
compatible with J2EE or the .NET framework. This is a highly
customized transformation. For more information, please contact
Datatek and a technical specialist will provide you with a free
quote that is tailored to fit your specific needs. [Email now]
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