Everything you need for mainframe modernization.
Automation, Visibility and Control.
Modernize your Mainframe or Mixed environment with a modern IDE, contemporary version control, package -and release-based build, automated deployment, approvals and Application Life Cycle Management.
How it works
Our LCM solutions are based on our IKAN ALM framework. This generic framework provides, besides integrations with issue tracking and versioning functionalities, the following uniform core services: life cycle management, build and deploy facilities, and approval and notification services.
Our LCM solutions can be tailored to any platform or environment. By putting in place a fully automated, repeatable, documented and verifiable release and deploy process, you will be able to concentrate on your real need: developing code.
Process flow
- 1IDE
A developer uses an IDE to develop a program
- 2VCR
Once finished, the developer commits his program to the VCR
- 3IKAN ALM
Creates a package to compile and deploy the program
- 4IKAN ALM
Scans the program to identify properties: CICS, DB2,...
- 5IKAN ALM
Generates JCL, based on identified properties and defined extras (e.g. Debug,..)
- 6z/OS
The submitted JCL is executed on z/OS
- 7IKAN ALM
Collects results, load modules, DBRM’s and compile listings.
- 8IKAN ALM
Deploys to z/OS to any DTAP mainframe environment (see below)
Solution components
LCM framework
IKAN ALM is our open, web-based, platform -and environment independent Application Lifecycle Management solution which organizes and controls the complete application lifecycle process.
IKAN ALM lets you define life cycles, manage the build and deploy processes and set up approvals and notifications. It perfectly integrates with most common version control repositories and issue tracking systems.
Model-driven Build & Deploy scripts
IKAN ALM for z/OS is based on our Model-driven approach. This means that our z/OS solution phases, which handle compilation, DB2 Binds, CICS updates, debugging (and more...), are driven by customizable JCL models and related parameter files.
This approach makes Mainframe environment modeling very easy.
Support for all Mainframe DTAP configurations
In IKAN ALM you can create as many Mainframe environments as you want. An environment on a z/OS machine, called an LPAR, is used for compilation and deployment.
Works for z/OS environments with...
Product features
Customizable Life Cycle
Automated workflow to drive a continuous flow of activity through the development lifecycle and efficient coordination and streamlining of development changes.
Package -and Release-based Build (Compile)
The framework supports Release -and Package-based builds. Once the release is built, it is stored as an archive for later use.
Automated Deployment
The automated deployment process moves the release to the appropriate Test or Production environment. That is done using pre-defined, yet customizable, Build and Deploy scripts which we call "Solution Phases" (specific for Mainframe) and which are imported in the framework.
Approvals & Notifications
As an additional service, you can make your deployments pre- or post-approval based, and you can get notified by mail of any successful or failed build or deploy.
Integrations & Test automation
Apart from the standard services, our solution also contains a generic Issue Tracking System (JIRA, Bugzilla,..) plug-in. Software tests are automated by triggering 3d party testing tools and evaluating the results.
Audit
Test your COBOL program before moving it to Production to make sure no Copybooks or Routines have been changed in the meantime.
Impact Analysis
Analyze the impact of a source component on others. This provides us an overview on the relationship between components.
Easy to implement, and to access from anywhere
Enterprise-wide (Mainframe + Distributed)
Do your applications have a distributed front-end (Java, .NET,...) and a Mainframe back-end? You can manage and release all your applications with the same application.
Compliancy and security
We support the use of process standards (enterprises with strict regulations). User Access Control is handled by your company’s own security system.
- Compliancy: CMM, ITIL, Six SigmaTM, Sarbanes-Oxley.
- Security: Active Directory, LDAP, Kerberos, ...
Web-based
A multilingual web-based interface allows you to control your mainframe application life cycle from within your browser. No need to install any client software.
Modernize your mainframe to release faster and cheaper
Higher quality
As developers will version their code and as parallel development is supported you will have a more sound code base. Managing the many different releases and hot fixes becomes fast, transparent and reliable.
More frequent deploys
A complete and automated process (build, deploy, approval and notification) is triggered once a developer commits his code to the version control repository. This process is reliable, repeatable and auditable so you can deploy more frequently.
Earnings and Savings
More frequent and qualitative deploys means happy business people since they'll have their desired functionality available faster. The automated process eliminates human mistakes and allows people to do more interesting work. A true win/win.
It’s easy, see how it works
Creating a new mainframe project
Mainframe Life Cycle setup
Mainframe deploy environment phases
z/OS phase parameters overview
z/OS development environment in Eclipse
Committing z/OS Cobol to Subversion
Executing a z/OS build in Eclipse
Successful z/OS build level request
Deploying a mainframe package to a Test environment
Build and Deployment history of a mainframe package
Life Cycle Management for z/OS (video)
Register for a free live demo to see how it works!
Get a live demoWe will show you the possibilities of modern mainframe development and answer any question you may have.
What our customers are saying
Antonio Motta - ICT infrastructure manager, RMA (Italy)
"Our goal was to have one product, that managed the whole build and deploy process for all the platforms we used to deliver our IT services. We saved more than 2/3 on the software maintenance cost."
Jim McGrath - Data Warehouse Manager, Constellation Brands (USA)
"My internal team was excited about the possibilities your software offers and is anxious to hear next steps. Additionally, you should know that I have ensured my team knows the level of effort and support your team has provided.
It is hands down the best support I have seen from any vendor I’ve worked with."
Willy Mutsaerts - Technology Architect and Software asset management, P&V (Belgium)
"IKAN ALM allowed us to modernize our mainframe development as we wanted to use an eclipse based development environment and needed to have a compatible life cycle management solution to replace our current mainframe only version control software.
And IKAN ALM allowed us to interface with the mainframe and has extensive customization possibilities."
Watch Mr. Mutsaerts talk about IKAN ALM:
Jerome Rouil - IT Team Manager, GMF COVEA group (France)
"We did a POC to verify if IKAN ALM could support our different ways of deploying (on different types of platforms), our current way of doing development and the build and deploy scripts we were currently using.
IKAN ALM allows us to work from everywhere, and to reuse existing scripts. We could use our existing security system (LDAP), SMTP for messaging and notifications.
We use IKAN ALM for all our JAVA applications and SAS reporting that are deployed to 30 different locations"