Migration and Hybrid

Migrating Mainframes to AWS with AWS Mainframe Modernization - Replatforming and Refactoring

Learn about migration patterns for mainframe applications using Mainframe Modernization, and when to choose Blu Age versus Micro Focus.

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Overview of Mainframe Modernization

Mainframe Modernization is a service that supports the migration and modernization of mainframe COBOL/PL/I applications (often millions of lines of code) to AWS. It provides two approaches: replatforming (Micro Focus runtime) and refactoring (Blu Age automated conversion), enabling phased cloud migration of COBOL applications. The managed runtime environment executes mainframe batch jobs and online transactions.

Replatforming and Refactoring

Replatforming runs COBOL source code without modification by building a Micro Focus runtime environment on AWS. Migration is fast, and existing business logic is preserved as-is. Refactoring uses Blu Age to analyze COBOL/PL/I source code and automatically convert it to Java. The converted application is Spring Boot-based and can be deployed to ECS or Lambda. VSAM files are mapped to RDS or DynamoDB, JCL batch jobs to Step Functions, and CICS transactions to API Gateway + Lambda.

Testing and Phased Migration

Run application tests in the Mainframe Modernization managed runtime environment to verify behavioral compatibility with the mainframe. Test both COBOL program batch jobs and online transactions (CICS equivalent), comparing output results with mainframe results. In a phased migration, route some transactions to AWS while the mainframe continues handling the rest during a hybrid operation period. Data synchronization uses DMS with CDC (Change Data Capture) for real-time replication between the mainframe's DB2 and AWS RDS. To broaden your knowledge of migration projects, specialized books on Amazon can also be useful.

Mainframe Modernization Pricing

The replatforming managed runtime is billed by vCPU hours. The refactoring code conversion is billed by the number of converted code lines. Compared to mainframe MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second)-based licensing costs, AWS's pay-as-you-go model enables usage-based cost management. In the early stages of a migration project, build only development and test environments on AWS, then gradually scale down the mainframe after production migration to minimize the period of dual costs.

Summary

Mainframe Modernization supports mainframe migration to AWS through two approaches: replatforming (Micro Focus runtime) and refactoring (Blu Age automated conversion). The managed runtime environment executes COBOL batch jobs and online transactions, while DMS CDC enables phased data synchronization with the mainframe.

Related Services

AWS Mainframe ModernizationA service that helps migrate and modernize mainframe applications to AWSAWS Migration HubA service that centrally manages progress across multiple migration tools and visualizes the entire migration projectAmazon RDSA managed service providing relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle

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