Example workflows
Your organization may choose to use COBOL Upgrade Advisor for z/OS® in a variety of ways. This section describes common workflows for different use cases.
Gaining an understanding of the entire COBOL inventory across load libraries
Use the load library inventory scan to gain an understanding of the entire COBOL inventory. Include all your COBOL load libraries in the scan to get an overview that tells you exactly how many programs there are, what compilers the programs are built with, and what prerequisite tasks are needed for the upgrade. The report lists all the COBOL programs in the scan, including any programs that are not executed.
Planning and scoping the upgrade project
Use the load library inventory scan to plan the upgrade project. In the overview report, the load library scan flags potential critical prerequisite tasks that may be present, and lists the versions of the compilers used. This information can be used to help you prioritize programs to upgrade, and decide which programs are in scope for the upgrade.
- By running the application scan for each application at a time and following the upgrade recommendations to complete the upgrade (application by application approach)
- By running the load library scan for the entire COBOL inventory at once and using the program list and upgrade recommendations in the load library scan to complete the upgrade (program by program approach)
- By using both scans, the application scan for applications with complex upgrade tasks, and following the recommendations in the program list of the load library scan to upgrade the remaining programs
Learning how to upgrade specific applications
Use the application scan to determine what steps need to be taken to upgrade a specific application. This approach requires access to the run environment. The application scan lists the programs that make up the application, verifies if the program uses z/OS Language Environment®, shows the CPU consumption percentage, and the program page provides specific information on how to complete the upgrade.
Verifying that all programs have been upgraded
Use the load library scan to verify that all programs have been upgraded. The load library scans all the programs in the selected load libraries, and provides an easy way to double check that all programs have been fully upgraded and no programs have been missed. At a glance, see all the compiler versions the programs used, and if there are any remaining prerequisite tasks that have not been addressed.
Converting legacy COBOL programs to 85 COBOL Standard
Use the Smart code converter to convert legacy COBOL programs that require syntax updates for COBOL 6 compatibility. This approach leverages AI code assistant to automatically update legacy COBOL syntax while providing detailed explanations of the modifications applied. The Smart code converter identifies legacy syntax that requires conversion by analyzing the load library or application reports. It then uses the AI code assistant to convert the programs and presents a side-by-side comparison showing the differences between the original and converted code. After reviewing the proposed changes, save the converted programs to their original location on the mainframe.Identifying and resolving invalid data runtime errors
Use the invalid data detection scan to identify and address runtime issues in COBOL applications. The invalid data detection report provides insights into runtime messages, highlights invalid data errors, and leverages AI code assistance to fix errors efficiently. Once the invalid data detection scan is complete, you can use the runtime overview and detailed program analysis to understand runtime issues and decide on the best approach to address them.