As usual, it depends on how far forward the original "monster application' designers looked (or not...). If the core business logic is separated from the "presentation layer" (i.e., if the business logic is well separated from the 3270 screen processing logic), it might be possible to directly re-engineer it with an HTML layer in place of the 3270 layer.
If the screen-handling and the business logic are tightly woven together, not so easy at all. I have no experience at all with IMS applications, much less with interfacing them to web browsers, but if the "business function" is well separated from the "user interaction" parts, it should be possible. Such projects are never easy, though. Sometimes, unfortunately, the best decision (financially and time-wise) is to start over from scratch. For a staff with limited z/OS skills, that could result in a project to move completely off of z/OS. Those kinds of projects have a very high rate of failure. One other possibility is the use of one of the several "3270-to-browser" conversion products I think are out there, which (if I understand the functions provided) take your 3270 screen inputs and outputs and convert them back and forth in a web browser. Not pretty, and almost certainly affects round-trip time from "enter" to results screen, but supposedly quite functional. All I can say is good luck. You're going to need it. Peter -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sanya Off Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 4:56 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Innovating an old IMS 3270-based application Folks, I wonder if some of you may share the experience and opinions with regards to approaching a grand task of making an old IMS-based monster application more friendlier to users and developers: - users want web-based access; - developers are limited in their skills (particularly, z/OS skills) Specifically, I think of using MQ to intercept/separate 3270-bound flow... Any advice? I'd be grateful... A.I. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail and delete the message and any attachments from your system. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
