DataStage vs COBOL

vnspn · Post by **vnspn** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:03 pm

Hi,

We are planning to build a new application using DataStage for transforming the data based on the business need. A part of the application is already available in Mainframes on COBOL programs.

As investment in DS is a big decision, our boss puts questions like what are the advantages of designing the new application on DataStage instead of enhancing the existing one on the Mainframes. He thinks of, apart from GUI interface what would be the benefit of switching to the DS platform.

He questions that COBOL too processes the records sequentially, the way DS is going to handle it. What all would be the reasons to substantiate / justify that going into DataStage platform is better than programming in COBOL. Please provide your ideas / suggestions.

Thanks.

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:10 pm

No advantage at all in moving to DataStage, if you have, and will continue to have, the skilled resources to maintain the COBOL applications. Can that be guaranteed? It's more likely, in ten years time, that there will be a big pool of DataStage developers around than a big pool of COBOL programmers.

Then again, COBOL has proven remarkably resilient over the years, and was given a big boost by the Y2K non-event.

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:11 pm

Agreed. Use DataStage 390 when you have no COBOL programming resources available, that's where the advantage lies.

Amazing... COBOL was a 'dead' language way back when I was doing it in the 80's. The main processing systems here are all 'COBOL over Oracle' behemoths. Make that more like UNdead!

[grrrr!!! argggg!!]

kris007 · Post by **kris007** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:11 pm

DS390 is better in a way to maintain and build the code easily.. ultimately it generates the COBOL code which needs to be executed in mainframes like anyother COBOL code.. but in terms of development its much easier I believe..
IHTH
Krish..

vmcburney · Post by **vmcburney** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:13 pm

Don't forget DataStage for Unix System Services on the mainframe. This is a massively parallel product that really leverages the muscle of a mainframe and does not need to generate COBOL code. Might be cheaper than the 360 and you can leverage it for off mainframe processing as well.

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:20 pm

The only place you're going to find a 360 these days is in a museum! (Probably in the archaeology department!) I can remember.....

Jorn · Post by **Jorn** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:22 am

we are in a big project now to replace cobol with DataStage, and we are also moving the application to AIX, which is cheaper than MVS platform.

The main reasons for moving ang using datastage

Documentation.
Metadata.
Easier to maintain end enhance in the future.
Reasorses/programers in the future.

But we are not replacing all the cobol/JCL at once but running the cobol/jcl from datastage and implemeting all new functionality through datastage.

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:30 am

ray.wurlod wrote: The only place you're going to find a 360 these days is in a museum!

Hey, I've got one down in my living room. Err... wait...

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:33 am

Jorn wrote:we are in a big project now to replace cobol with DataStage, and we are also moving the application to AIX, which is cheaper than MVS platform.

The migration to another platform is key in your decision. For someone not changing platforms (like the OP) and needing to continue to maintain / enhance their existing COBOL with their existing pool of COBOL coders... I don't really see the need. YMMV.

DSguru2B · Post by **DSguru2B** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:51 am

So Craig, you have a 360 huh, you seem more like a, WII person

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:44 am

I'd have one of those, too, if I could find one in a dang store.

And btw... what's a "Wii person"? A leprechaun?

DSguru2B · Post by **DSguru2B** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:58 am

Not in stores yet, they are all over the place. Ok well I am more like an internet shopper so they are present online.
A Wii person is more like....I dont know, just a Wii person

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:12 pm

Nac Mac Feegle!

(The Wee Free Men)