Microsoft, Alchemy Solutions and Crystal Cruises Explain How to Modernize-as-You-Migrate from the Mainframe to .NET

Unique webinar demonstrates how mainframe businesses can succeed in today’s tough economic environment

Alchemy Solutions, Inc., (www.alchemysolutions.com) provider of legacy modernization solutions for Microsoft’s .NET Framework, in association with Microsoft will offer a unique opportunity to hear how Crystal Cruises successfully moved from their legacy mainframe to a modern .NET environment. The webinar will be held on 12th February at 8:00 am Pacific, see below for registration details.

In this webinar, titled “Exploring a Successful Modernization Project from Mainframe to .NET”, Boban Dragojilovic, vice president of computer services at Crystal Cruises, provides a white-board-aided explanation of their migration process, including the resulting architecture and modernization benefits of the Crystal Cruises move to .NET from the mainframe. Scott Rosenbloom, legacy modernization manager, Microsoft Corporation, will set the scene with an overview of the opportunities provided by this type of legacy modernization solution.

Crystal Cruises, a luxury cruise line, operated its ships with aging IBM 3090 mainframes that were tough to integrate with other systems, expensive, slow to operate — and about to fall out of service. Recognizing the opportunity to modernize while also avoiding an expensive upgrade, Crystal Cruises chose to port its custom code to a Microsoft® ASP.NET solution using Alchemy Solutions tools. This move was accomplished for about one fifth of the price of the mainframe upgrade. Modernized applications now easily integrate with off-the-shelf products and Crystal Cruise employees are enjoying the benefits of modern tools such as graphical data views and navigation. Additionally, the new solution provided dramatic performance improvements. In one example, a process that used to take an hour now completes in 90 seconds enabling the adoption of more effective business processes.

“The case for moving mainframe applications to .NET has never been stronger. With the current state of the economy, this option demands serious consideration as it can provide better performance and future prospects while saving organizations money,” comments Ron Langer. “Boban Dragojilovic at Crystal Cruises managed the move for their applications and has some great information and experiences to share. We are sure that both IT and business executives will find this webinar informative and time well spent.”

Crystal Cruises used the Neo family of products from Alchemy Solutions including:
NeoKicks – bringing CICS applications to the .NET world in a simple, stream-lined fashion that web-enables the screens, provides .NET scalability and positions the applications to take full advantage of the .NET Framework.
NeoBatch – migrating batch JCL to Windows.
NetCOBOL – providing the foundation of runtime-free, rock-steady reliable, compilation and execution of COBOL programs.

For a synopsis of Crystal Cruises experience see the Silverlight presentation at: http://www.microsoft.com/heroeshappenhere/crystal/default.html

To register for the webinar please visit : http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032402150&Culture=en-US

Don’t miss this opportunity to understand the challenges faced by Crystal Cruises and how they turned those challenges into a great opportunity using Alchemy tools and expertise.

About Alchemy Solutions

Alchemy Solutions (www.alchemysolutions.com) is a leading provider of technology solutions that help organizations integrate legacy applications with the latest Microsoft Windows technologies, including Visual Studio and the .NET Framework. The company’s technology enables significant cost savings by moving applications and data from expensive mainframe platforms to cost-effective Windows environments. The Alchemy Solutions suite includes NeoKicks™, NeoBatch®, NeoSort™ and NeoData™ enabling the modernization of mission critical CICS and batch applications within the Microsoft .NET environment. Additionally, Alchemy Solutions, and its worldwide network of partners, distribute the Fujitsu NetCOBOL family of runtime-free COBOL compilers outside of Japan. Alchemy Solutions, Inc. is a privately held corporation with headquarters in Bend, Oregon. The company resulted from the 2008 acquisition of the Legacy Modernization Group of Fujitsu Computer Systems.

Fujitsu and NetCOBOL are registered trademarks of Fujitsu Ltd. in the United States and other countries. Alchemy Solutions, NeoKicks, NeoBatch, NeoSort and NeoData are trademarks or registered trademarks of Alchemy Solutions, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Contacts

Rivercalm
Jenny Swift, 917-210-8064
swift {at} rivercalm(.)com