Migration from Powerhouse MPE

[Edis, Robert]

Dear Roshan

It seems to me you have a number of options and you need to develop a cost/benefit analysis for each basis upon the timeframe that you have to deal with.

For example, if you time frame is 3+ years then going to a AlphaServer (or the new HP Itanium server) with OpenVMS will be more cost effective than Solaris assuming you have to buy a new server.  If your timeframe until rewriting in Java/.NET is only a year or two then it's a waste of money to rewrite PH code into something else before then.  Ditto for redesigning the database schema as moving from non-relational to relational is not something to be taken lightly.

If you need a stop gap solution at low cost (DW/SW wise) then move to an NT server with SQL Server RDBMS and keep PowerHouse (but use Axiant for the conversion).  You have the option of using PH Web as well.

DON'T rewrite in a 3GL.  COBOL programmers are no cheaper than PH programmers and perhaps even harder to find.

Where are you?  PH resources are plentiful in the USA, UK and Australia and now even India has a pool.  Java/.NAT programmers charge higher rates in general.  What facts are you making these assertions about "Powerhouse resources are scarce and fast depleting"?  I have seen no evidence of this in the USA.  In fact I know many PH people looking for work and charging less than .NET and Java people.  If you are REALLY worried about price and availability of resources wait till you need a SQL expert for the database conversion!

I have developed in PH for over 10 years but now I do BI work because PH work is hard to come by at livable rates.  So from my perspective it's the other way round - PowerHouse gigs and scarce and fast depleting and rates are too low. :)

As someone has already said, why not train more people on PowerHouse so that you do not contribute to the situation you say exists?

Regards,
Blue

-----Original Message-----
From: Roshan Shah [mailto:roshan_shah@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2003 8:36 AM
To: powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
Subject: Migration from Powerhouse MPE


Hello,

I wanted to have your inputs on strategy of doing
Powerhouse Migration to Sun Solaris.

a) Migrate Powerhouse Application to Solaris.
Powerhouse is available on Solaris

b) Rewrite Powerhouse to COBOL! (Licencing Powerhouse
is very expensive)  - Should one at all have
Powerhouse even if it is an interim solution looking
into the fact that Powerhouse resources are scarce and
fast depleting.

Also when in future if Powerhouse Resources are
needed, they will not only be very expensive but very
rare!


Any other recommendations ?

Roshan Shah

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