Systems developers, programmers and independent software vendors can now integrate the latest web and client/server developments with legacy applications in a new way that is easier and faster than any other means. This follows the launch of a new, component-based software development architecture from UK-based Transoft, a data connectivity middleware and application modernisation specialists.
Called Transoft Component Framework (TCF), the architecture aims to dramatically shorten delivery times for new applications using modern technologies, whilst extending the lifespan of existing legacy applications and enabling both to be comprehensively integrated, without the need for prohibitively-expensive, wholesale software re-development or re-coding. TCF also offers legacy programmers the opportunity to play a key role in the development of modern, distributed systems, while eliminating the need for `front-end` visual programmers to learn, or re-create existing legacy business rules.
Transoft is represented in South Africa by Easirun Software, South Africa`s largest distributor of Cobol products. Easirun is focussed on the provision of Cobol compilers, runtime applications, training and ongoing maintenance and support.
According to Charles Swindells, Easirun product manager, TCF provides a highly portable, high performance development environment for component-based development (CBD) - a technique now receiving widespread recognition as offering the next major advance in application development.
"To provide the functionality needed in a new application, much of the existing mission-critical legacy logic that drives a business is scrapped and must be completely recoded in the chosen new environment - even though huge sums may have been invested in it over the years. TCF has been specifically designed to optimise the reuse of existing legacy business rules, systems logic and data in a way that maintains both existing business processes and maximises returns on historic capital investment.
"TCF provides a very attractive alternative to what has historically been the highly expensive and extremely risky process of replicating legacy applications within distributed computing environments. TCF allows businesses and developers alike to harvest the investment in legacy applications and to quickly turn highly developed and proven application code into components and reusable services that can be integrated into new distributed Web and client/server applications," said Swindells.
TCF achieves this using its own Service Description Language (SDL), which is easier to use than CORBA IDL, according to Easirun. The Transoft SDL processor automatically generates client-side proxies containing the properties and methods of the legacy services being used and automatically creates server-side wrapper code for these services in whatever language the server-side programmer is using - for example COBOL, BASIC or C. TCF offers portability, scalability and compliance with current CBD standards - CORBA, COM/DCOM, JavaBeans and IIOP - providing a deployment architecture capable of supporting a wide range of enterprise-wide applications and business strategies.
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