Our CIO has announced that he wants to eliminate the mainframe by the end of FY 07-08. We are in the strategic planning phase currently and are examining the options.

Our current system is z890-2086 running z/OS 1.4, CICS/TS, CA-7 job scheduler, CA Top Secret etc. Our criminal justice system runs on a Datacom/DB database. Most program source is COBOL with some Assembler and a few IDEAL modules.

I am fairly familiar with Micro Focus and Fujitsu methods for converting IBM S/390 COBOL to an "Intel" Windows or Linux platform.

The real unknown is Java. The CIO seems bent on converting to Java because that's what he's hearing from the main person who has his ear (that person is NOT mainframe or COBOL experienced, he is a web developer/java guy).

What I'd like to hear from you folks is:
1) What, if any, code conversion is available to convert
COBOL to Java OTHER THAN LegacyJ. This would include
both CICS online as well as batch programs AND the JCL
(jobs, procs, and cntllib members etc.)

2) If the code can be converted, what automated job
scheduling is available for the batch environment.

3) Which would conversion (Micro Focus, Fujitsu NetCobol,
Java or ?) would you recommend and why?

4) My gut says Fujitsu's NetCobol is the way to go
because 1) they can basically replicate the entire
justice system (CICS and batch etc.) on either Windows
or Linux, and 2) because if the converted/migrated
system stayed in place long-term, COBOL expertise may
not have to be retained in-house as much as it would
for the Micro Focus solution... both of which are
enjoying very good success on large, complex systems
these days.

5) Any of your observations/real-life knowledge I didn't
address that we should consider.

Thanks very much in advance,

Jim
39+ years of this and still learning