db2 for z/os tool replacement services
Why replace products?
There are many reasons why you might want to stop using a particular Db2 product or switch from one vendor to another.
For example, you might be concerned about the level of support you can rely on, your ability to access new features at the right time or the vendor’s future prospects.
Or you might be planning to switch to a new Db2 environment that won’t allow you to use or licence certain tools and utilities.
Adopting new products can help to simplify Db2 tooling and improve performance for many critical batch operations – and deliver significant savings on licence costs too.
However, replacing tools on business-critical Db2 systems can be complex and challenging. With so many problem fixes and product enhancements being delivered during the conversion, it’s easy to lose track of progress or miss crucial interdependencies.
That’s why it’s so vital that the tool replacement process is planned and executed properly.
How we can help
We offer a comprehensive service for tool replacement, helping you achieve a smooth changeover in tooling with no disruption of your day-to-day operations.
We can handle conversions at any scale, including those that involve multiple product enhancements, dozens of Db2 subsystems and thousands of utility jobs – all without any impact on your critical batch schedules.
We offer expert Db2 consultancy and support with utility migration and testing for your in-house DBA and application staff.
Our Five Stage Approach
Throughout the tool replacement project, we will provide project management, coordination, and management reporting – working alongside your chosen third-party migration partners, if required.
Discovery
During the Discovery phase, our team analyses both the current technical environment and the specific requirements for your target solution. This involves conducting in-depth interviews with technical staff and assessing the existing infrastructure, identifying potential challenges, and defining the precise goals and outcomes expected from the delivery.
Review
In the Review stage, we collate the findings of the Discovery phase and develop the detailed technical design for the solution. Our team closely collaborates with your team to define the project’s scope to ensure that all of the required aspects can be delivered within the agreed timescales and budget. Following the agreement of the scope, we then develop a detailed plan for subsequent development and delivery stages before proceeding.
Develop and Test
In the Develop and Test stage, we install the new tools, configuring them to meet your specific operational needs. This is followed by the preparation phase where we convert existing processes and utilities to align with the new tooling environment. To ensure the quality of the delivery we make use of in-house automation, which will be tailored to meet the specific needs of your implementation requirements. The use of automation tooling allows us to deliver results reliably and significantly faster.
We can also develop bespoke code to generate Db2 and sequential test data, to support accurate utility conversion testing. This bespoke code allows us to simulate real-world scenarios, ensuring the new tools are fully functional and reliable. Rigorous testing and solution validation follow, where we conduct comprehensive tests at every level ensuring that all elements of the new environment perform as expected before moving to the next phase.
Delivery
During the Delivery stage, we ensure a smooth transition from existing operations to the new tooling environment. This involves transferring existing jobs and processes to the new platform. Our team also provides technical support and tailored training sessions to aid the transition of your staff to use of the new tools.
Support
After the implementation, we offer ongoing support services to improve the performance of your new tooling environment. We provide Warranty Support to address any issues that may arise post-launch. We also offer optional enhanced training programs to equip your team with advanced skills and best practices for maximising the benefits of the new tools.
Case Studies
Db2 for z/OS Tool Replacement for UK Bank
The bank’s conversion project was both complex and risky, with more than 40 separate product enhancements being delivered.
Db2 Tool Replacement for International Airline
A major international airline migrated its mainframe workloads from on-premise System Z servers to IBM’s zCloud environment.