This guide shows executives how AI can modernize legacy COBOL mainframe systems. It connects traditional mainframe knowledge with modern development, helping organizations address the "COBOL cliff" - where aging systems meet retiring COBOL experts. From basic concepts to AI migration tools, it provides a roadmap for modernizing legacy systems while preserving critical business logic.
Legacy COBOL mainframe systems remain critical across industries, powering 70% of global banking transactions and serving most major banks, airlines, and Fortune 100 companies. However, organizations struggle with aging programmers (average age 60), high maintenance costs ($361K per 100K lines), and inflexibility.
This book offers an AI-driven approach to modernizing these legacy applications. It shows how AI can extract business rules, convert code, automate testing, and transfer knowledge. Through practical examples and case studies, readers learn to use tools and methods that make modernization faster, safer, and more automated.
Chapter 1: The Modernization Imperative: Why Transforming COBOL Systems is Key to Digital Success
Chapter 2: Understanding Your COBOL Landscape: A Business Leader’s Guide to Legacy Systems
Chapter 3: Charting Your Modernization Path: Strategic Options for Business Transformation
Chapter 4: Unlocking the Value of Legacy Data: A Strategic Imperative for Modern Businesses
Chapter 5: AI-Powered Modernization: Accelerating Transformation and Unlocking New Opportunities
Chapter 7: API-Enabled Legacy: Unlocking COBOL’s Value with Modern Interfaces
Chapter 8 - 12: TBD