Veryant Enhances Anytime, Anywhere COBOL Delivery Platform

December 21, 2009 - Veryant, the COBOL and Java technology innovator, introduced the newest release of its isCOBOL suite for developing, deploying, and modernizing COBOL applications.

This isCOBOL update features:

Support for larger file sizes – more than nine billion gigabytes – and up to a 50 percent performance boost from an enhanced, 100 percent Java-based indexed sequential access method (ISAM) file system in isCOBOL JISAM
Delivery of modern, portable applications at an affordable price due to improved thin client performance through isCOBOL Server
Zero-client, rich Internet application COBOL deployments from advanced JavaScript embedding capabilities and new controls in isCOBOL Web Direct 2.0
Greater compatibility with outdated platforms such as ACUCOBOL-GT and RM/COBOL, further simplifying the move to isCOBOL from alternative COBOL compilers

isCOBOL JISAM

As much as 60 percent of the world’s business applications are written in COBOL. These programs often use ISAM file systems instead of relational databases. Organizations looking to distribute applications with familiar, high performing ISAM files across a wide variety of devices can benefit from the inherent portability of the Java platform with isCOBOL JISAM.

isCOBOL JISAM is a 100 percent Java-based ISAM file system built on x/Open standards that runs on a range of systems from mainframes to mobile devices. With this release, ISAM files opened with the EXCLUSIVE clause, especially on REWRITE and DELETE statements, saw the largest improvements in internal Veryant tests.

isCOBOL Server

isCOBOL Server provides high value, efficient thin client computing where valuable system and network resources are conserved.

In this release, thin client performance is improved on average up to 50 percent, especially for isCOBOL Server applications distributed across TCP/IP connections. Nearly a 100 percent performance improvement was demonstrated on applications using ‘DESTROY’ statements, which are commonly used in COBOL programs to eliminate graphical controls such as Entry Fields, Check Boxes and Radio Buttons on windows that are no longer in use.

Integrated ERP provider Softwrx used the thin client approach to add distribution flexibility and enhance the appearance of its COBOL-based financial accounting application. The company moved 880 programs from ACUCOBOL-GT to isCOBOL in under a month. Today, Softwrx offers a modern thin client deployment model where customers can access COBOL applications directly on the desktop or distributed across a virtual private network (VPN).

"Implementing a universal thin client distribution model and browser-based access has enabled us to improve customer satisfaction and streamline operations," said John Jackson, chief information officer of Softwrx. "Our decision to move to Veryant has lowered our total cost of ownership without resulting in additional complexity for our programming team."

isCOBOL JISAM and isCOBOL Server are included with the isCOBOL Runtime Environment at no extra cost. Veryant does not penalize customers for changing platforms. The Java-enabled portability of the products in isCOBOL APS and customer applications is enhanced by the portability of the isCOBOL license: buy once, compile, and run anywhere.