Veryant Brings Thin Client, RIA to COBOL Modernization 
Veryant is shipping an update to its isCOBOL Application Platform Suite aimed at simplifying and accelerating COBOL modernization projects via thin client and Rich Internet Application (RIA) approaches.
Veryant is bringing the benefits of portability and performance to COBOL application modernization projects with support for thin client and ‘zero client’ Rich Internet Application (RIA) technologies to its isCOBOL Application Platform Suite.
Veryant’s updated isCOBOL now features:
- Support for larger file sizes—up to and beyond 9 billion GB.
- Performance boost of up to 50%--via an improved, 100% Java-based indexed sequential access method (ISAM) file system in isCOBOL JISAM
- Modern and portable applications delivery—with improved performance of a thin client / isCOBOL Server architecture
- RIA (zero-client) COBOL deployments--using advanced JavaScript embedding features and new controls in isCOBOL Web Direct 2.0
- Improved compatibility with outdated platforms--including ACUCOBOL-GT and RM/COBOL
Veryant officials estimate up to 60 percent of all business applications are written in COBOL, which often use ISAM file systems instead of RDBMSes. Companies are looking to distribute applications with familiar, high performing ISAM files across a wide variety of devices, and could still benefit from the inherent portability of the Java platform with Veryant’s isCOBOL JISAM architecture, they added.
Success with ‘Thin-Client’ Approach to COBOL Modernization
One of Veryant’s customers, Softwrx Corp., a provider of financial software, used the thin client approach to add distribution flexibility and improve the look of its COBOL-based financial accounting application. Softwrx officials were able to move 880 programs from ACUCOBOL-GT to isCOBOL in less than one month, according to company. As a result, Softwrx customers can now access COBOL applications directly on the desktop or distributed across a virtual private network (VPN).
isCOBOL Server offers an efficient thin client computing that helps conserve system and network resources, according to the company.
“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, in a statement. “Our decision to move to Veryant has lowered our total cost of ownership without resulting in additional complexity for our programming team.”
Aside from a thin client / zero-client approach, Veryant said its implementation of the Java platform, isCOBOL JISAM would also benefit many mainframe shops. isCOBOL JISAM is a 100% Java-based ISAM file system built on x/Open standards that runs on a variety of systems from mainframes to mobile devices, which the company uses to distribute applications with familiar, high performing ISAM files across many devices.
