Hello Bharath,

Thank you for your question.

ABO can optimize code that is compiled with COBOL v4.1 or VS COBOL II v1.4 (assuming you are using LE). 

We recommend that you migrate code you are actively working on to COBOL v6 (ie. use it as the production compiler). Then, use ABO to optimize code you have not compiled for a long time and have no plans to do so. This will significantly reduce the migration scope and effort. ABO is a binary optimizer, so it does not handle source. If you change source, you still need to use the COBOL compiler. 

Thanks a lot Chandini for your reply.

As updated even client and application team worry is about the older source code which needs to be compiled with COBOL 6.1 hence we planned to get the IBM ABO installed. Could you please say whether we can get it installed first prior to the COBOL 6.1 migration 

Also from the site, we got an update that there will be a trial testing with no cost. If so, we can use that as a POC to show the client and we can goahead in purchasing the product later.

Please provide us a detailed view and recommendation on this.

Thanks & Regards,

Bharath K

Hello Bharath,

Thank you for your question.

ABO can optimize code that is compiled with COBOL v4.1 or VS COBOL II v1.4 (assuming you are using LE). 

We recommend that you migrate code you are actively working on to COBOL v6 (ie. use it as the production compiler). Then, use ABO to optimize code you have not compiled for a long time and have no plans to do so. This will significantly reduce the migration scope and effort. ABO is a binary optimizer, so it does not handle source. If you change source, you still need to use the COBOL compiler. 

Hi Bharath, 

ABO is designed to optimize load modules that have not been compiled for a long time.  We find most customers only compile code that requires source changes which is about 20% of the application code base.  To improve performance of the entire application, we recommend they use ABO to selectively optimize the remaining 80%.  They can get similar performance improvements as compiling and optimizing with COBOL v6 but with significantly less resources.   Therefore, you can choose to install ABO and prior to the COBOL 6.1 migration. This will allow you start optimizing before migrating to COBOL 6 or do them at the same time.  The key is to come up with a plan that is appropriate for the application before you start.   Also, doing a PoC with trial versions of ABO is a great idea. This will show customers performance benefits base on their application(s).

Hope this helps,

Thanks

Roland

Thanks a lot Chandini for your reply.

As updated even client and application team worry is about the older source code which needs to be compiled with COBOL 6.1 hence we planned to get the IBM ABO installed. Could you please say whether we can get it installed first prior to the COBOL 6.1 migration 

Also from the site, we got an update that there will be a trial testing with no cost. If so, we can use that as a POC to show the client and we can goahead in purchasing the product later.

Please provide us a detailed view and recommendation on this.

Thanks & Regards,

Bharath K

Hello Bharath,

Thank you for your question.

ABO can optimize code that is compiled with COBOL v4.1 or VS COBOL II v1.4 (assuming you are using LE). 

We recommend that you migrate code you are actively working on to COBOL v6 (ie. use it as the production compiler). Then, use ABO to optimize code you have not compiled for a long time and have no plans to do so. This will significantly reduce the migration scope and effort. ABO is a binary optimizer, so it does not handle source. If you change source, you still need to use the COBOL compiler.