Why Modernize COBOL When It's Running the World Perfectly?

"Programmers aside from Cost what is preventing porting or otherwise modernizing the 220 Billion lines of COBOL that still run the world?",". It's a question that often arises in the context of legacy software.
But there are valid reasons why the vast amount of COBOL code continues to be used and why its modernization is not a high priority. Let's delve deeper into these reasons and the risks associated with COBOL modernization.

Risk and Need of Modernization

Need: First off, there is literally no need to modernize the 220 billion lines of COBOL code that still run the world. It is working perfectly fine in most cases, and there is no compelling business or technical reason to change it.

Cost: Though cost is often mentioned as a factor, it is just one of many. Modernizing such a massive codebase can be very expensive and time-consuming, sucking away development resources and introducing potential vulnerabilities. It's a gamble that the new system will work as well as, or even better than, the existing one.

Risk: In many cases, the new system might not capture the subtle nuances of the business logic that the current COBOL code handles perfectly. Moreover, there is the risk of data loss during the migration process. Training staff on a new system can also take significant time and resources.

In short, these risks are often not outweighed by the benefits. There is zero gain in modernizing COBOL for the sake of modernization alone. The existing COBOL code works just fine, doing the job excellently.

Why 'If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It'

The phrase "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is not just a catchy slogan; it is a prudent approach to legacy systems. COBOL is a mature, reliable language that, in many cases, performs its functions flawlessly. Why invest substantially to change something that works well? This is a valid argument, especially when you consider that rewriting could introduce more problems than it solves.

A Different Perspective: The Necessity of Hardware Replacement

However, not all organizations face the luxury of a stable environment where COBOL can continue to run indefinitely. Hardware has a limited lifespan, and mainframes break down. India, for instance, faced a unique situation:

Hardware and Mainframe Life Cycles: Mainframes become obsolete after a certain period of service, and organizations need to replace them. This is a fundamental part of business continuity. In the 1990s, a mainframe became obsolete after 12 years of service. Export restrictions from the USA added an additional layer of complexity. Without the ability to export the necessary hardware, organizations were forced to find alternative solutions to keep their COBOL applications running.

Porting Applications and Data: Through decades of experience, India learned to deal with these challenges. They developed strategies to port their COBOL applications and data to new platforms. This involved planning for hardware and operating system changes, ensuring that applications and data could be seamlessly migrated. For instance, from IBM mainframes to CDC, to PowerPC, to Sun Sparc servers, and later to various Unix-based systems. Each change brought new challenges, but the meticulous planning and adherence to ANSI standards helped maintain the integrity of the COBOL code.

Planning and Preparation: These companies recognized that they could not rely on the same computer manufacturer or the same type of system for the indefinite future. Therefore, they always planned for future porting. They allocated human resources specifically for this purpose, ensuring that the migration process could be managed within three months. Parallel data storage, using simple text files, further facilitated the migration process, enabling a smooth transition without data loss or the introduction of new bugs.

Conclusion: In the realm of legacy systems, decision-making around modernization should carefully weigh the risks and benefits. COBOL may be an old language, but for many organizations, it continues to serve its purpose perfectly. Modernization is a risky endeavor that should only be undertaken when there is a clear and compelling reason. For those facing the reality of hardware obsolescence, the necessity of replacement coupled with strategic planning can ensure the smooth continuation of critical COBOL applications.