AI-supported application modernization for legacy systems

Use Case

Advantages

Our Services

Legacy applications are still widely used today despite their outdated status. In particular, the use of mainframe systems at banks and insurance companies is widespread due to their history. This results in increasing challenges for companies, which can lead to a permanent reduction in competitiveness. The costs incurred by legacy applications are a significant factor here. This is because high license fees are often due for the old systems. Furthermore, the maintenance and further development of old applications is very cost-intensive, as there is a lack of suitable specialists due to demographic change, and there is also no documentation for the old systems. With AI-supported application documentation and modernization, Arvato Systems offers a way to remain capable of acting and innovative in the future.

Application Documentation for Knowledge Transfer

Initial situation

Nowadays, software is often developed at nearshore or offshore locations, driven by cost aspects and demographic change. Old legacy applications are not spared from this either. These are usually critical applications in the company, but the documentation is partially or entirely missing. This makes knowledge transfer much more difficult.

Vision

To ensure rapid knowledge transfer, all company applications (especially the critical ones) should have complete and up-to-date documentation. This documentation should be available in English for nearshore and offshore use, and important German terms should not be translated meaninglessly (keyword: ubiquitous language).

Solution

Using the iterative AI-supported process for automated application documentation, the entire application's code can be documented in a very short time. This documentation can be generated explicitly in multiple languages, ensuring important terms are not lost. At the same time, individual requirements for the type of documentation or existing documentation can also be processed.

Modernization of a Mainframe Application

Initial situation

These days, further development, maintenance, and operation of a mainframe application (e.g., based on Cobol or PL/1) are very cost-intensive. At the same time, the application represents a critical functionality in the company. Demographic change makes it even more difficult to remain operational in the long term, as the exact functionality is no longer known in many cases.

Vision

Modernization of the application to a new operating environment and programming language while maintaining the critical functionality of the application. This ensures long-term operability and reduces costs.

Solution

The AI-supported modernization of the mainframe application transfers the existing technical functionality to a new programming language and a new operating environment. The automated process saves time and money, as a sound basis has already been created. This foundation must be manually reworked and tested to ensure the modernized application offers the same functionality.

Advantages of the AI-supported Process

Automated process

The automated AI-supported procedural processing ensures less effort in application documentation and modernization, which leads to significantly reduced costs and higher speed.

Use of the optimal AI model

The customizable process allows the use of the best possible AI model or even different AI models depending on the application's purpose.

Easily overcome context window limit

Intelligent solution for bypassing the context window limit when accessing the AI.

Integration of feedback

The iterative approach to creating documentation or modernized code offers the opportunity to incorporate critical feedback into the result.

Consideration of existing knowledge

Other sources, such as existing documentation, use cases, or architecture descriptions, can be included in the processing to generate an even more complete result.

Experience with legacy technology

Thanks to our experience handling and modernizing legacy technologies, we have extensive expertise in implementing projects.

Our Services for Your Success

Creating application documentation

Using AI, we can automatically create individual documentation for applications implemented in various programming languages. This helps to secure knowledge and quickly onboard new resources for the application.
Modernize the application legacy code

Modernization is a good balance between risk, cost, and business functionality when replacing legacy applications. Our approach automatically generates new code based on the legacy application in the target programming language based on the legacy application. This can reduce the effort and speed of modernization by up to 50%.
Migration of the legacy application

Generating new code in the target programming language is only a first step towards the final replacement of the legacy application as part of the migration. Various activities are still necessary for a successful migration to a modernized application. Based on our experience, we can provide support here or implement the activities in their entirety.

Your Contact for AI-Supported Application Documentation and Modernization

Jan-Peter Gordon

Experte für Software Entwicklung für Banken & Versicherungen

Modernize Your Legacy Applications with AI-Powered Technology

Automated documentation for a future-proof IT infrastructure