Sys-Mining©

Supporting the Information Mapping strategy; SysViewSoft presents: Sys-Mining©; software oriented to help in automated documentation and maintenance of legacy applications environment.

Sys-Mining© has as fundamental, allows to developers and people in charge of perform application maintenance, discover in an easy way the distinct elements that comprises the systems, we use graphic elements for breaking the traditional form of understand and discover how it be constituted. The benefits of the new developer sight are:

  • Reduction in analysis time
  • Technical effort and time optimization
  • Online Application Documentation

The PROBLEM

It's undeniable that Legacy development environments are granted with an inherent complexity that has growth and continues increasing in the course of time. The software applications becomes very large and complex. From time to time means a big pain for organizations; we are refering to rotation of technical resources assigned to maintain applications; the systems knowledge and skills are inversely proportional in the pass of time, the greater the time frame, less ability to manage the systems.

Although, development teams need information regarding how applications in charge are building and its inter-relationships, the collection and analysis of that information, consumes the majority of the time that technical people invest for maintenance activities.

The SOLUTION

SysViewSoft supported in application mining methodologies, help legacy maintenance professionals to produce in an automatic way all the information related to application structure. The data gathered maps the current application structure and shows detailed graphics with the choice for printing.

Sys-Mining© additonally becomes part of current documentation repository, Sys-Mining© allows the introduction of end user documentation in Sys-Mining©'s data base; this way we have all the application documentation centralized in one repository. Of course, we have the ability to query the information.

The information in fact that we can obtain from a SysViewSoft implementation of Sys-Mining© is described below:

  • Component inventory by type and module, system or subsystem level
  • Missing components inventory
  • Cross references
  • Inverse references
  • JCL components flowchart
  • Cobol components flowchart
  • Cobol programs block flowchart
  • Components source code
  • Programming versions comparison
  • Reporting from knowledge data base
  • Export of information generated by the system
  • Documentation of current application state from knowledge data base

FUNCIONALITY

Sys-Mining© based like all SysViewSoft suite products in Matla©, own development language that allows us perform any kind of source code parsing. SysViewSoft Sys-Mining© operates by means of followed stages:

  • Components extraction from mainframe
  • Source code parsing, generation of knowledge data base and diagnostics of missing components
  • Reporting from knowledge data base
  • Visual Consulting

The following diagram demonstrates the several stages of SysViewSoft Sys-Mining©.

STAGES

EXTRACTION
First we perform the connection to mainframe with the aim of collect the components that comprise the application libraries to inform.

As an optional activity, the user can have the responsibility of component extraction and make the delivery with any other form.

The repository is a transitory element that permits later, the execution of parsing and mapping processes

This stage could be performed in a periodic way, aiming to maintain the knowledge data base up to date.

MAPPING APLICATION
The collected components from mainframe or provided by end user will be parsed and integrated into knowledge data base of SysViewSoft Sys-Mining©. The referenced elements that were not located will be reported for a later incorporation. The elements referenced in dynamic way should be incorporated by means of an additional process and subject to controls.

This stage could be executed periodically with the purpose of maintain updated the knowledge data base.

Sys-Mining© process:

INFORMATION MAPPING

Once all faces were finished, that is component extraction stages and mining performed, you have the generated knowledge data base that permits achieve the information mapping, that is, perform queries and lookups in order to help on application documentation.

Products of Sys-Mining©:

Components tree:
Shows components grouped by systems and subsystems, access source code (lookups), component diagram, lookups file and tables referenced by programs and subprograms, access inverse references and to the component flowchart (if applicable).

Arbol de componentes

Fig. 3  Tree showing the structure of application

 

Components List:
You can query components from a JCL: Programs, data sets, reports and so on.

Lista de Componentes

Fig. 4 List of JCL Components

 

Components Flowchart:
The flowchart of a JCL shows the distinct steps included into a JCL, and input/output data sets.

Diagrama de Componenetes

Fig. 5 JCL flowchart

Current Documentation Administration:
SysViewSoft Sys-Mining© permits the registration and loook up of documentation holding by users, this way, all system information is relocated in a central repository.

Doc Externa

Fig. 6 User Documentation

CHARACTERISTICS

Code based parsing
The power of parsing is based in Matla©, powerful lexicographic analyzer of source code that manage any programming language in the parsing process. SysViewSoft have parsers for common programming languages, but you can incorporate easily any other.

Graphic presentation
Facilitates the understanding of current application structure, based on common Windows elements, the user easily asSys-Mining©ilates information lookup.

Elements exploration
We use the graphic exploration tree at system level and navigating, drill down mode through the inner most element, data sets, copys, jcl cards. Every tree element can be edited in order to interpret with more precision.

Updating Components periodically.
SysViewSoft Sys-Mining© must be constantly updated. That is a matter of precision and accuracy. Sys-Mining© have automated process to the accomplishment of this goal, accessing source code (mainframe), analyzing and collecting the updated or newly created elements. Also, the user has the ability to collect information depending on his necessities.

Documentation Printing Facilities
With the purpose of printing documentation, SysViewSoft Sys-Mining© allows printing of the several lookups and additionally allows export the same information to other targets.

Architecture
Windows Server Client Architecture.
Data Base:

  • Sql Anywhere Adaptive
  • Server Enterprise

BENEFITS

Online Documentation.
The information placed on knowledge data base can be queried any time.

Automatic Information Updating.
You can schedule an automated process for collecting mainframe updated components information. The frequency of the process determines the accuracy of the information of knowledge data base.

Printing Documentation.
You have the possibility of printing online documentation related to application components in order to answer audit requirements.

Fastest comprehension of systems structure.
When you have more accurate information of the system, the user spends less time trying to understand the structure and operation of applications.

Maintenance Costs Reduction.
All the time an application developer invest his time in components analysis for modification, mostly when exist a lacking of documentation. Sys-Mining© objective: reduction of this time, resulting in more productivity time .

Documentation Integration.
The generated documentation for systems and components, will be correctly integrated to dynamic documentation generated anytime, this way you have a unique centralized repository for information.