On this page...
- Programming
- Legacy Integration
- Application Standardization
- Project Management
- Documentation
- Data Conversion
"Understanding the end user needs and requirements is the key to delivering effective services."
Services
Migration Specialties thoroughly understands software services. We develop and maintain our own products using rigorous standards and thorough testing regimes. We also assist many clients in maintaining their existing applications and developing new ones. In addition to our core OpenVMS, migration, and emulation offerings, we provide general Information Technology consulting services backed by decades of experience in successful product and project deliveries.
Programming Services
Migration Specialties Programming Services offer hourly and fixed-price onsite and remote-based software development and maintenance services. These services provide a means to supplement your programming staff with skilled personnel that are ready to go to work. If you would like to outsource development or support, our expertise ensures you receive quality service in a timely fashion at a reasonable price.
Legacy Languages
Migration Specialties offers programming services in legacy languages such as RPG, DIBOL, and COBOL, where skilled personnel are becoming hard to find. Our migration experience dovetails nicely with our programming skills, as one must be thoroughly familiar with a programming language before one can successfully move it to another platform.
Programming Languages
Migration Specialties Programming Services cover the following programming languages:
BASIC C COBOL DCL DIBOL FORTRAN MACRO-32 RPG
In addition to the specific programming languages listed above, Migration Specialties also has varying levels of experience with most other programming languages in use under OpenVMS.
Legacy Integration
Legacy applications are often critical to business continuity, but were not originally designed to interface with newer GUI and web-based software. Migration Specialties has a great deal of experience integrating legacy applications with their modern counterparts. We have had a hand in everything from converting reports to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to interfacing data between SQL databases and OpenVMS RMS flat files. Our software migration experience helps us keep old applications young and teaches young applications respect for their elders.
Application Standardization
One of the pitfalls of legacy systems is that over time a hodgepodge of programming methods and techniques are used to develop applications. Add in temporary updates that become permanent and patches for problems and an application becomes more and more difficult to maintain.
Migration Specialties promotes standardizing code in existing applications specifically to alleviate these types of problems. We use standardized coding methodologies, error trapping routines, and recovery procedures to streamline and simplify applications. Best of all, we document applications as we work through them.
Investing in application standardization pays big dividends in reducing maintenance costs and simplifying updates. It also better prepares an application for eventual replacement via the inherent analysis and documentation that are part of the standardization process.
Project Management
Too often software applications are developed or updated without adequate planning. Doing so often results in poor software quality and costly project overruns. One does not build a house without a plan and software development is no different.
Migration Specialties has extensive experience in the planning, development, and delivery of software solutions both in-house and for external clients. We engineer applications through careful analysis of user requests, business requirements, and IS capabilities. Our solutions follow business rules, meet user expectations, are tested before being put into production, and are fully documented. Our solutions work as specified and are delivered on time and within budget.
Our project management experience is available to you at competitive rates. We can place experienced consultants onsite to help you:
- Gather User Requirements
- Define Business Rules
- Present to Management
- Write an RFP
- Develop a Project Plan
- Manage a Project
- Maintain Project Documentation
- Manage QA Testing
- Manage Production Rollout
- Analyze User Requirements
- Develop a Business Case
- Serve as a Management Liaison
- Assess Responses to an RFP
- Audit a Project Plan
- Write User Documentation
- Develop Test & Acceptance Criteria
- Plan Production Rollout
- Audit a Completed Project
Documentation Services
Documentation is a task that often sits at the bottom of the priority list. This is a mistake that carries serious repercussions. Poor documentation makes applications difficult to assess, support, or integrate. All of these issues drive up costs. Good documentation is essential to project planning, implementation, delivery, and support.
Migration Specialties offers world class documentation services. We have written, edited, and published literally thousands of pages of specifications, project plans, RFP's, quotations, assessments, user manuals, product manuals, and articles for general publication. Our staff specializes in bridging the gaps between technical expertise, general business knowledge, and end user requirements. We produce concise, quality English language documents. The content of this web site is a good example of the range and breadth of our literary prowess.
Engaging Migration Specialties to produce project or product documentation provides two important benefits:
- It brings open-minded technical experts into a project to ask questions, test answers, and adequately document the results.
- It moves what many consider an onerous and difficult task to a targeted resource with the expertise and motivation to do the job right.
Investing in good documentation will pay numerous dividends. Failing to do so can be very costly. Take advantage of Migration Specialties documentation services to provide quality documentation for your products and services.
Data Conversion Services
Migration Specialties provides EBCDIC to ASCII and ASCII to EBCDIC data conversion services. These services were developed for transferring data between IBM and DEC systems. They can be used for any EBCDIC/ASCII data conversion in which the files contain normal, packed-decimal, or binary data. When converting files between EBCDIC and ASCII, record layouts must be provided for the files containing packed-decimal and binary data.
EBCDIC/ASCII Data Conversion Tool
Migration Specialties sells an OpenVMS-based EBCDIC/ASCII conversion tool, the CVTFILE Utility. More information on this product is available on the CVTFILE Utility page.