Virtel is a simple, fast, powerful, and cost-effective solution to convert the proven business logic of legacy host applications (CICS, IMS, Natural, Ideal, TSO, etc) into new and dynamic web applications. With Virtel, legacy mainframe applications look and behave like true web applications at a fraction of the cost, risk and duration or redevelopment, replacement, or rehosting.
- Web Access: extends 3270 applications securely to thin-client web browsers with
"classic green screen" presentation and ergonomics.
Used to: upgrade from 3270 emulation to pure TCP/IP web access. - Web Modernization: creates rich web pages (GUIs) that combine
legacy 3270 data streams with JavaScript widgets and new AJAX-based application features.
Used to: turn outdated 3270 screens into modern Web 2.0 GUIs. - Web Integration: creates interactive bidirectional
connections between mainframe and web applications, e.g. XML/HTML web services.
Used to: integrate mainframe and server applications for SOA or WOA. - Screen Redesigner: facilitates development of presentation templates used at runtime to
convert 3270 data flows into web pages (Web Modernization IDE).
Used to: Design web page look and feel.
All
Comprehensive and versatile web-enabling solution
A unique feature of Virtel is that the same core technology (and in fact the same runtime) can be deployed for a wide variety of web-enabling applications that cover the entire web-enablement space: from web access to UI modernization, web integration – even the development of hybrid applications that combine host and server-based application components seamlessly behind a web page user interface (GUI).
Web Access (1) – Virtel's initial "out-of-the-box" deployment – typically a 2-hour installation – provides:
- Instant web access to host applications through a simple (thin-client no-middleware) architecture
- The infrastructure and technology required to support further web-enablement initiatives such UI modernization and web services
This makes Virtel Web Access a natural upgrade from – and an attractive alternative to – 3270 emulation.
Web Modernization (2) – Virtel presentation templates, scenarios and scripts can be custom-developed to create new Web 2.0 GUIs that combine existing 3270 data streams with Open Source HTML/JavaScript widgets and new Ajax-based application features.
Web Integration (3) – Virtel can also be configured to create interactive bidirectional connections between host and server-based applications, for example web services that serve 3270 transaction data in raw, XML-wrapped, SOAP, MQ and many other formats for SOA or WOA integration.
Hybrid Applications (4) – The ultimate transformation objective may be to leverage existing 3270 presentation layers and business logic to develop new hybrid applications that combine host and server-based application components seamlessly behind a modern GUI.
Attractive legacy modernization alternative
Virtel and the web-enablement of host applications are an attractive alternative to the redevelopment, replacement, front-ending or rehosting of those applications, because it typically takes at least 10 times less to web-enable than to redevelop:
| Redevelop | Replace | Front-end | Rehost | Web-enable | |
| Business logic | new business logic | new business logic | business logic duplication or impact | business logic impact? | NO business logic impact |
| Cost | $millions | $millions | $100Ks | $100Ks | < $100K |
| Timeframe | years | years | months/years | months | weeks/months |
| Risk | high | high | medium | medium | low |
Cost-effective – Most web-enablement projects cost only several tens of thousands of dollars, when redevelopment projects cost between several hundreds of thousands of dollars and a few millions of dollars.
Short timeframe – Most web-enablement projects last only several weeks or months, when redevelopment projects take months or even years to complete.
Low risk – Because the proven business logic of host applications is retained rather than redeveloped, the risk of a web-enablement project – and testing requirement – is much lower than that of a redevelopment project.
Phased implementation – A web-enablement project can be planned as a phased application and end-user service modernization that delivers progressive improvements to daily operations, when a redevelopment project may go-on for months or years on-end with no visible improvement to daily operations.
High-value and early-ROI – Virtel and the web-enablement of host applications have much higher value and earlier return on investment (ROI) than the redevelopment, replacement, front-ending, and rehosting alternatives.
Short-term "tactical" solution – Even when the long-term strategy is to redevelop or replace the host applications, Virtel web-enablement is a recommended short-term tactical solution because it allows to:
- Buy time with end-users asking impatiently for a web page UI
- Experiment with web page UI ergonomics
- Ride the hot mobile access trend
- Provide a fallback in case the redevelopment or replacement projects are delayed or cancelled.
Read more
- Read about Virtel Technology
- Read about Virtel Web Access
- Read about Virtel Web Modernization
- Read about Virtel Web Integration
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