> -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Crayford > Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 8:03 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Union Pacific Railroad ditches its mainframe for SOA > > Timothy Sipples wrote: > > > > It's probably also worth pointing out that, if you crack > open the textbook > > definition of SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture), you > won't find "step 1: > > throw everything away" anywhere. That would tend to be the > antithesis of > > the definition, as a matter of fact. > > While it's always disappointing to see another mainframe site > bite the > dust it's not too difficult to see why they have chosen to go for a > greenfields solution. The application is written in HLASM which is an > esoteric language with a shortage of skills. Secondly, they > want SOA and > would have to build a web services gateway or use a > middleware solution > which may be more expensive in the long term then re-writing the > application. I could be wrong... >
SOA is a platform neutral protocol. It can be implemented on z/OS as well as on Linux, MAC, *BSD, as well as Windows. The only "plus" of a non-z/OS platform is that there are more, cheaper, programmers on Windows et al. than on z/OS. It is easier to hire somebody with SOA and Windows background than SOA and z/OS. And those which such a background don't want to consider applying their knowledge on z/OS. I guess they're worried that we have "cooties". Also many z/OS shops seem to be "legacy oriented" and don't want to consider implementing new technologies. Well, hopefully I'm wrong, but it is definately true around here. Management doesn't want the mainframe to embrace new software technology. Neither do the programmers nor even others in my group. I'm still the only one who has any understanding of z/OS UNIX and what can be done with it (even tho it is inferior to Linux in many ways, IMO). But I cannot use it in production because "nobody else understands it". So, instead, I download stuff to my Linux/Intel box and run "ad hoc" stuff there most of the time. This gets me kudos because I don't use up "expensive" z/OS CPU. -- John McKown Systems Engineer IV IT Administrative Services Group HealthMarkets(r) 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 (817) 255-3225 phone * (817)-961-6183 cell [email protected] * www.HealthMarkets.com Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. -The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
