Chris Koppe
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Thoroughly Modern: Why Now Is The Time To Transform Your RPG/COBOL To Modern Languages
October 7, 2024 Chris Koppe
RPG and COBOL run some of the most important systems in business. But while your competitors release new products and features in weeks, you wait for months. That lag time is a silent threat – one that slowly erodes your competitive edge.
Every hour spent waiting for an update, every feature delayed, is a lost opportunity. Your systems – once considered state-of-the-art – are now rigid, slow to evolve, and difficult to integrate with new technologies. While RPG/COBOL still power critical operations, they no longer support the speed and flexibility required for today’s business. The world moves faster now, and …
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Thoroughly Modern: The Synon Transformation Journey, From Legacy To Modern Java Solutions
July 8, 2024 Chris Koppe
In today’s evolving tech landscape, companies that run CA 2E (Synon) on IBM i face significant challenges hindering progress and sustainability. Synon represents a fraction of the market share in IBM i environments, far behind RPG and COBOL, and IBM’s recent announcement to cease PL/I support in future OS versions will impact compliance for SOX-regulated and other industries.
Moreover, shifts in ownership – from Computer Associates to Broadcom – cast doubt on Synon’s long-term viability and continued support. A dwindling pool of Synon developers, brittle applications that are difficult to integrate with modern technologies, and cryptic database structures further add …
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Thoroughly Modern: What’s New In IBM i IT Planning
October 9, 2023 Chris Koppe
When you picture a successful IT strategy, what comes to mind? Most would say that they picture the plan that defines how you approach your technical environment or a project. But after working on IBM i strategy and roadmaps for hundreds of organizations, I see it differently. Creating a successful strategy is all about asking the right questions. By taking the time to analyze your current situation, determine your desired outcome, and understand the reasoning behind it, you’ll be able to find a quicker and more cost-effective solution to achieve your goals. Strategy development is a conversation that leads to …
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Thoroughly Modern: Proven Strategies For Innovating IT And IBM i In A Digital Age
June 12, 2023 Chris Koppe
Over the past 20 years I’ve worked with countless organizations on their IBM i modernization and transformation strategies, enabling them to harness the value derived from their mission-critical applications. Transforming outdated RPG, COBOL and CA 2E (SYNON) applications not only lowers costs and mitigates risks, but it also unlocks new capabilities to innovate and future-proof your business. How are today’s organizations focusing their modernization and transformation efforts? Where should you start?
What is Driving Innovation On IBM i?
It’s important to begin by examining IT’s role in innovation. Over my 35+ years in the industry, I’ve worked with dozens …
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Thoroughly Modern: Making Quick Wins Part Of Your Modernization Strategy
August 9, 2021 Chris Koppe
IT leaders are being asked to do way more than keep the lights on these days. For many, the recent pandemic has exposed the need for organizations to provide effective digital experiences and enable remote work. At the same time, many industries experienced revenue loss and as a result, have fewer resources.
Understanding where to focus efforts can be key in helping you drive the best value and stay aligned with company goals. Success often lies in striking a delicate balance between addressing modernization needs and working within reduced budgets.
The path to modernizing IBM i applications is paved with …
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Thoroughly Modern: Innovative And Realistic Approaches To IBM i Modernization
April 12, 2021 Chris Koppe
In your organization, is IT considered a partner in the business or just the service department? Are your IT staff seen as innovators who are connected to your industry and the growth vision of the company? For a lot of clients that I work with on strategy, these are not ways that they would describe their IT departments. But they should be.
At one point, IT was the enabler of innovation, helping drive automation and optimization of business processes. Now, most IT departments are maintaining more than they’re innovating, and there’s an opportunity to change that.
Over the years I’ve …
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Thoroughly Modern: Driving Your Synon Applications Forward
November 25, 2019 Chris Koppe
CA 2E, formerly known Synon and still called that by many, is a highly specialized programming language and a productive 4GL development environment. Used by a small number of IBM i shops, Synon has enabled organizations to rapidly create complex applications and systems that run the core of their business operations. These applications are often homegrown and serve as the backbone of business processing while providing organizations with differentiation against their competition.
Although Synon applications provide great value, they are inherently difficult to access and share information with the organization. In many cases, these operations ecosystems are 15 to 25 …
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