A bit of a philosophical post here, but am gathering opinions. Am looking to do some kind of certification which would add to my experience as a Cobol CICS DB2 A/P. Where do you see the future for us and what certifications would you recommend? Any advice much appreciated.
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where are we going?
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PROFESSORSPARKIE
Instructor
I don't know about certification but the top corporations almost all keep their main bread/butter applications on the mainframe in Cobol-CICS-DB2. also the Cobol languages are doing more & more on Web-cgi programming interfaces in Cobol on the workstations with SQL interfaces.
I believe the future is good but best for those that learn web cgi & perl or PHP database programming.
I was the CICS & Cobol Product manager back about 12 years ago & thought is was slipping but feel the manufactures are working on their products, especially companys like Fujitsu COBOL & MySQL.
Look in the perl forums and you will see some questions on what books to learn from.
Just my thoughts. Good luck
I believe the future is good but best for those that learn web cgi & perl or PHP database programming.
I was the CICS & Cobol Product manager back about 12 years ago & thought is was slipping but feel the manufactures are working on their products, especially companys like Fujitsu COBOL & MySQL.
Look in the perl forums and you will see some questions on what books to learn from.
Just my thoughts. Good luck
Future for mainframe programmers? In India: yes! In the West: less. Forrester is talking about losing 3,300,000 jobs only for the US. I have not a happy feeling about this. A lot of talking about this is here:
Truusvlugindewind
Programmer
Well, as mainframe 'guys' we've always been good at backoffice systems. The new backoffice in town is called J2EE. Frightning at 1st site, but when you look closer for simularities with CICS you'll find a lot. So when you look at a J2EE server as just another transaction manager it is more easy to understand. Combine that with the fact that WebSphere and/or linux is coming to the mainframe and you know where you can find work in the coming period.
So install linux on your PC, get to know it. Don't get confused about all the languages out there (PHP, perl, python..blablabla...) it runs rexx as well
Install java and try to get JBoss running. When you've mastered (got a minute?) that you are a specialist again, but now in the new world.
So install linux on your PC, get to know it. Don't get confused about all the languages out there (PHP, perl, python..blablabla...) it runs rexx as well
Install java and try to get JBoss running. When you've mastered (got a minute?) that you are a specialist again, but now in the new world.
We are about to ditch our mainframe altogether (SORT OF).
First we are going to use an Intel Server to simulate COBOL for about 2 to 3 years due to support from IBM running out on our Multi-prise mainframe box.
Then we are going to a Database Package system that will probably use an IBM Unidata Database. It will have its own report writer and be based in either Java or C??. I think by that time it will use the Java J2ee on the server at least. It is a package made by Datatel which handles mainly Education Clients. We will definitely be utilizing a company that specializes in conversions and implementation on this package.
How much code of our own that we actually will write is kind of up in the air. We kind of run on a shoestring budget. We have 4 programmers and 2 of them are retiring in the next 2 years. It will be fun to see how this works out. We have to switch over the the simulated mainframe box by the end of June.
At the same time we will be implementing an IP Phone system to replace our Gigantic ROLM Switch this summer and upgrading the network. Nothing like fun.
If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.
First we are going to use an Intel Server to simulate COBOL for about 2 to 3 years due to support from IBM running out on our Multi-prise mainframe box.
Then we are going to a Database Package system that will probably use an IBM Unidata Database. It will have its own report writer and be based in either Java or C??. I think by that time it will use the Java J2ee on the server at least. It is a package made by Datatel which handles mainly Education Clients. We will definitely be utilizing a company that specializes in conversions and implementation on this package.
How much code of our own that we actually will write is kind of up in the air. We kind of run on a shoestring budget. We have 4 programmers and 2 of them are retiring in the next 2 years. It will be fun to see how this works out. We have to switch over the the simulated mainframe box by the end of June.
At the same time we will be implementing an IP Phone system to replace our Gigantic ROLM Switch this summer and upgrading the network. Nothing like fun.
If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.
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