Jump to NetCOBOL

COBOL Finds a New Home On the Internet

Fujitsu COBOL Provides Solutions to Legacy Data Challenges Beyond Y2K

San Jose, November 9, 1999 - Y2K compliance and the demand for access to legacy data via the Internet are driving a move to retain existing COBOL code, but the new technologies of the Internet do not always make it easy to integrate COBOL code into this environment.

Fujitsu Software Corporation has solved these challenges by developing new COBOL interfaces that help organizations move their legacy data to the Internet, thus taking companies' valuable records into the new millennium.

Invented 40 years ago to provide a programming environment that helped business users create powerful applications, COBOL is continuing to lead the computer industry through significant evolutionary steps -- providing workhorse, record-crunching power with straightforward maintainability wherever it is required. Today, COBOL contributions are often in environments where extensions to the language or complementary products are needed to seamlessly integrate COBOL-based applications into the Internet environment.

COBOL programmers continue to develop systems that support the essential needs of business including: interfaces to database management systems, report generation, sophisticated user interfaces, handling multiple transactions, on-line reporting and the preservation of data integrity.

"Fujitsu COBOL enabled us to give patients accurate information about their insurance coverage by delivering real time insurance information to dentist's offices via the Web," said Dr. Fred Horowitz, the founder of Affiliated Network Systems in Chicago.

"Our application developers, who are experienced COBOL programmers, recommended Fujitsu COBOL because of its stability and tight integration with our chosen environment -- Microsoft Windows. Using Fujitsu COBOL they were able to deliver a reliable, sophisticated application on the Microsoft platform in a very short time. With this product, our business is growing rapidly so we are going to benefit greatly from the scalability and load-balancing features of Windows 2000."

While COBOL has continued to flourish since it was introduced, adapting to the Microsoft Windows environment has offered the largest challenge to COBOL compiler vendors. Fujitsu COBOL brings a Windows-targeted design that ensures compatibility in the Microsoft world. The core technology, together with add-on features and products, offers:

  • GUI interface design and execution
  • COM and DCOM support
  • Creation and use of Active X objects
  • ADO
  • ASP support
  • CGI support
  • ISAPI integration
  • ODBC access
  • OLE connectivity
  • Invocation of Windows system functions
  • Use of Microsoft Linkage Editor to produce standard Windows object code

Together these features provide the integration and new interfaces that COBOL developers need today.

Fujitsu COBOL and PowerCOBOL can both be used to port existing legacy COBOL applications to the PC environment. These applications often perform better in this environment, freeing mainframes and midrange systems for other tasks. In suitable situations, large systems can be replaced completely by PC's and networked PC servers.

Fujitsu customers have reported systems running on a PC in a fraction of the time of their mainframe counterparts. This can be an extremely cost-effective solution and may allow IT departments to balance application usage in a much more efficient manner. Fujitsu COBOL is the tool that is taking them into the 21st Century

"COBOL has been a winner in business programming whenever it is well integrated with the environment in which it is run," said Ron Langer, COBOL Group Manager of Fujitsu COBOL. "Now, more than ever, business success will depend on leveraging existing COBOL applications and skills."

Fujitsu COBOL systems are easily adaptable to the Internet platform, with minimal changes. The programming language's longevity and durability ensures that such integration projects are achievable by IT departments that use COBOL systems. COBOL will play a vital role in the e-commerce revolution by providing the support systems that are required by all businesses and by providing it now, not later.

About Fujitsu Software Corporation

Founded in 1991 with headquarters in San Jose, Calif., Fujitsu Software Corporation (FSC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) is a leading provider of comprehensive information technology and network solutions for the global marketplace. Comprising over 500 group companies and affiliates worldwide-including ICL, Amdahl and DMR Consulting Group-the Fujitsu Group had consolidated revenues of 5.24 trillion yen ($43.3 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999. With world-class hardware and software technology in computers, telecommunications and microelectronics, and a corps of 55,000 systems and services experts around the world, Fujitsu is uniquely positioned to harness the power of the network to help its customers succeed. Altogether, the Fujitsu Group has 188,000 employees and operations in over 100 countries. Home page: http://www.fujitsu.co.jp/index-e.html.

Fujitsu Software Corporation (FSC) and Fujitsu Limited are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited of Tokyo.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact:

Fujitsu COBOL
Ron Langer, 408/456-7904
rjl@fsc.fujitsu.com

or

LVA Communications
Joanne Hogue, 860/739-5598
Joanne@lva.com