The IMS DB(Information Management System) is a hierarchical database and information management system created by IBM in 1966. The IMS DB is still quite popular with worldwide enterprises for running their daily operations.

Enterprises are trying to modernize their IMS-based applications, mainly due to:

• Cost: The annual cost of licenses and maintenance is very high.
• Resources: It is very difficult to find trained IMS DBAs and IMS DC programmers.
• Agility: In today's marketplace, businesses must have the ability to rapidly change their IT systems, and therefore modern technologies are needed to provide the necessary agility.

As companies try to leverage the tremendous investment they have made in their existing IMS-based applications, they face a formidable challenge.

IMS DB/DC Migration to DB2, SQL Server, or Oracle

The BluePhoenix modernization toolset for IMS is the answer: a cutting-edge, high-efficiency solution for automated migration from COBOL or PL/I applications using an IMS (OS/390 or VSE) file system to a relational database (IMS to DB2, IMS to Oracle, IMS to SQL), as well as migration from IMS DC to CICS. The use of an automated IMS migration brings many benefits over the alternative of rewriting the application and losing most of the past investment. The data structure is migrated to the relational model, keeping all the connections and dependencies, while enabling excellent performance. This cost-effective solution significantly decreases the risk, cost, and time involved, and enables current developers to continue maintaining and enhancing the migrated application.