Skip to Main Content

Fresche Announces Expansion to its Automated Solutions that Accelerate IBM i (AS/400) Application Transformation to Modern Languages

Fresche broadens scope and adaptability of automated solutions to now transform RPG to PHP, producing high quality modern and scalable applications.

Montreal, Canada, September 17th, 2020 – Fresche Solutions today introduced new capabilities with its automated solutions to accelerate application transformation of RPG applications into PHP, paving the way for faster digital innovation. Fresche’s automated solutions provide customers the ability to adopt agile modern systems and open languages by converting RPG to PHP or Java, and CA 2E (Synon) to Java. The addition of RPG to PHP gives companies running IBM i another option to enable competitive advantage while addressing inherent challenges with readily available skills, resources and difficult-to-maintain legacy applications. PHP is a leading open source choice of IBM i clients because it has a great, proven ecosystem and is an accessible language to create quality, maintainable code using RPG developers or existing PHP developers who have no experience on IBM i.

Most organizations are seeking better, faster ways to deliver powerful new digital experiences to their customers and employees. For companies that rely on legacy applications running on IBM’s Power Systems IBM i servers, this often requires piecing together capabilities from a mix of traditional and modern application architectures and technologies. As these organizations embrace open source, cloud, web and AI technologies and multi-threaded strategies, this landscape becomes more diverse and complex. Recognizing that legacy applications are not only core assets but that they contain competitive advantage and differentiation, Fresche keeps closing that divide—with skilled transformation experts, unique automated tooling, a proven methodology and flexible approaches to create the right strategy for each company.

Over the past few years, Fresche has made significant investment in developing the next generation of smart automated solutions that are offered in incremental delivery models and flexible financial models. These solutions provide a high level of automation and include services to ensure successful implementation. They reengineer the applications from monolithic to a modern code structure that is highly maintainable. In addition, a pre-conversion application assessment that provides a comprehensive forensic analysis of the entire system is produced by Fresche’s X Analysis Suite. This provides understanding of the applications and business rules as well as any opportunity for consolidation. The solutions also provide automated testing capabilities covering everything from the database to the UI. Combined, these solutions deliver modernized applications at lower cost and risk than rewriting or replacing while building on the investment in customized systems.

Nick Hampson, Senior Product Manager at Fresche, says that “Our transformation solutions are developed to be scalable and adaptable to support multiple languages. To date, our solutions currently transform the two biggest demands we’ve seen so far which are RPG to PHP or Java and Synon to Java, but we’re seeing a growing interest in other source and target languages. Companies recognize the value proposition that Power Systems IBM i brings, including its highly scalable and robust architecture, low TCO, reliability, security and integrated database. Our approach leverages their existing applications and skills to best meet the needs of the business. What differentiates Fresche from other modernization companies is three-fold. The adaptability of our automated solutions – they have evolved to the point where, with a small amount of enhancement, we can support a variety of target languages. In addition, our people are experts in transformation, which encompasses a deep understanding of both business and technology. And, because every client’s transformation journey is unique in everything from starting point to business goals to investment capability and delivery models, Fresche fits the solution to the needs – we don’t start with technology. To sum it up, every organization has different business challenges and technology is simply the enabler and means to solving those challenges.”

Marcel Sarrasin, Chief Product Officer at Fresche, points out that language conversion is a key part of digital transformation. “2020’s pandemic is forcing companies to adapt at a rapid pace. This is a real challenge for companies that rely on legacy systems and it underscores the importance of having an agile IT. We offer a unique incremental approach that delivers quick wins, demonstrates business value and aligns IT with business stakeholders. Our approach looks at many different options to transform or modernize your applications, including the user interface, database, business logic and web development solutions. Legacy systems are often competitive differentiators and leveraging them as the foundation for digital transformation is a smart way to innovate. Accelerated transformation is a precursor for clients who wish to take advantage of new technologies, agility and innovation. The addition of converting RPG to PHP gives companies another option to modernize their applications. Our IBM i clients are all at different stages in their transformation journey, and Fresche has solutions and services to help at any step. ”

About Fresche Solutions

Fresche is the leading provider of application modernization and management solutions that enable digital transformation for companies that rely on IBM i systems. Through the power of automated tools and experienced professionals, Fresche delivers innovative solutions that bring our clients the best, boldest ways to modernize and better manage their business and IT.

Our professionals combine fresh thinking with technology and business expertise to help fuel transformation and growth for our clients and their customers. We do this by recycling our clients’ best IT assets to take advantage of digital solutions including web, mobile, cloud and AI – reducing time to market, lowering risk and cost, and making modernization affordable to every IBM i client on the planet.

With over 300 digitally connected colleagues around the world and an extensive network of business partners, Fresche collectively brings clients the best solutions to drive innovation and IT success.

This site is registered on wpml.org as a development site. Switch to a production site key to remove this banner.