The Clock is Ticking for RPG/COBOL Modernization
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 you cannot fall behind.
RPG and COBOL: The Backbone of Global Business
For years, RPG and COBOL provided stability and reliability. Companies continue to rely on them because they have proven their value over time.
RPG remains a dominant language on the IBM i platform. The 2023 IBM i Marketplace Report by Fortra states that RPG is the most widely used language for new development on IBM i (89%).
Additionally, COBOL still handles, a clear indication of its role in business operations across industries.
The Call for RPG/COBOL Modernization:
As the business landscape evolves, the pressure to keep up with competitors intensifies. Hence the call for legacy system modernization.
Can your business afford month-long development cycles while competitors roll out new features in weeks? Can you integrate technologies like AI, machine learning, or advanced data analytics into your legacy environment without sinking costs into custom integrations and fixes every time?
The question is no longer “Can we modernize?” but “How long can we afford not to?”
1. Talent Scarcity Isn’t Just a Risk—It’s a Reality:
If your business still runs on RPG or COBOL, the clock is ticking. What happens when your key system fails, and the person who can fix it isn’t just out of the office—they’re out of the industry? Your business grinds to a halt, not because the system is faulty, but because no one can touch it.
Modern languages such as Java or PHP let you tap into a much larger pool of developers. There are 9 million Java developers worldwide, and 3 billion devices run Java. You no longer need to fight over a shrinking number of RPG/COBOL experts. RPG and COBOL Modernization ensures your IT team has the skills needed to support future growth.
2. Faster Development Cycles Mean Faster Results
Long, sluggish development cycles define legacy systems. RPG and COBOL’s monolithic program structure requires extensive testing with each update, slowing down progress. Businesses often wait months for even small updates, while competitors using modern systems release new features and products in a matter of weeks.
Adopting DevOps practices and modern languages enables faster code deployment and continuous improvement. Companies using DevOps can deploy code 200 times faster than those stuck in traditional development models. Modern systems lets you move at the speed of business—get features out faster, improve customer experiences, and stay competitive. Application modernization services not only accelerate development but also create a flexible foundation for long-term growth and innovation.
3. You Don’t Need Green Screens in 2024
While RPG/COBOL powers critical systems, their green-screen interface is outdated. Employees used to modern, intuitive web-based applications struggle with this clunky user experience. This leads to longer training times, slower workflows, and lower productivity.
Modernized iBM i applications feature sleek, responsive UIs, making systems easier to navigate across devices. With an intuitive UI, businesses not only boost employee efficiency but also reduce the time required for new hires to get up to speed. And companies that invest in UX see a 9,900% return on investment—a clear indication of how crucial this transformation is.
According to Forrester, organizations turn to modern interfaces to align teams, accelerate projects, streamline processes, and deliver better solutions to users.
4.Costs That Keep You Stuck vs. Savings That Free You to Innovate
Running COBOL and RPG systems isn’t just a technical burden; it’s a financial one. 60-80% of IT budgets are often spent just keeping these systems running, leaving little room for innovation. Every patch, every update, and every fix eat into the budget, pushing businesses to spend more on maintenance and less on growth.
With RPG and COBOL modernization, you shift from maintaining outdated infrastructure to optimizing for cost-effective, future-ready systems. Automated regression testing, faster development cycles, and improved system quality all lead to savings. Modern platforms reduces long-term operational costs, freeing up your IT budget to focus on what matters—innovation.
5. Integration is No Longer an Afterthought
In the past, businesses could afford to run systems in silos. But today, seamless integration is essential for growth. Whether it’s integration with cloud platforms, AI-driven analytics, or a new CRM, modern systems need to talk to each other.
RPG/COBOL systems weren’t built with these technologies in mind. Integration of technologies like AI, blockchain, or cloud computing into older environments often requires expensive workarounds. Every integration requires custom coding, middleware, and time-consuming fixes.
Modern systems, on the other hand, offer plug-and-play compatibility. They allow your business to integrate new technologies easily and move forward without getting bogged down in custom development.
The Path Ahead: How to Modernize Your Legacy Systems
Transforming your legacy RPG/COBOL systems into modern architectures like Java or PHP requires a structured approach. Without a clear plan, you risk delays, cost overruns, and operational disruption.
In A Step-by-Step Guide to COBOL to Java Migration , we outline the entire modernization journey—starting from the initial code assessment through to post-transformation support. This guide offers practical tips on how to streamline the process, avoid common pitfalls, and ensure a smooth migration.
How Leading Companies Solve RPG/ COBOL Modernization Challenges:
Fortune 500 companies, with their vast legacy infrastructures, understand the stakes when modernizing systems like RPG or COBOL. These organizations face the same critical challenges—outdated code, fragile architectures, and shrinking pools of skilled developers.
Rather than relying on patchwork fixes or outdated processes, these companies adopt proactive solutions. With modern tools and a well-thought-out strategy, they ensure a seamless transition from legacy systems to modern architectures.
1. Avoid Business Disruption:
Fortune 500 companies don’t gamble with their legacy systems. They know that even a small change can disrupt mission-critical operations, especially when it comes to systems that have been patched and modified over decades.
To achieve this, many rely on advanced tools that map out every interaction, dependency, and data flow within the system. With this level of visibility, they plan legacy system modernization projects with precision and reduce the risk of unforeseen disruptions.
Fresche is one of the trusted providers of these tools, offering solutions like X-Analysis, which enables businesses to take a deep dive into their legacy code and ensure there are no blind spots before AS400 modernization begins.
2. Achieve Faster, More Reliable Testing:
Manual testing holds businesses back. When relying on outdated systems, they can’t afford the time or errors that come with archaic “stare and compare” visual verification strategies for testing. Companies looking to modernize know that test automation not only reduces human error but also accelerates development timelines.
These organizations invest in automated testing solutions that allow them to validate system updates rapidly and confidently, and then leverage them in DevOps environments for future agility and quality assurance.
Fresche provides automated testing as part of RPG/COBOL modernization projects, allowing businesses to move through testing phases with speed and precision. This type of automation is what leading companies rely on to ensure they can deliver updates quickly.
3. Equip Teams for the Transition:
Transition from COBOL or RPG to modern languages like Java or PHP requires more than just technology upgrades. IT teams and business users must adapt to the new tools, frameworks, and interfaces. Fortune 500 companies understand that investing in reskilling programs is critical to successful AS400 modernization. They gradually introduce new interfaces and ensure their staff is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the new environment.
Fresche plays a critical role here by offering tailored reskilling and training programs. Rather than disrupting ongoing operations, businesses are able to transition at their own pace. IT teams get training on modern development tools, while business users are guided through the transition with phased rollouts of the new system.
4. Execute Large-Scale Code Transformation with Precision:
RPG and COBOL code transformation can overwhelm even the largest organizations. Successful companies automate this process to avoid delays, eliminate errors, and reduce costs. They recognize that manual legacy application migration methods are impractical for systems of this size.
With automated code transformation solutions, they reduce both the time, and the risk associated with large-scale migrations. This allows them to modernize faster and ensure the integrity of their systems.
Fresche’s Code Transformation Factory, backed by industry leading tools like X-Modernize, is a solution many leading companies use to handle these large-scale legacy application migrations. With automated tools that transform COBOL or RPG code into modern languages and architectures like Java or PHP, businesses streamline the migration process and avoid getting bogged down in resource-heavy manual work.,
5. Continuous Operations During RPG / COBOL Modernization:
Large companies cannot afford downtime of critical systems. They adopt incremental deployment strategies that allow them to modernize in phases and ensure that the legacy system remains operational until the new system is fully live. This reduces the risk of business disruptions and customer dissatisfaction while they undergo legacy system modernization.
Fresche’s incremental deployment and failover strategies align with how industry giants maintain operational stability during iBM i modernization. With a fail-safe approach, businesses can continue serving their customers without interruptions, even while undertaking significant transformations.
Fast-Track RPG/COBOL Modernization
The time to act is now. Waiting to modernize only increases the risk of disruption, talent shortages, transitioning costs, and missed opportunities. Businesses that modernize today gain the agility, speed, and resilience needed to stay competitive.
The next step is yours. Book a free whiteboard session with Fresche’s client advisory team to develop your RPG or COBOL modernization strategy, explore how your business can overcome RPG / COBOL challenges, and ensure a future of innovation and growth.
