Microfocus and RDZ

[Chandan Yadav]

Hi,

Just though of starting a topic to throw some light on Microfous and RDZ.

If any one working or worked on these can elaborate on these tool and their pro and cons?

Thanks and regards,
Chandan

[Anuj Dhawan]

Quite a while back but it was in my last shop - I worked with RDz for some time. That time, around 2009, it was advertised to be used as a "training tool" for new recruit. It was like working with IBM Debugger under Windows. The code-repository was on z/OS. It was a nice experience. However, this about RDz, is directly from the horse's mouth: 

IBM® Rational® Developer for z Systems™ provides an enhanced tool-set for creating and maintaining z/OS® applications quickly and efficiently. This rich set of COBOL, PL/I, C++, assembler and Java development tools designed for batch, IBM CICS®, IBM IMS and IBM DB2® environments are optimized for the workstation-based Eclipse platform. Developers can take advantage of a modern, interactive and integrated environment for enhanced productivity when creating high quality mainframe applications.

Rational Developer for z Systems features:
[ol][li]Modern, simple-to-use z Systems application development tools that support the design, creation and maintenance of mainframe applications.[/li]
[li]A fully integrated source level debugger that enables users to step through the z/OS application, monitor and modify variables, set breakpoints during or before a debug session and inspect program memory.[/li]
[li]Optimized tooling support for IBM CICS, IMS and DB2 run-times.[/li]
[li]Source control and collaborative life-cycle management systems integration for streamlining development processes.[/li]
[li]Enhanced application structural and quality analysis tools that help to produce high quality code more quickly.[/li][/ol]
The good news is , you can have the trialed version installed at your PC now. See this: Rational Developer for z Systems
90 day no-charge trial. 

I find this article on 10 little-known features in Rational Developer for System z that increase mainframe developers' productivity very interesting. Have a look.


When you talk about Micro Focus, I think, you are referring to their suite of products related to mainframe, in general. Micro Focus International PLC, OTOH, is a multinational software and information technology business based in Newbury, Berkshire, England. The firm provides software and consultancy services for clients updating legacy systems to more modern platforms. 

If you are talking about Micro Focus COBOL (referred to as MF COBOL, at times) is a product from them. It supports databases API Oracle, DB2, SQLSERVER. Along with that, its compiler is available for writing COBOL based application on various platforms, for example: 
[ul][li]Windows[/li]
[li]RedHat[/li]
[li]Oracle Linux and more.[/li][/ul]
MF COBOL supports most of the CICS API’s (EXEC CICS), Database API’s (EXEC SQL). It also supports many (all, not sure to provide a list) other major functionality which other COBOL compilers provides. So as a developer, the coding is pretty much same to developing COBOL application on mainframes. 

Visual COBOL is their another product - Visual COBOL is a development environment for COBOL applications. In this they have integrated Eclipse and Visual Studio. I have not used it personally, but per the documentation, it supports Cloud, mobile, .NET and JVM, and a wide range of the latest environments.

[Pradeep Singh]

RDz is easy to lean while it takes time to learn the ISPF itself on mainframes.

[Chandan Yadav]

I also worked with RDz sometime back and that time code repository was on Z/os not sure how it is handled now.

In my latest shop we are in process of implementing Micro Focus which is very much similar to Rdz. THe one biggest difference which is very cost effective is code base will be on Cloud system and not on Z/OD. I need to explore more how exactly it works. Will keep posted the information as soon as I get it

Thanks,
Chandan