The Issue  

Impact analysis is an extremely important aspect of Information System change. It is an essential first step that ensures the success of any development project.

Many maintenance projects consist of modifying a database (for example, adding or modifying a field size). The risks related to these modifications and the corresponding adaptations represent a long, painstaking, and risky job.
This highlights a dual issue:

• Are there resources available to automate impact analysis processes?
• Can I automate code transformation in projects that involve changing database structure?

The ARCAD Solution...

With ARCAD, the answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes. ARCAD’s methodology permits automation of impact analyses down to the most detailed level (lines of code) and 50%-100% automation of source code modifications. It also provides:
• Guaranteed thoroughness of impact analyses, thereby reducing IS regression testing
• A major productivity factor for this type of project.

Operating Principles

First of all, we must specify that this module only applies to applications developed in a native language, whether they are written in RPG (36, II, III or IV), COBOL or CLP.

Before using our impact analyses and transformation solutions, use ARCAD-Open Repository to build a complete central repository for your applications.
The product analyzes your libraries and uses your source code to develop a database that contains all the inter-relationships between components (programs, files, etc.), fields (databases, work fields) and lines of source code. The product will use this base to analyze all the information paths or links through your processes.

With multi-criteria research systems, you select a list of fields you want to change. This list is placed into propagation engines that research information pathways through inter-field connections and then generate:

• Traces of these pathways in the source code
• Modification recommendations if you have configured your transformation rules
  Once validated, these proposals can be applied in the source code. They are automatically allocated to an ARCAD version and the lines of code are tagged, with the old version of the lines added into comments.
  Our product then allows launching of a mass recompilation of all impacted components and their dependents.

For data recovery, you can define one or more recovery rules. ARCAD will generate all necessary recovery programs.

Results

Spectacular productivity gains--over 50% on average--result from the high automation levels you will achieve. This is a major productivity tool. Return on investment is immediate, beginning as soon as the first project is processed. Further, the tool guarantees a thoroughness that no manual job can equal. This ensures non-regression and exemplary application reliability, even with a high level of change.