Program Migration Priority Calculation for Mainframe Systems

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current program migration methods from mainframe systems to open systems are inefficient, leading to prolonged migration times, excessive costs, and disruption of business processing due to inadequate consideration of hardware resource usage and scheduling, which can result in increased running costs and processing overruns.

Innovation Solution

A computer system and method that calculates migration priority for programs based on hardware resource usage and operation information, and determines the feasibility of migration phases using hardware resource expansion schedules to optimize the migration process, allowing for continuous operation without stopping the mainframe system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If programs are migrated in batches requiring complete system stoppage, then migration can be completed with full verification, but business processing is interrupted and migration time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration completenessVSAvoidbusiness processing continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the migration process into independent program unit migrations rather than migrating all programs at once. Each job step can be migrated and activated independently, allowing the system to continue operating with remaining programs on the mainframe while progressively moving programs to the open system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by preparing and verifying individual program migrations before full system switchover. Programs are converted and tested in advance, and migration priority is determined beforehand based on hardware resource usage, enabling smooth progressive migration without complete system stoppage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If hardware resources are over-provisioned with margin to prevent malfunctions, then system reliability is improved, but initial costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidhardware resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of hardware resource allocation from static over-provisioning to dynamic allocation based on actual migration progress. By calculating migration priority based on hardware resource usage and determining migration phases accordingly, the system optimizes hardware utilization without requiring excessive margin, reducing initial costs while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If all programs are migrated before system switchover, then migration completeness is ensured, but migration time extends to several months or years

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration completenessVSAvoidmigration duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamics into the migration process by enabling continuous system operation during migration. The system dynamically switches between mainframe and open system execution based on migration status, allowing programs to be migrated and activated progressively rather than requiring complete migration before switchover, thereby reducing migration time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains continuity of useful action by ensuring business processing continues uninterrupted during migration. The open system can execute migrated programs while the mainframe continues operating with remaining programs, eliminating idle time and ensuring continuous productive operation throughout the migration process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Quantity of substance

If high hardware resource usage programs are migrated later, then mainframe resources remain available longer, but running costs increase and open system may experience processing overruns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemainframe resource availabilityVSAvoidrunning costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of migration sequencing by calculating migration priority based on hardware resource usage. Programs with high resource usage are assigned higher migration priority and migrated first, allowing the mainframe to reduce resource availability progressively while the open system builds capacity, optimizing the balance between resource availability and running costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10802873B2Computer system and program migration method

Publication Date: 2020.10.13 HITACHI LTD

AI summary

Provided are a computer system and a program migration method capable of properly migrating programs between different computers. A first computer calculates a migration priority of each of the plurality of programs based on information which indicates weighting relative to usage of hardware resources, and operation information of hardware resources in the first computer when each of the plurality of programs is executed, and, based on hardware resource expansion schedule information which defines hardware resources of the second computer in each of a plurality of migration phases, determines migration feasibility of a program in hardware resources used in each migration phase and decides the migration phase for migrating each of the plurality of programs in order from a first migration phase of the plurality of migration phases and in order of the calculated migration priority.