MICRO FOCUS, CRATOS AND MICROSOFT HELP LOMBARD CANADA LTD. MIGRATE ITS MAINFRAME SYSTEMS TO WINDOWS PLATFORM
Announcement posted by Micro Focus 19 May 2005
Leading insurance provider estimates it will save more than $1 million a year by moving its applications and data store onto Windows-based server
Micro Focus, a leading provider of legacy application development and deployment software for enterprise platforms, Cratos, a software solutions company specializing in international banking and financial transaction processing, and Microsoft, today announced that they will work with Lombard Canada Ltd. to migrate its mainframe systems to a Microsoft software platform. Over the next 24 months, Lombard will move all its applications onto a single platform, earning the company an anticipated significant return on investment.
We estimate this project will save us in excess of $1 million a year, but more importantly, it will enable us to become more competitive in our industry both today and in the future, said Peter Howling, vice president of IT, Lombard Canada Ltd. Part of Lombards competitive advantage is directly related to technology, and this migration will help us attract and retain the most talented IT people, who are looking to work with the latest technology.
Lombards mission-critical applications were residing on mainframe systems. With continuing decline on the ROI of these systems, the company needed a cost-effective alternative to replace its aging system.
Following an extensive analysis and evaluation process, Lombard chose to move all its core applications, including financials, off the mainframe and onto Windows Server 2003 operating system and SQL Server. Lombard selected Micro Focus Studio and Micro Focus Server to facilitate a rapid and low-risk re-hosting of mainframe applications. Recognized migration specialist Cratos was chosen to provide the necessary
Lombard Canada Ltd. Migrates to Windows, p. 2
technical expertise, and will continue to work closely with Lombard to ensure the successful migration of the mainframe applications, data, processes and people.
Lombard is among a leading group of companies that want to derive further value from their COBOL, CICS and JCL based legacy systems by migrating from the mainframe to the low cost, high performance Windows platform, said Ian Archbell, vice president of product management, Micro Focus. We are pleased that our collaboration with Cratos and Microsoft will deliver a rapid migration solution for Lombard, lowering its IT hardware and software costs, while increasing its business agility.
We are delighted to be leading the Lift and Shift migration of Lombards mainframe systems, said Andrew P. Wickett, chief executive officer, Cratos Technology Solutions. By migrating to the new platform and running Micro Focus and Microsoft technology solutions, Lombard will enjoy the same end-user functionality with anticipated reduced development and deployment costs, and achieve an expected return of investment within less than 18 months.
Mainframe customers are facing several challenges, including a decrease in available technical skills, shortage of innovation in the ISV ecosystem, and a need for increased flexibility. Migrating to newer technologies delivers the agility they need to adapt to continuously changing business requirements at a lower cost, without sacrificing the scalability, reliability and security they have come to expect from the mainframe, said Randy Lenaghan, director of financial services, Microsoft Canada. We are working with services partners like Cratos, and Mainframe Migration Alliance partners like Micro Focus, to provide the resources, tools and education customers need to achieve a successful migration.
About CRATOS Technology Solutions Inc.
Cratos, established in 1999, is headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. Cratos is a software solutions company specializing in international banking and financial transaction processing. The majority of Cratos clients consist of banks and financial institutions who use the processing software for services such as Visa, MasterCard, Eurocard, smart cards, debit cards, other credit cards, store cards, private label cards and loyalty based products. Revenues are primarily generated from large financial institutions throughout North America, Europe and Australia. Projects undertaken by Cratos usually extend from a few months to over one year in duration. For more information, visit www.cratos.ca.
Lombard Canada Ltd. Migrates to Windows, p. 3
Micro Focus - Unlocking the Value of Legacy
Micro Focus is a leading provider of legacy development and deployment software for enterprise platforms. Micro Focus enables organizations to reduce costs and increase agility with minimal risk by reusing their legacy applications with contemporary architectures and Web services. Founded in 1976, Micro Focus is a global company with principal offices in the United Kingdom, United States and Japan. For more information, visit www.microfocus.com.
About the Mainframe Migration Alliance
The Mainframe Migration Alliance (MMA) is an alliance of companies offering technology and services to support customers who wish to migrate applications from the mainframe to the Microsoft Windows platform. The MMA provides a central location for information and tools to help enterprise IT organizations understand migration-related issues and to learn from others success. For more information on the MMA, please visit www.mainframemigration.org.
About Microsoft in Financial Services
Microsoft is a leading provider of software products and technology to the financial services industry. Its customers operate in every area of banking, insurance and financial markets. Microsoft focuses on helping provide the flexibility, security, scalability and reliability required by financial organizations. Through Microsoft .NET connection software and XML Web services, Microsoft helps customers act on information virtually any time, and virtually any place.
Working with leading software vendors and systems integrators in financial services, Microsoft supports financial institutions in re-engineering core business operations, achieving straight-through processing (STP), better managing all aspects of risk and capital adequacy, increasing efficiency in branch banking operations, and establishing a new generation of telephone and Internet-based financial services channels.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq MSFT), the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English.
Lombard Canada Ltd. Migrates to Windows, p. 4
Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country
dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Visit Microsoft Canadas Web site at www.microsoft.ca.
We estimate this project will save us in excess of $1 million a year, but more importantly, it will enable us to become more competitive in our industry both today and in the future, said Peter Howling, vice president of IT, Lombard Canada Ltd. Part of Lombards competitive advantage is directly related to technology, and this migration will help us attract and retain the most talented IT people, who are looking to work with the latest technology.
Lombards mission-critical applications were residing on mainframe systems. With continuing decline on the ROI of these systems, the company needed a cost-effective alternative to replace its aging system.
Following an extensive analysis and evaluation process, Lombard chose to move all its core applications, including financials, off the mainframe and onto Windows Server 2003 operating system and SQL Server. Lombard selected Micro Focus Studio and Micro Focus Server to facilitate a rapid and low-risk re-hosting of mainframe applications. Recognized migration specialist Cratos was chosen to provide the necessary
Lombard Canada Ltd. Migrates to Windows, p. 2
technical expertise, and will continue to work closely with Lombard to ensure the successful migration of the mainframe applications, data, processes and people.
Lombard is among a leading group of companies that want to derive further value from their COBOL, CICS and JCL based legacy systems by migrating from the mainframe to the low cost, high performance Windows platform, said Ian Archbell, vice president of product management, Micro Focus. We are pleased that our collaboration with Cratos and Microsoft will deliver a rapid migration solution for Lombard, lowering its IT hardware and software costs, while increasing its business agility.
We are delighted to be leading the Lift and Shift migration of Lombards mainframe systems, said Andrew P. Wickett, chief executive officer, Cratos Technology Solutions. By migrating to the new platform and running Micro Focus and Microsoft technology solutions, Lombard will enjoy the same end-user functionality with anticipated reduced development and deployment costs, and achieve an expected return of investment within less than 18 months.
Mainframe customers are facing several challenges, including a decrease in available technical skills, shortage of innovation in the ISV ecosystem, and a need for increased flexibility. Migrating to newer technologies delivers the agility they need to adapt to continuously changing business requirements at a lower cost, without sacrificing the scalability, reliability and security they have come to expect from the mainframe, said Randy Lenaghan, director of financial services, Microsoft Canada. We are working with services partners like Cratos, and Mainframe Migration Alliance partners like Micro Focus, to provide the resources, tools and education customers need to achieve a successful migration.
About CRATOS Technology Solutions Inc.
Cratos, established in 1999, is headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. Cratos is a software solutions company specializing in international banking and financial transaction processing. The majority of Cratos clients consist of banks and financial institutions who use the processing software for services such as Visa, MasterCard, Eurocard, smart cards, debit cards, other credit cards, store cards, private label cards and loyalty based products. Revenues are primarily generated from large financial institutions throughout North America, Europe and Australia. Projects undertaken by Cratos usually extend from a few months to over one year in duration. For more information, visit www.cratos.ca.
Lombard Canada Ltd. Migrates to Windows, p. 3
Micro Focus - Unlocking the Value of Legacy
Micro Focus is a leading provider of legacy development and deployment software for enterprise platforms. Micro Focus enables organizations to reduce costs and increase agility with minimal risk by reusing their legacy applications with contemporary architectures and Web services. Founded in 1976, Micro Focus is a global company with principal offices in the United Kingdom, United States and Japan. For more information, visit www.microfocus.com.
About the Mainframe Migration Alliance
The Mainframe Migration Alliance (MMA) is an alliance of companies offering technology and services to support customers who wish to migrate applications from the mainframe to the Microsoft Windows platform. The MMA provides a central location for information and tools to help enterprise IT organizations understand migration-related issues and to learn from others success. For more information on the MMA, please visit www.mainframemigration.org.
About Microsoft in Financial Services
Microsoft is a leading provider of software products and technology to the financial services industry. Its customers operate in every area of banking, insurance and financial markets. Microsoft focuses on helping provide the flexibility, security, scalability and reliability required by financial organizations. Through Microsoft .NET connection software and XML Web services, Microsoft helps customers act on information virtually any time, and virtually any place.
Working with leading software vendors and systems integrators in financial services, Microsoft supports financial institutions in re-engineering core business operations, achieving straight-through processing (STP), better managing all aspects of risk and capital adequacy, increasing efficiency in branch banking operations, and establishing a new generation of telephone and Internet-based financial services channels.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq MSFT), the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English.
Lombard Canada Ltd. Migrates to Windows, p. 4
Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country
dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Visit Microsoft Canadas Web site at www.microsoft.ca.