When enterprises reach back in time, to the outer reaches of their code assets, they don't necessarily have to see things as they once were. Due to application modernization techniques and methods, scattered legacy applications can be rationalized for lifecycle-level support by newer, more efficient platforms and practices. The proper hygiene of these applications becomes especially useful and cost-efficient as enterprises and governments move toward datacenter consolidation and also services oriented architecture (SOA). To explore the nuances of application modernization, and to determine the business case for such undertakings, I recently moderated a sponsored discussion with two executives from Hewlett-Packard (HP). Rick Slade, the America’s practice principal for HP’s Application Modernization Service, and Paul Evans, the worldwide practice leader for application modernization for HP Services, explain how the targets for modernization efforts extend well beyond mainframe and COBOL code. The goal is to deeply examine any older applications -- built on linear, monolithic architectures -- and transform them for production on platforms and server architectures that promote long-term flexibility. Read the transcript at http://briefingsdirect.blogspot.com/2006/10/transcript-of-dana-gardners_23.html. Sponsor: Hewlett-Packard.
Direct download: Application_Modernization_20061024.mp3
Category:B2B Informational Podcast -- posted at: 6:35am EDT

Welcome to BriefingsDirect SOA Insights Edition, a weekly discussion and dissection of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and related news and events with a panel of independent IT industry analysts and guests. Dana Gardner, principal analyst at Interarbor Solutions, is your host and moderator. This week's panel consists of Steve Garone, a former program vice president at IDC and Jon Collins, principal analyst at Macehiter Ward-Dutton. The topics are Sun's virtualization announcement and the relationship between SOA and virtualization, as well examining the notion that SOA will kill ERP ... or not. Feel free to peruse the transcript of the discussion at http://briefingsdirect.blogspot.com/2006/10/transcript-of-dana-gardners_22.html.
Direct download: SOA_Insights_2_20061022.mp3
Category:B2B Informational Podcast -- posted at: 11:07am EDT

Borland Software recently released its Lifecycle Quality Management (LQM) initiative, which applies quality assurance to the entire applications design process, with special emphasis in the requirements phase. Quality is not just about the code, it's about quality of process, methodology, and of getting the definitions right. So we took Borland's approach to quality to the field to test the thinking on a busy application development shop. In this sponsored B2B informational podcast, listen to Chris Meystrik, the vice president of software engineering at Jewelry Television in Knoxville, Tenn., describe his fast-paced environment and what he looks for in tools, testing, and application lifecycle management. The stakes are only increasing. Quality with Web services and SOA can make or break the performance and reliability of the component services, may even color the perceptions of IT in general. Therefore quality needs to happen right from the start, not as a late-stage activity, lest the architects and business analysts detect that services cannot be trusted on par with monolithic applications. Listen as the path to lower risk in application development is described and validated. Interarbor Solutions analyst Dana Gardner moderates the 29-minute discussion. Sponsor: Borland Software. Have a listen to the podcast here, or read the transcript at http://briefingsdirect.blogspot.com/2006/10/transcript-of-dana-gardners_16.html.
Direct download: Borland_LQM_Podcast_20061016.mp3
Category:B2B Informational Podcast -- posted at: 3:55pm EDT

Welcome to the inaugural BriefingsDirect SOA Insights Edition, a weekly discussion and dissection of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and related news and events with a panel of independent IT industry analysts and guests. Dana Gardner, principal analyst at Interarbor Solutions, is your host and moderator. This week's panel consists of Steve Garone, a research partner affiliated with Ideas International, and is a former program vice president at IDC responsible, and also Neil Macehiter, research director at Macehiter Ward-Dutton, formerly of Ovum. This week's topics are BEA's announcements from its recent conference, a slew of IBM SOA-related announcements, including the WebSphere Service Registry and Repository, and Borland's Lifecycle Quality Management (LQM) solution. Also peruse the transcript of the discussion at http://briefingsdirect.blogspot.com/2006/10/transcript-of-dana-gardners.html.
Direct download: SOA_Insights_1_20061015.mp3
Category:B2B Informational Podcast -- posted at: 4:40pm EDT