Meeting Strategic Initiativeswith Legacy Applications

Donovan FolletteWashington State University

Copyright Donovan Follette 2003. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

WSU Campus Locations

Pullman

Tri-Cities

Vancouver

Spokane

Disclaimer and Dedication

• Potpourri of ideas, anecdotes, experiences, and processes employed

• The IT colleagues at WSU that make it such an exceptional working environment

• Agenda The IT context Theoretical basis Strategies to leverage the legacy

The Context – Strategic Plan

• Began Fall 2000

• Involved entire university community

• Approved by Board of Regents January, 2002

• Four strategic goals Three of four specifically mention

technology The remaining goal cannot effectively be

attained without technological support

WSU IT Mission

With a commitment to collaboration and innovation, deliver high quality technology and customer services to a diverse WSU

community.

COLLABORATE!INNOVATE!DELIVER!

“A seamless, integrated, intuitive university information environment.” Dr. Mary Doyle, V.P. IS

Balancing Opportunities, Expectations, and Resources

The IT Dilemma:

Expectations... always high, outside of our control.

Resources... always low, outside of our control.

Opportunities... always “near”, we can either create or take advantage of them.

A Theoretical Basis for Balancing...A function of how well we manage/maximize our opportunities.

Expectations... Resources...

Maximizing Scarce Resourcesthrough Applied Marginal Analysis

“By evaluating marginal costs and marginalbenefits, people are able to use their scarce

resources in the way that makes them aswell off as possible.”

Dr. Michael Parkin

Manage/Maximize Opportunities!

Revolution vs. Evolution

Revolution: A sudden or momentous change in a situation.

Evolution: A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form.

“Change over time.” Dr. Paul Verrell

Extending your Software Portfolio

• “The primary difference between ‘legacy’ systems and the systems replacing them is that the legacy system works and scales.” Bjarne Stroustrup (creator of C++)

• Myth of “legacy” Legacy = old … legacy = irrelevant

• We all have a software portfolio Must be managed and extended

Four Strategies

• Identify Missing ‘Key’ Technologies

• Evaluate Available Skills

• Opportunistically Leverage Your Legacy

• Prioritize Projects for Success

Strategy 1:Identify Missing ‘Key’ Technologies

• If we only had… Authentication “Are you who you say you are?”

Authorization “Are you allowed to perform this function?”

RPC access to legacy environment SQL access to legacy data

• Enabling technologies came in many ways Inventorying in-house software Vendor “fire sales” Consortium affiliations

• Cash free may not be possible, but be strategic

Strategy 2:Evaluate Available Skills

• Identify required implementation skills Data administration DBA Application analyst/specialist O/S, network infrastructure specialist

• Select key participants Visionary, capable, team-oriented Expert user(s)

Strategy 3:Opportunistically Leverage Your Legacy

• Controlled e-volution Use maintainable/sustainable technologies

• Language environments, O/S’s, databases Adhere to production policies and standards

• Practical examples One-way data extracts (accessed via .cgi, .asp, etc.)

• Relational to flat files FTP’ed to Web server• VSAM to relational databases

Strategy 3:Opportunistically Leverage Your Legacy

• Practical examples (cont.)

• Leverage in-house technologies E-mail services Unused technologies

• Electronically distribute decision support data Supply data for function rich desktop tools Data warehousing Re-think age-old report distribution model

Strategy 4:Prioritize Projects for Success

• Applying a bit of objectivity Time estimate – S(1-3m), M(3-9m), L Impact – S(? Admin), M(advising community),

L(student population) Cost (hardware, software licenses, etc.)

• Quick wins – SL or ML

Project Time Est. Impact Cost Project A Small Small ?.??

Project B Small Large ?.??

Project C Large (3-5 FTE) Large ?.??

Project D Medium Medium ?.??

Conclusions

Are we ahead of the game?

And absolutely confident that small incremental steps can produce large sustainable returns.

Not in the absolute sense, but poised for opportunity. - Committed to evolutionary change - Seeking, “to be as well off as possible”

For Further Information

Donovan (Van) Follettefollette@wsu.edu

Target your strategic initiatives -- even with legacy applications.

Overview of WSU

• Land-grant University (1892)

• Carnegie Research I University

• 21,000 Students

• Four Campuses

• Multiple Learning Centers

• Distance Education Program