Steel Processing Company Modernizes Codebase & Databases to Azure Public Cloud

The client is an international raw steel processing company, with its North American subsidiary producing approximately 2.5 million tons of crude steel annually. As a leading supplier of heavy plate and strip products in North America, this client operates in a highly competitive and efficiency-driven industry, making operational excellence crucial to their success.

For nearly 15 years, the parent company has relied on Ensono as a trusted ally. As part of a North American subsidiary acquisition, the client faced a significant challenge: decommissioning their last remaining mainframe application and moving to the public cloud.

The aging mainframe infrastructure had become costly to maintain, pulling resources into outdated technologies that lacked the flexibility to evolve with the business. Each year spent maintaining this legacy infrastructure meant more time and money lost, putting their competitive edge at risk. The scarcity of skilled professionals to manage this legacy technology added further complexity.

The client sought a solution that could:

• Eliminate reliance on costly mainframe systems
• Reduce operational expenses and boost profitability
• Improve scalability and ensure future readiness through cloud transformation

Faced with these challenges, the client needed a partner who could guide them through this critical modernization journey.

Ensono conducted a thorough mainframe modernization assessment in February 2022, providing a clear roadmap to decommission legacy systems and embrace cloud technology. Recognizing Ensono’s expertise in mainframe-to-cloud migrations, the client moved forward with the project, trusting Ensono to lead this strategic transformation to Microsoft Azure.

Ensono’s expert team designed a tailored solution aligned with the client’s goals, transforming the North American subsidiary’s legacy codebase and databases. The modernization solution included:

• Converting COBOL programs and ADS/O modules to C# .NET
• Migrating IDMS databases to SQL Server
• Replacing JCL files with PowerShell scripts

To ensure secure integration and deployment, Ensono configured an Azure Landing Zone, enabling enterprise-grade scalability. Using Agile development practices and a CI/CD toolchain with Kubernetes containers, the client’s modernized application was ready to deliver business-critical services with the resilience and flexibility that only the cloud can provide.

Ensono completed the 14-month modernization program with impressive speed, converting 100 programs per month while minimizing disruptions to ongoing operations. This seamless migration was a remarkable achievement, considering the scope of the transformation.

The client’s mainframe-to-cloud migration resulted in significant and measurable benefits:

• Cost Savings: Achieved a $1 million one-time mainframe cost avoidance and an additional $1.3 million in annual operational savings, resulting in a $2.9 million net savings over five years. ROI is expected in just three years.
• Operational Improvements: By moving away from legacy mainframe technology, the client retrained their workforce on modern cloud technologies, retaining skilled employees and optimizing internal processes.
• Enhanced Agility and Scalability: The new cloud infrastructure provides greater agility and scalability, allowing the client to swiftly respond to market changes while reducing the complexity and costs of IT management.
• Future-Ready Infrastructure: The client now benefits from a future-proof, scalable IT environment, positioned for future growth and innovation.