Meeting Notes on Software AG Renewal Alternatives

License fee for conversion is approximately $1 million$ , plus $6.75k$ for a library of conversion classes.
Considering manual conversion instead of investing in automated licensing.
Capgemini could potentially handle the conversion end-to-end.

Currently, natural screens are converted to COBOL, then to Java.
The proposal is to keep everything on the mainframe in COBOL.
Moving to Java introduces complexity due to the continued presence of 90% of the mainframe, necessitating interfaces between the distributed system and ZOS.
The proposed solution may add complexity for both Capgemini and Farmers to maintain.

Broader decommissioning efforts are being discussed, including a "one policy processing system" initiative across the enterprise.
Previous attempts at a unified system have been hindered by significant costs and effort.
The current focus is on finding the most expedient way to move off Software AG, avoiding renewal.
A simpler, more supportable solution is preferred over something new and complex.
Astadia's pricing was a concern due to perceived lack of value per dollar.

Reviews are still underway with other vendors.
The current decision deadline is May 9, but it is flexible.
Astadia is excluded from discussions on pricing given that they haven't seen Capgemini's pricing.

Exploring the possibility of Astadia subcontracting through Capgemini.
Capgemini doing the full scope of work may offer better end-to-end accountability with a single supplier.

Manual effort may be greater compared to an automated solution.
Potential for more offshore leverage to offset costs.
Astadia's recent acquisition by Amdocs could mean a shift towards offshore development in Pune, India.

Data migration is a key area requiring expertise, potentially involving Astadia.
Leo Francis from PL evaluated Kindle and Precisely Software for IMS d b five migration.
Capgemini provided a manual solution, leveraging offshore resources with IMS expertise.
Need to assess Capgemini's capabilities on the database to DVD side.
Natural to COBOL conversion can be achieved through specifying.

Previous experience migrating data from Focus files to SQL tables, providing natural code and SQL scripts.
This prior work can serve as a basis for the current data migration process.

Manual effort could be higher but potentially offset by increased offshore resources.
Current Capgemini solution has close to 80% offshore resources.
Blended rate is already aggressive.
Eliminating license fees and other associated costs may result in equal or lower overall pricing.
Astadia's proposal includes costs for analysis ( $3.25k$ ), libraries ( $605k$ ), and licenses ( $400k$ ).
Manual conversion may reduce the number of programs needing conversion, potentially less than one-tenth of the total.
Existing analyses can help determine which data is obsolete or still relevant.