This new version of AWS Blu Insights embeds, as usual, new features and improvements, but it also brings major changes such as Single Sign-On (SSO) and the Transformation Center billing.
Single Sign-On
We are excited to share that AWS Blu Insights has added Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities to improve the security and simplify navigation from the parent service (Mainframe Modernization). AWS Blu Insights access will be possible directly from the AWS Console. Registration on https://bluinsights.aws/ will no longer be required (and will later be deprecated).
We frequently heard from customers that they wanted to use their AWS accounts when working on AWS Blu Age refactoring projects. With this new feature, customers can now safely manage their accounts, leveraging AWS authentication mechanisms. The migration of the legacy accounts is ongoing.
Billing of the transformation
The usage of the Transformation Center is now charged following the pricing model described here. We describe all the details on how it works here.
The design, implementation and deployment of these two features required a thorough security validation (through a PenTest) in collaboration with AppSec teams. The outcome is a more secured AWS Blu Insights for the benefits of our customers.
More resources (Your inputs are welcome)
The team added over 100 new entries to the FAQ dealing with the different features, security, etc. We also added a new Resources section which will contain more details about major updates, useful links, usage examples, etc. We invite all of you to help us enrich this section. Please share your contributions and lessons learned.
New features
Transformation Center
- Usage module and billing: Transformation Center usage is now billed based on transformed lines and weeks of usage per project. You can consult usage history in “Usage”, a new module accessible both in the Transformation Center and Business services. You can also consult billing details in AWS Console’s Billing service similar to other AWS services.
- Issues view: you can now view the list of issues organized into three levels based on their language, type, and summary.
- Invitation workflow: we simplified the invitation workflow for Transformation Center projects so that you can invite multiple members of the reference Codebase project at once. In addition, it is now possible to invite new members (not part of the reference Codebase project) directly in the TC project.
- Workpackage view: we added a new view in Inputs to display a merged status for each workpackage inherited from the Codebase project. For each file, we pick the status of the latest Run or tag it as “Unknown” if never transformed.
Codebase
- Workpackages: you can now compute the number of entry points per workpackage based on the dependencies analysis result.
- Dependencies graphs: we started supporting graphs of projects up to 3x larger (up to 2 millions vertices and 8 millions edges).
Versions manager
- Dashboard: we improved the dashboard with new cards, charts and changed the naming to better align with trainings and business vocabulary (e.g. code refresh).
Authentication
- Single Sign-On from the AWS Console.
- You are now notified and asked to reload the page on all active tabs when you log out of your account.
- Users can now autonomously re-enable their accounts if disabled for inactivity (no more need to contact the support).
Shared Spaces
- We added the ability to preview files (pdf, text, images…).
Common
- Number of projects: the number of AWS Blu Insights projects is now unlimited except for the Transformation Center service, which is based on your certification level and role (click on your avatar on the right upper corner to see this information).
- Operations: maintenance is now announced directly inside AWS Blu Insights with a blue banner displayed at the top of the website.
- Filters: the suggestion list in the search bar is now filtered based on the typed value.
- Download permissions: users can now manage download permissions with much more granularity than before in Shared spaces, Codebase, Transformation Center and Versions Manager projects. Both source code and Excel files downloads can be allowed depending on the users’ profile. The download action is also traced in the Codebase project activities and notifications email.
Dependencies
- Cobol
- In Cobol, it’s possible to execute JCL code through a string. In order to do that, the code is stored in a variable which is used in a CALL USING statement. The dependency analysis now handles such a behavior.
In the example below, a link to MY_PROG will be created:
MOVE "CALL PGM(MY_PROG)" TO MY_VAR
CALL ANOTHER_FILE USING MY_VAR
- In Cobol, it’s possible to execute JCL code through a string. In order to do that, the code is stored in a variable which is used in a CALL USING statement. The dependency analysis now handles such a behavior.
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- Cobol allows to concatenate string literals using a STRING statement and store the result in a variable. We now consider those statements in order to get the correct values for dynamic dependencies. We only handle the direct assignment of a string to a variable.
- JCL
- The system utilities program (like DFSRRC00) is helpful for accessing the database using the ‘Program Specification Block (PSB)’. To handle this scenario, the dependency analysis can link the from JCL file to PSB file and COBOL program. Refer to JCL docs for more details.
- The dependency analysis handles the SQL statements present in JCL files.
- EXEC PGM statement can now address the Easytrieve program dependency.
- RPG
- Record declarations in RPG physical files are now supported and will create an object node. We also consider calls to record objects through a Cobol COPY OF statement. In the following example, a link between COB_FILE.cob and DSPF_RECORD will be created.
DSPF_FILE.dspf:A R DSPF_RECORD
COB_FILE.cob:COPY DDS-DSPF_RECORD-O OF DSPF_FILE
When there is a missing node, the category will no longer be “Missing Copy” but “Missing Record”.
- Record declarations in RPG physical files are now supported and will create an object node. We also consider calls to record objects through a Cobol COPY OF statement. In the following example, a link between COB_FILE.cob and DSPF_RECORD will be created.
Classification
- Mainframe – Add Mark IV language to supported file types.
Improvements
Codebase
- The language displayed in Workspace is set to the file type if its extension is missing or .txt.
Transformation Center
- The Include required dependencies option now adds dependencies of Velocity Includes, which are mandatory during the modernization.
- You can now distinguish between the latest velocity version available and the current velocity version you are using for your runs.
- Display a warning message if the project contains unauthorized types and disable launching (relaunching velocity runs).
- Revoking access to the Codebase project automatically revokes access to its related Transformation Center projects.
Capture & Replay
- Non found fields do not stop the replay anymore (the Selenium execution continues while showing an error instead of stopping).
Bug fixes
Classification
- CSD: detection of DEFINE keyword because of extra white spaces is now handled.
- Cobol: COPY statements with quotes identifiers are now recognized.
Dependencies
- Fix PL/I irrelevant dependency creation by handling multi-line comments.
Versions manager
- Fix display bugs in the project page creation.
Transformation Center
- Fix a minor bug on the metrics of patch lines of code.
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