1st Generation Modernization
Modernization began in the late 1990s, leveraging CICS-based transactions for eCommerce. DCA group led the design and build of IVR and CRM integration with IBM MQ and custom CICS brokers. The deployment comprised a high-volume CICSPLEX deployment processing over 2 million messages per day.
The CRM integration involved a large-scale data synchronization between two Subscriber Management applications and a new CRM. MQ and JMS supported the event streams, while the ESB mediated the required update services.
2nd Generation Modernization
This phase implemented **WebSphere Liberty** Web containers in CICS for serving up REST APIs at the edge of the CICSPLEX. Composition APIs were provided by CICS COBOL services rather than an ESB.
This strategic approach moved data mapping from the middleware team directly to the Mainframe team, leveraging their deeper understanding of the core data structures for better performance and accuracy.