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Customer in Focus
      Mike Schweizer
  Sammons Financial Group
Session Agenda

•   Introductions.
•   Project Overview.
•   Challenge at hand.
•   Why Visual COBOL.
•   Challenges along the way.
•   Looking Ahead.
•   Q&A.




                                2
Sammons Financial Group

• Mike Schweizer – AVP
• Paul Schiltz – Applications Architect
• Jon Stahl – Applications Architect




                              3
Who Are We
                                    Life
                                 Insurance
               Corporate
               Services                           Annuities

                         Sammons
             Shared      Financial                    Corporate
             Services                                  Markets
                          Group
                        Sammons              Sammons
                        Retirement           Securities
                         Solutions           Company




                 4
What We Do
• Annuities                              • Variable Annuities
   • Fixed Index Annuities (Top          • Mutual Funds
     Seller)
   • Fixed Annuities, Immediate          • Corporate Markets
     Annuities, Multi-Year
                                            • Bank Owned Universal Life
     Guarantee
                                              Insurance
• Life Insurance                            • Credit Union Owned Universal
                                              Life Insurance
   • Index Universal Life (Top Seller)
   • Universal Life, Term, Variable
     Universal Life



                                  5
Our Locations
    Chicago              Sioux Falls               Des Moines              Fargo




137 Employees           591 Employees             458 Employees            69 Employees
•    Life Insurance      Shared Services          SFG Executive           Corporate Markets
     Executive Office     Executive Offices         Offices                  Executive Offices
                         Operations Center        Annuity Executive       Operations Center
                          for Life Business         Offices                  for Corporate
                                                   Operations Center        Markets
                                                    for Annuity Business
                                                   Sammons

          1255 Total                                Retirement
                                                    Solutions Offices

          Employees


                                              6
How Are We Unique and
What Have We Accomplished
 • Privately Owned ESOP Companies
 • Variety of Distribution Channels
 • Strategic Focus on Creating Long-Term Value and Keeping
   Promises to Our Policyholders
 • Midland National & North American Consistently Rank Within
   the Top Ten Annuity Carriers in the US (AnnuitySpecs.com)
 • Record Production in 2010 and 2011




                            7
Project Overview

• PolicyLink – Policy Administration System.
• Processes the core functions of the annuity business.
• Base system with user enhancements added over the years.
• Code consisted of native COBOL, COBOL .Net, C# and
  Webforms.
• Various interfaces to external applications and data primarily
  via SQL.




                             8
Project Overview

• 2200+ COBOL Modules.
• Tightly integrated – Many modules are re-used throughout
  the system.
• Stand-alone modules and stand-alone modules that share
  modules with the admin system.
• All modules need to be compiled with the same compiler
  options to maintain integrity of the system.




                           9
Need to Modernize

• Aging system – independent study.
• Needed a better way to interface with external applications
  including SQL.
• Design options were limited under native COBOL.
• Development savings were not able to be realized.
• Wanted an infrastructure that would allow access from a
  screen, a web service or both.




                            10
Interface Options




     11
Challenge – What we wanted to accomplish

•   Modernize the admin system as fast as possible.
•   Minimize the business impact.
•   Keep the cost as low as possible.
•   Minimize the testing effort.
•   Leverage our developer knowledge base.
•   Minimize the training effort.




                             12
Why Visual COBOL?

• Any non-COBOL language would require a re-write of the
  admin system.
• Existing system was written with Micro Focus COBOL.
• Positive experiences with Micro Focus in the past.
• Visual COBOL allows for the flexibility of coding in .Net and
  Java environments.
• Our annuity applications are coded on the .Net platform.
• Our sister companies are coded on the Java platform.




                             13
Why Visual COBOL?

• Our developers were already familiar with Visual Studio so the
  training effort was minimal.
• Visual COBOL is backward compatible and forward thinking.
• Visual COBOL Integrates seamlessly with other managed
  languages.
• We were able to lift our existing code base and shift to the
  managed environment with minimal code modifications.




                            14
Preparation

• Identified major tasks and allocated resources: programming,
  management and reached out to Micro Focus for subject
  matter expertise.
• Utilized the Micro Focus training course and in-house
  instruction.
• Created an environment as close to our production
  environment as possible.
• Performed unit testing, parallel testing and UAT testing.




                            15
Challenges

• Visual Studio Project Organization Options:
   –   One project with all modules.
   –   Group modules into logical projects.
   –   One project for each module.
   –   No project: Command line compile code.




                                16
Challenges

• One project with all modules :
   – Visual Studio IDE could not handle a project with 2200+ modules.
   – IntelliSense would eventually crash the IDE.
   – Result: A one project solution for our admin system was not possible.
• Group modules into logical projects:
   – Micro Focus performed a detailed analysis of our admin system.
   – Breaking our system down into functional groups would have required
     a great deal of analysis and recoding.
   – Result: This option would have taken too much time and too many
     resources – more than what we were willing to give.




                                 17
Challenges

• One project for each module :
   – Maintaining the code base for 2200+ modules would be a nightmare.
   – Compiling 2200+ project modules would be a nightmare.
   – Result: One project for each module is not feasible.
• No project: Command line compile code.
   – By changing our build method the functional breakdown became
     unnecessary.
   – Switching from the inherent Solution/Project build process of Visual
     Studio to a command line build process saved the day – Thank you
     Micro Focus!
   – Result: Command line compile was exactly what we needed.




                                 18
Coding Challenges

• Recode SQL API calls.
• Configuration files necessary for every stand-alone
  executable.
• Character based screen calls.
   – Not supported under managed Visual COBOL.
   – Removed code references and changed to use command line
     parameters.
• Minor code tweaks.
• In general data types are stricter under managed code.




                              19
EXAMPLES




  20
Solution Design

• All modules are dynamically linked at runtime.
• References to other modules included in a project are loaded
  by the first call to the called module.




                            21
Solution/Project Templates

• Provides uniformity to the developer when debugging.




                           22
Automated the build process

Created an automated build process that uses the directives file.




                             23
Directives File
• Gives uniformity to the build process when using a command
  line build process.
• Unique to COBOL.




                           24
Special Handling
• Those references that are specific to a module are declared at
  the top of the module rather than in the directives file.




                            25
Configuration Files (.exe.config)

• One needed for each executable module. (.exe)
• SQL connection strings are defined inside.
   – These connections will be defined here even though they may not be
     used until later by a module farther down the line.
• Application settings are defined inside.
• Environment variables can be set here.
• Runtime settings are set here.




                               26
Configuration Files (.exe.config)




                      27
Challenges - Summary

• Micro Focus helped us in setting up our project organization
  within Visual Studio.
• Micro Focus helped us with the new development IDE and
  languages extensions by providing training online and in-
  house.
• Micro Focus helped us setup our automated compiles so that
  we could maintain the same consistency in compile options
  that our current environment maintained.
• The entire code base was re-compiled under managed code
  with very little modification.



                            28
Lessons Learned

• Have a project manager from the very start of the project.
• Install license software earlier in the project so that there is
  more time to work out the bugs and handle special cases.
• Get help from Micro Focus in the areas where expertise is
  needed.
• Spread the testing effort over more developers so that they
  can get up-to-speed faster.
• Allow enough time for re-writing and testing modules that
  you know are incompatible with the managed environment.




                              29
Future Plans

• Convert or re-write the existing screens into managed format.
• Break-out modules into functional groups.
• Continue to update older styles of coding to a more object
  oriented style.




                            30
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Developer Conference 1.4 - Customer In Focus- Sammons Financial Group (SFO)

  • 1. Customer in Focus Mike Schweizer Sammons Financial Group
  • 2. Session Agenda • Introductions. • Project Overview. • Challenge at hand. • Why Visual COBOL. • Challenges along the way. • Looking Ahead. • Q&A. 2
  • 3. Sammons Financial Group • Mike Schweizer – AVP • Paul Schiltz – Applications Architect • Jon Stahl – Applications Architect 3
  • 4. Who Are We Life Insurance Corporate Services Annuities Sammons Shared Financial Corporate Services Markets Group Sammons Sammons Retirement Securities Solutions Company 4
  • 5. What We Do • Annuities • Variable Annuities • Fixed Index Annuities (Top • Mutual Funds Seller) • Fixed Annuities, Immediate • Corporate Markets Annuities, Multi-Year • Bank Owned Universal Life Guarantee Insurance • Life Insurance • Credit Union Owned Universal Life Insurance • Index Universal Life (Top Seller) • Universal Life, Term, Variable Universal Life 5
  • 6. Our Locations Chicago Sioux Falls Des Moines Fargo 137 Employees 591 Employees 458 Employees 69 Employees • Life Insurance  Shared Services  SFG Executive  Corporate Markets Executive Office Executive Offices Offices Executive Offices  Operations Center  Annuity Executive  Operations Center for Life Business Offices for Corporate  Operations Center Markets for Annuity Business  Sammons 1255 Total Retirement Solutions Offices Employees 6
  • 7. How Are We Unique and What Have We Accomplished • Privately Owned ESOP Companies • Variety of Distribution Channels • Strategic Focus on Creating Long-Term Value and Keeping Promises to Our Policyholders • Midland National & North American Consistently Rank Within the Top Ten Annuity Carriers in the US (AnnuitySpecs.com) • Record Production in 2010 and 2011 7
  • 8. Project Overview • PolicyLink – Policy Administration System. • Processes the core functions of the annuity business. • Base system with user enhancements added over the years. • Code consisted of native COBOL, COBOL .Net, C# and Webforms. • Various interfaces to external applications and data primarily via SQL. 8
  • 9. Project Overview • 2200+ COBOL Modules. • Tightly integrated – Many modules are re-used throughout the system. • Stand-alone modules and stand-alone modules that share modules with the admin system. • All modules need to be compiled with the same compiler options to maintain integrity of the system. 9
  • 10. Need to Modernize • Aging system – independent study. • Needed a better way to interface with external applications including SQL. • Design options were limited under native COBOL. • Development savings were not able to be realized. • Wanted an infrastructure that would allow access from a screen, a web service or both. 10
  • 12. Challenge – What we wanted to accomplish • Modernize the admin system as fast as possible. • Minimize the business impact. • Keep the cost as low as possible. • Minimize the testing effort. • Leverage our developer knowledge base. • Minimize the training effort. 12
  • 13. Why Visual COBOL? • Any non-COBOL language would require a re-write of the admin system. • Existing system was written with Micro Focus COBOL. • Positive experiences with Micro Focus in the past. • Visual COBOL allows for the flexibility of coding in .Net and Java environments. • Our annuity applications are coded on the .Net platform. • Our sister companies are coded on the Java platform. 13
  • 14. Why Visual COBOL? • Our developers were already familiar with Visual Studio so the training effort was minimal. • Visual COBOL is backward compatible and forward thinking. • Visual COBOL Integrates seamlessly with other managed languages. • We were able to lift our existing code base and shift to the managed environment with minimal code modifications. 14
  • 15. Preparation • Identified major tasks and allocated resources: programming, management and reached out to Micro Focus for subject matter expertise. • Utilized the Micro Focus training course and in-house instruction. • Created an environment as close to our production environment as possible. • Performed unit testing, parallel testing and UAT testing. 15
  • 16. Challenges • Visual Studio Project Organization Options: – One project with all modules. – Group modules into logical projects. – One project for each module. – No project: Command line compile code. 16
  • 17. Challenges • One project with all modules : – Visual Studio IDE could not handle a project with 2200+ modules. – IntelliSense would eventually crash the IDE. – Result: A one project solution for our admin system was not possible. • Group modules into logical projects: – Micro Focus performed a detailed analysis of our admin system. – Breaking our system down into functional groups would have required a great deal of analysis and recoding. – Result: This option would have taken too much time and too many resources – more than what we were willing to give. 17
  • 18. Challenges • One project for each module : – Maintaining the code base for 2200+ modules would be a nightmare. – Compiling 2200+ project modules would be a nightmare. – Result: One project for each module is not feasible. • No project: Command line compile code. – By changing our build method the functional breakdown became unnecessary. – Switching from the inherent Solution/Project build process of Visual Studio to a command line build process saved the day – Thank you Micro Focus! – Result: Command line compile was exactly what we needed. 18
  • 19. Coding Challenges • Recode SQL API calls. • Configuration files necessary for every stand-alone executable. • Character based screen calls. – Not supported under managed Visual COBOL. – Removed code references and changed to use command line parameters. • Minor code tweaks. • In general data types are stricter under managed code. 19
  • 21. Solution Design • All modules are dynamically linked at runtime. • References to other modules included in a project are loaded by the first call to the called module. 21
  • 22. Solution/Project Templates • Provides uniformity to the developer when debugging. 22
  • 23. Automated the build process Created an automated build process that uses the directives file. 23
  • 24. Directives File • Gives uniformity to the build process when using a command line build process. • Unique to COBOL. 24
  • 25. Special Handling • Those references that are specific to a module are declared at the top of the module rather than in the directives file. 25
  • 26. Configuration Files (.exe.config) • One needed for each executable module. (.exe) • SQL connection strings are defined inside. – These connections will be defined here even though they may not be used until later by a module farther down the line. • Application settings are defined inside. • Environment variables can be set here. • Runtime settings are set here. 26
  • 28. Challenges - Summary • Micro Focus helped us in setting up our project organization within Visual Studio. • Micro Focus helped us with the new development IDE and languages extensions by providing training online and in- house. • Micro Focus helped us setup our automated compiles so that we could maintain the same consistency in compile options that our current environment maintained. • The entire code base was re-compiled under managed code with very little modification. 28
  • 29. Lessons Learned • Have a project manager from the very start of the project. • Install license software earlier in the project so that there is more time to work out the bugs and handle special cases. • Get help from Micro Focus in the areas where expertise is needed. • Spread the testing effort over more developers so that they can get up-to-speed faster. • Allow enough time for re-writing and testing modules that you know are incompatible with the managed environment. 29
  • 30. Future Plans • Convert or re-write the existing screens into managed format. • Break-out modules into functional groups. • Continue to update older styles of coding to a more object oriented style. 30
  • 31. @microfocus or hashtag #devcon2013 Follow us on LinkedIn or join the group Connect with your peers on the Community