Assess - AWS Prescriptive Guidance
Current state analysisTarget state definition

Assess

The assess phase for DevOps on AWS Mainframe Modernization is a crucial initial step in the journey to modernize legacy mainframe applications because it does the following:

  • Helps organizations gain a clear understanding of their current state

  • Helps identify areas for improvement

  • Guides the development of a roadmap for a successful DevOps

During this phase, you evaluate your existing mainframe environment, define your goals, and plan the strategy for DevOps adoption in parallel to planning your migration to AWS. During the assessment phase, you perform the following key activities and objectives.

Current state analysis

Conduct a current-state analysis of the business, technical, security, and skill and maturity-level areas.

Area

Analysis

Business

  • Engage with stakeholders, including executives, business owners, and security and IT teams, to define clear business objectives for mainframe modernization.

  • Identify specific requirements, or business drivers, such as improved agility, cost reduction, compliance, and competitive advantages.

  • Define clear and measurable objectives for each of the business drivers in your mainframe modernization project on AWS.

 

Technical

  • Assess the current mainframe environment, including hardware, software, and application portfolios, and identify the business drivers of DevOps.

  • Identify dependencies and interconnections between mainframe components and nonmainframe systems.

  • Evaluate the performance, scalability, and reliability of existing systems.

  • Understand the existing development and deployment processes.

Security

  • Assess the current security and compliance posture of mainframe applications and data.

  • Identify regulatory requirements and compliance standards that must be met during and after migration.

Skill and maturity levels

  • Evaluate the existing team's skills and expertise in AWS services, DevOps, and mainframe technologies.

  • Identify skill gaps and training needs.

  • Determine the need for external resources for training, coaching, and certification readiness.

  • Evaluate the current DevOps maturity level within the organization.

  • Determine the readiness to implement DevOps practices for mainframe modernization.

Target state definition

Define the target state for the business and technical areas.

Area

Definition

Business

  • Improved agility for faster releases (faster time to market)

  • Improved product or application quality

  • Reduced amount of time used for managing governance and compliance

  • Goals identified for cost savings, scalability, agility, and improved application performance

Technical

  • Improved developer experience

  • Automation implemented to reduce manual work and avoid human errors

  • Improve automated security, governance, and compliance

  • More frequent and faster software release cycles

  • Gated, automated testing to improve quality.

  • Increased feedback loops and communication between Development, Testing, Security, and Operations teams