MAINFRAME EXPERIENCE
Edward Lipchus
781 942-1038
11nov02
VERIZON
I have worked in both the billing systems area and marketing data warehousing.
In Billing Systems, I worked porting the New York City billing system to New England's. This involved both data transfer and program integration. In addition, for the transition I was involved in customer support. The customers were not end users, but companies such as Worldcom, Sprint, MCI Telecom, and AT&T. I was given a citation for the excellence of my support.
In marketing, I worked on their data warehouse project. This involved structural analysis of databases, data usage analysis, and data extraction and pooling using a variety of software tools from the usual mainframe languages such as COBOL, PL/1, IMS, DB2, to PC software such as Excel, Lotus Notes, and custom-made tools.
STATE STREET BANK:
At State Street Bank I worked on Y2K conversion and Euro conversion for their Mutual Funds system. There were different regions and RACF security for each of development, test, and "production". "Production" is in quotes because they had separate regions for final Euro and Y2K testing that were parallel to and treated exactly like actual production.
Work done involved retrieving source code from their ChangeMan library system, scanning the code both manually and with a Y2K tool called SystemVision. SSB programs are written in PL/I. The code was renovated, a test environment set up for each program and set of programs (FTP or NDM files from production, whether VSAM, flat, or Datacomm database, modify data and control files as necessary, copy and modify execution JCL and procs), and the programs run. Both batch and online (CICS) programs were renovated.
Project control was via Microsoft Project Planner (set up by me).
TRINZIC/PLATINUM:
At Trinzic, I and Randy Bello designed InfoHub, a PC/Mainframe middleware product. I wrote the mainframe interface for SQL statements. This interface was a CICS online non-interactive transaction that accessed a VTAM interface for messages coming from an LU6.2 feed. The main interface program and subroutines were written in COBOL2. It accessed VSAM files for it's own use and converted SQL statements for Datacomm, IMS, DB2, VSAM, and flat file access, using temporary storage queues (TSQs) for intermediate data and data transfer to cooperating processes.
I also designed and wrote the system administration system. This was a set of interactive programs that administered security, access, and processing rights for users. Written in COBOL2, this was first written for CICS using standard BMP screen processing. Versions were then created for IMS/NT using standard Scratchpad Area for transaction state retention, and a persistent version using TSO Dialog Manager. Other than the required command line in the TSO DM version, all versions, by appearance, functionality and control, are identical.
THE NEW ENGLAND:
At The New England I designed Master Service Accounts with Thomas Yang, and coded the IMS/DBDC online screens. While these used standard mid/mod/dif/dof screen handling, they used a TNE proprietary scratchpad area, though logical structure was not affected. Programs were coded in COBOL.
INTERSOLV:
At InterSolv I designed all of and coded part of Excelerator for Design Recovery. This system took mainframe source code (COBOL, COBOL2 source, screen maps, database definitions for DB2 and IMS, JCL, procs), parsed and analyzed them to create a repository that was then used to create functional and Entity-Relationship diagrams of legacy systems. This involved extensive coding and testing of realistic software to test the system, plus recreating actual user legacy code.
PUTNAM:
I wrote an interdace system, running on a DEC computer, that transfered financial transaction data into and out of Putnam Investments core general ledger / NAV system (CPort) and customer data transfer systems. These programs are written in COBOL. These programs access the general ledger system, extract the required data, transform data between Putnam and client coding schemes, and format the data appropriately for transmission. Reliability and timeliness are essential parts of these programs. Because the data involves millions of dollars, absolutely zero defects are allowed. Testing was extensive.
MARSHALL'S:
I coded and designed interactive screens for Marshall's Genesis inventory control system. The system was written in COBOL and CICS. Data was collected from marketing forecasts, current inventory, orders pending, and current sales to generate revised, up to the the day market forecasts and inventory replenishment orders. The work involved coding, screen design, and coordination between the third party vendor who supplied the skeleton of the system, other contractors, IBM (the primary consultant), and various Marshall's departments.
OTHER:
I have given classes in IMS, COBOL, and JCL at TNE and Platinum/Trinzic.
In sum, I have over 15 years of experience writing business applications in various flavors of COBOL, plus PL/I and C. I have written extensively in IMS/NT and DBDC and CICS for both online and batch applications using IMS, DB2, VSAM, and other file and database data. In addition, I have worked with Sybase and Oracle SQL-based databases.
- Edward Lipchus