With the current pandemic drastically changing the way many companies conduct business both internally and externally, software modernization and application development are as important as ever. Many businesses were not prepared to enable their workforce to work remotely. And in their defense, a lot of these businesses are running applications that were never intended to be accessed remotely. With governments encouraging people to work from home for as long as possible, companies need solutions that allow their remote employees access to everything they need to be effective and efficient.
While IT/IS projects revolving around enabling the remote workforce will be of high importance for the foreseeable future, the cost associated with these projects will be equally important. Alan Beaulieu, President of ITR Economics, recently stated in the webinar “Guidance in an Uncertain Economy” that the US may not see a full economic recovery until 2023. Businesses must balance their short-term needs with their long-term goals. The best solution is one that can quickly integrate short-term solutions with those long-term goals in a manner in which nothing is being duplicated or redeveloped as the project progresses.
Quick, Affordable Modernization Now: IBM i
LANSA’s aXes is the perfect modernization tool when both quick and long-term results are needed. LANSA aXes can quickly web enable any 5250 application to be accessed on any device connected to the internet, including mobile devices. You can have IBM i green-screen applications being accessed by your remote workforce within hours. And with a little extra time, more functionality can be added to the green screens, making the users even more efficient. As an added bonus, you can access spool files and query your DB2 database remotely as well. It is the perfect start when you need to have remote employees access 5250 applications and you are being pushed for time. You don’t need access to the source code, and there is no coding involved. It simply installs on the IBM i and is ready to go.
Try aXes for free and see just how fast you can web enable 5250 applications.
Quick, Affordable Modernization Now: IBM i/Windows
What if you need a new application that doesn’t exist? Maybe you need a quick and easy way for users to remotely check and manipulate data. This a perfect use case for LANSA’s low-code platform, Visual LANSA. Applications can be created up to 10x faster than traditional coding, and a relatively simple app can quickly be created and deployed to IBM i, Windows, or cloud servers. And with Visual LANSA, you can create one program that can be run on any device. With Visual LANSA, you can quickly create the necessary applications to keep remote employees productive while laying down a solid foundation for long-term applications.
Try Visual LANSA for free and discover the power of hybrid low-code.
Combining Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
One of LANSA’s most unique products is RAMP, an application framework deployable as a Windows desktop or web browser application. The framework allows you to assemble applications from components built with RPG, Visual LANSA, Visual C#, .NET, HTML pages, and many more into a single application. You can even add in your aXes applications. This flexibility makes RAMP the perfect tool for combining applications created for short-term needs with applications created or being created for long-term goals. RAMP allows users to sign into a single application and have access to all the apps they need to successfully work remotely. But this is not just a solution for our current situation. Combining commonly used applications into one framework is a great way to increase employee efficiency and productivity.
Use Your Resources Wisely
It is easy to lose sight of your long-term goals in these trying times. Most everyone has an immediate issue that needs to be addressed for efficient and effective remote work. However, using a non-scalable, temporary solution that does not fit into the long-term goals will end up wasting valuable company resources, including worker power and money. Investing in a solution that quickly addresses the immediate needs of your employees while giving you the flexibility to keep working toward your long-term goals is the best use of company resources. Combining LANSA’s aXes, Visual LANSA, and RAMP is a wise investment to address immediate needs while still working toward long-term goals. You can use aXes now, enable 5250 applications immediately, and then add in Visual LANSA and RAMP as time and resources allow. LANSA can help you get through the current crisis while allowing you to plan for the future.
Check out our IBM i Modernization page to find your easy path to modernization.
If you would like to know more about aXes, Visual LANSA or RAMP, please contact our sales team: sales@lansa.com
