Atos Origin, Microsoft and Compuware Team Up to Support Migration of Applications to .NET

Paris, 6 June 2007 - Built on the Migration Factory concept initiated by the Microsoft Technology Center, the new “Migration Center for .NET” solution combines Microsoft development environments and technologies, Compuware analysis and code quality tools, and Atos Origin’s expertise and platforms to deliver an innovative, shared methodology for migration management. This allows businesses to protect their legacy applications while integrating changes in development methods and architectures.

Atos Origin, Microsoft and Compuware have announced that they will collaborate to provide a turnkey solution for migrating enterprise applications developed under Microsoft DNA architectures (VB5/6, C++, etc.) to the Microsoft .NET architecture. “Migration Center for .NET” is an industrialized process with a complete toolset that enables companies to protect the value-added of their business applications while embracing fundamental technological improvements, from object-oriented programming to new distributed or service-oriented architectures.

In most big French corporations, the challenge of migrating business applications developed under VB5 and VB6—adding up to literally tens of millions of lines of code—is made even more difficult by the shortage of Visual Basic development and maintenance capabilities. What’s more, applications need to be consolidated to reduce operating and upgrade costs. Equally important, solutions must be open to allow businesses to seize new opportunities such as Web-based services, service-oriented architecture (SOA) or mobility. These same challenges apply to applications written in C++, ASP and other aging technologies.

Enhanced capabilities
The “Migration Center for .NET” solution is the result of unique cooperation between three pivotal players in the IT industry. Atos Origin is leveraging its experience in application migration to provide the methodologies and expertise required to analyze, prepare and execute turnkey migration projects. It has put together a dedicated cross-disciplinary team that combines experts in DNA technologies and the .NET environment, including software architects, project managers and developers.

Purpose-built migration tools
To execute migration projects, these experts deploy Compuware’s DevPartner Studio Professional Edition and Compuware Application Quality Solution (CAQS) development support tools. Thanks to collaboration with Microsoft and Atos Origin, the Compuware tools have been specially adapted to resolve migration issues such as code portability, quality diagnostics, mapping, unit testing and performance testing. The information generated by these tools is used to make decisions on actions required, to accelerate and ensure the reliability of developments and to track progress throughout the project.

Developers will also benefit from the assistants and tools supplied by Visual Studio 2005. Overall monitoring of the migration project is performed with Microsoft Team Foundation Server.

The acceptance and non-regression testing phases are industrialized as well thanks to Compuware and Microsoft tools.

Diagnostics and launch support
Microsoft is providing access to its Microsoft Technology Center Paris, which is equipped with Compuware tools. MTC architecture specialists can therefore quickly provide businesses with an evaluation of project feasibility and costs, as well as an initial diagnostic of code portability.

Beyond migration: a successful transition to .NET architecture
Depending on the scope of the project or the number of business applications to be migrated, Atos Origin performs turnkey migration or provides onsite support for clients deploying “Migration Center for .NET” tools and processes, enabling them to migrate applications at their own pace. Thanks to their proven .NET capabilities, Atos Origin, Microsoft and Compuware can also assist businesses in addressing the architectural challenge of migrating two tier client/server applications to new multi-tier and service-oriented architectures.

Atos Origin’s recommendations and skills transfer enable companies to de-silo and upgrade VB5 and VB6 applications while protecting business-critical legacy applications that represent very significant added value. The Compuware and Microsoft solutions industrialize and accelerate the process of migrating and upgrading to .NET architecture while enhancing visibility regarding project feasibility and timeframes.

Beyond the inherent benefits of migration, aligning Compuware and Microsoft solutions with Atos Origin’s people and proven methods guarantees a stable, long-term lifecycle for .NET projects.

About Atos Origin
Atos Origin is an international information technology services company. Its business is turning client vision into results through the application of consulting, systems integration and managed operations. The company’s annual revenues are EUR 5.4 billion and it employs 50,000 people in 40 countries. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games and has a client base of international blue-chip companies across all sectors. Atos Origin is quoted on the Paris Eurolist Market and trades as Atos Origin, Atos Euronext Market Solutions, Atos Worldline and Atos Consulting.

About Compuware Corporation
Compuware Corporation maximizes the value IT brings to the business by helping CIOs more effectively manage the business of IT. Compuware solutions accelerate the development, improve the quality and enhance the performance of critical business systems while enabling CIOs to align and govern the entire IT portfolio, increasing efficiency, cost control and employee productivity throughout the IT organization. Founded in 1973, Compuware serves the world’s leading IT organizations, including more than 90 percent of the Fortune 100 companies. Learn more about Compuware at http://www.compuware.com/.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Created in 1983, Microsoft France employs around 1000 people. Eric Boustouller was appointed general manager of Microsoft France in February 2005.
If you are interested in viewing additional information, please visit www.microsoft.com/fr/fr/default.aspx.

Microsoft Technology Centers (MTCs) provide everything you need – an outstanding environment, industry leaders, and technology experts – to envision, architect and demonstrate a secure, customized solution based on Microsoft and partner technologies. An MTC’s dynamic collection of resources shortens your development time by removing traditional barriers and reduces the total cost of solution acquisition. Drawing on the integrated innovation of Microsoft products and technologies, the MTC can be a powerful resource for your organisation. Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/mtc.

For more information, please contact:

Michel Simion
+ 33 (0)1 41 14 20 48
michel.simion@fr.compuware.com

Christophe Bonnot
+ 33 (0)6 64 40 47 39
cbonnot@microsoft.com

Contact Information

Anne de Beaumont

Atos Origin

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