Micro Focus announces the general availability of Micro Focus Server for SOA and Server Express 5.0. The new release gives organizations a real choice to reuse critical business logic and extend their core COBOL systems to a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) without having to replace or redesign proven, stable business applications. This announcement builds further on the momentum Micro Focus has created in recent weeks, as the company unveiled the latest in distributed COBOL-based solutions for modernizing critical mainframe COBOL applications.1

Organizations like Title Guaranty of Hawaii, the Aloha State’s leading provider of Title and Escrow services, are benefiting greatly from the cross-platform development solutions powered by Micro Focus, enabling them to modernize, extend and add functionality to existing business systems. Title Guaranty is using Server Express for development on UNIX, and Net Express for development on Windows, for cross-platform deployment using Micro Focus Server for SOA as it exposes UNIX based COBOL business logic as Web services. By using direct COBOL Web services to bridge key UNIX systems with the latest third-party software, Title Guaranty estimates it will save an estimated 75 person-years in future development costs. These savings are already being channelled into new projects to enhance IT’s contribution to Title Guaranty's overall bottom line.

Micro Focus Server Express 5.0 provides a UNIX- and Linux-based COBOL development environment for creating scalable, high-performance business applications which allow companies to reduce costs and improve efficiency by extending COBOL business processes as Web services. Companies can deploy those COBOL Web services directly with Micro Focus Server for SOA or integrate them into strategic SOA and J2EE solutions from Oracle, IBM, BEA and others.

“Micro Focus is clearly aligning COBOL applications with major technology changes in our industry,” said Jerry Opedal, vice president of computer support at Title Guaranty of Hawaii. “With the ability to now integrate the latest third-party software into our core COBOL systems using a standard Web service interface, we are improving our data quality, data access, product development, turnaround time and cost effectiveness.”

Micro Focus Server for SOA allows for the deployment of core business applications created with Server Express as well as with the Net Express product line. Applications developed using these leading-edge tools can be deployed to Windows, UNIX or Linux, providing robust cross-platform support. The deployed applications can be extended to a SOA, through Web services, or by taking advantage of COBOL/J2EE integration using the Java Connector Architecture.

“Server Express and Micro Focus Server are helping organizations better manage their application portfolio by allowing them to reuse crucial business logic in new and innovative ways,” said Stuart McGill, vice president of worldwide marketing at Micro Focus. “Our COBOL technology is helping organizations modernize and extend core applications and integrate with the latest technologies, enabling the strategic reuse of existing assets saving money and reducing risk.”