Transforming COBOL Legacy Software to a Generic Imperative Model

Legacy COBOL code presents challenges for organizations wishing to increase their effectiveness and improve their efficiency. The systems that utilize this code are vital to enterprise operations, yet maintenance of code is expensive. This research presents an alternative that overcomes some of the problems of legacy COBOL code through the use of software reengineering techniques. This research develops a transformation system to convert COBOL code into a generic imperative model, recapturing the initial design and deciphering the requirements implemented by the legacy code, thereby making possible the documentation of legacy systems, design restructuring, and the re-design of a new, enhanced system.