Legacy Mainframe Migration: Law Enforcement Agency

CONVX successfully led a complex data migration project for a state-level law enforcement agency, transitioning critical public safety data from an outdated IBM z/OS mainframe to a modern Microsoft SQL Server data warehouse. This challenging project involved extracting, transforming, and migrating decades of vital information stored in obsolete formats dating back to the 1970s. Working in partnership with a leading public safety software vendor and a systems integrator, CONVX preserved the integrity of historical data while enabling integration with modern systems.

The agency faced significant hurdles with their aging technology infrastructure:

• Critical operational data trapped in an aging IBM z/OS mainframe

platform

• Complex data spread across approximately 800 VSAM files, 12 DB2

tables, and 10 flat files

• Essential legacy reports written in obsolete DYL280 code

• No documentation of data structures and relationships

• Need to integrate with modern public safety software systems

• Requirement to preserve the historical record while enabling modern

capabilities

• Time-sensitive migration of personnel and asset records for a new HR

system

CONVX implemented a comprehensive migration strategy with several specialized components:

1. Migration Environment Deployment: Established a dedicated on-premises environment with specialized tools and software to support the migration process.

2. Source Data Discovery: Conducted systematic inventory of all source data files, documenting file types, locations, and sizes to create a comprehensive data catalog.

3. Data Structure Reverse Engineering: Meticulously reconstructed the data structures and relationships by extracting VSAM file record structures, DB2 database schemas, and analyzing flat file record descriptions.

4. Data Warehouse Design: Created a custom Microsoft SQL Server data warehouse specifically architected to accurately preserve the source data while enabling modern capabilities.

5. Migration Pipeline Development: Built automated data pipelines for extraction, transformation, and loading of records with robust error handling and data provenance tracking.

6. Historical Reporting Development: Analyzed and recreated 15 critical DYL280 legacy reports in Microsoft Report Builder, preserving essential operational reporting capabilities.

7. System Integration: Developed specialized data marts and security controls to enable integration between the data warehouse and modern public safety software.

8. Expedited Personnel Data Conversion: Prioritized the migration of personnel and asset records required for a new HR system to meet critical project timelines.

The project showcased CONVX\'s technical expertise in complex data migration:

• Extraction Methodology: Employed specialized techniques to extract

data from VSAM files, DB2 tables, and flat files, ensuring data integrity throughout the process.

• Data Transformation: Carefully mapped legacy data elements to

their new SQL Server counterparts, preserving relationships while adapting to modern database structures.

• Schema Design: Created a warehouse schema that balanced historical

preservation with modern database best practices.

• Data Marts: Developed subject-oriented database structures

optimized for specific use cases, including Incidents, Persons, Vehicles, Locations, Property, Personnel, and Assets.

• Security Implementation: Implemented robust security controls to

protect sensitive law enforcement data throughout the migration and in the target environment.

• Automation: Built tools to automate repetitive and error-prone

tasks, ensuring consistency and reducing risk during the migration process.

The migration project delivered significant value to the agency:

• Legacy Retirement: Successfully decommissioned the aging mainframe

system, eliminating associated maintenance costs and technical debt.

• Data Preservation: Maintained decades of critical law enforcement

data with integrity and accessibility.

• Modern Capabilities: Enabled contemporary data access, analysis,

and reporting capabilities previously impossible on the legacy platform.

• System Integration: Established seamless connection with modern

public safety software and other agency systems.

• Operational Continuity: Maintained essential reporting and data

access throughout the transition.

• Future-Ready Platform: Implemented a scalable, maintainable data

architecture that can evolve with agency needs.

This data migration project exemplifies CONVX\'s ability to tackle extremely challenging legacy system transitions. By successfully migrating decades of critical public safety data from obsolete mainframe formats to a modern SQL Server environment, CONVX enabled the agency to preserve their valuable historical information while gaining the benefits of contemporary technology. This project demonstrates CONVX\'s deep expertise in data migration, legacy system analysis, and public safety domain knowledge.