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Compuware Releases New Product For Mainframe Veterans, Millennials

By Edward Cardenas

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - Compuware Corp. released Monday its first new software product since it was purchased last year by private equity firm Thoma Bravo.

Topaz is designed for both veteran mainframe professionals and the next generation of developers, the company stated.

"The impending retirement of skilled mainframe developers poses a threat to global enterprises that CIOs haven't seen since the Y2K deadline—and that is even more problematic, given the increased importance of mainframe data in today's digital economy," said Compuware CEO Chris O'Malley, in  a release. "With Topaz, Compuware is providing customers with an effective, immediate response to this threat so they can protect their tremendous investments in the mainframe and, just as importantly, capitalize on the tremendous business opportunities that depend on new mainframe data use-cases."

The Detroit-based tech company was purchased in September for $2.5 billion by the San Francisco-based private equity investment firm.

According to company officials, Topaz allows developers, data architects and other IT professionals to work with both mainframe and non-mainframe data. The new program allows developers to gather test data from multiple sources and simplifies the incorporation of mainframe data.

Additionally, Topaz allows developers to:

  • Visually manage vast quantities of data objects using Topaz's graphical representation of data relationships across the enterprise,
  • Utilize a single interface for editing data across file types including Oracle, SQL Server, IMS, DB2 and other data across the enterprise,
  • Simplified file and data transfers with Windows-like host to host copy functionality that allows users to easily drag and drop mainframe files and data from one host to another.

"Enterprises can gain tremendous business value from mainframe-resident data, but making use of this key asset is often limited by the need to understand the mysteries of applications developed in CICS and COBOL," said Tim Grieser, Program VP for Enterprise System Management Software at IDC, in a release. "Compuware is taking aim at this limitation by more broadly empowering IT professionals to understand and leverage data residing on IBM System z using graphical visualization tools."

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