Benefits

No process changes are enforced with Enterprise Sync

Synchronizing the Endevor elements with AccuRev greatly simplifies the implementation of new mainframe processes like unit testing, continuous integration, and parallel development in a consistent and integrated manner. In any case, no process changes are enforced with Enterprise Sync. The administrator could start deploying an Enterprise Developer based mainframe development environment with a process that is similar to the old process, thus, inuring the developers with a new, modern IDE with all its known productivity enhancements. The combination with Enterprise Sync provides already in this scenario provides significant value, e.g. improved auditing, versioning, comparison, merging and graphical visualization.

Improved auditing

All changes done in AccuRev are logged, so the developer will find the complete history of all SCM events in AccuRev. This is different to Endevor where it is common that history records are deleted, i.e. when deleting or moving an element.

Improved versioning

For each change in AccuRev, the developer can easily access the corresponding source file version. Unlike Endevor, AccuRev manages a complete history of all files and based on the information shown in the history list (see above) which makes it much easier to locate a specific file version of interest. A graphical version browser is supported, and the corresponding files can be directly accessed from this browser.

Improved analysis of file changes (annotate)

Using the AccuRev Annotate function on any file version provides the developer with a complete line oriented history of all changes within the file (record level).

Improved comparison and merge support

Any two history files managed in AccuRev can be compared directly and, if required, merged into a new workspace version.

The benefits described above are directly available, even if the development process is not changed, meaning the developer would still do all changes on the mainframe either in ISPF or using Enterprise Developer with the AWM Endevor Attachment. Below are the advantages summarized which are available when moving parts of the development process off the host. Again, these advantages could be introduced step-by-step.

Improved conflict detection and resolution

Source conflicts that typically occur as a result of parallel development are automatically detected by AccuRev, and the developer is prompted to resolve the conflict.

Improved Unit Testing and CI support

To be able to support Unit Testing and Continuous Integration (CI) off the host, it is a pre-requisite In that the Build process compiles the sources with the same options used and managed on the mainframe. This includes accessing the correct versions of dependent files (e.g. COBOL Copybooks).

Enterprise Sync ensures the consistency between Endevor and AccuRev, therefore any builds triggered from AccuRev will use the correct compiler options and will access the correct versions of the dependent files.

Supporting parallel development

By adding additional parallel streams under the Endevor sync point provides a full SCM controlled parallel development and test environment based on the AccuRev SCM, which is fully integrated with the stage map in Endevor. In AccuRev, the developer can work in parallel and on parallel releases, but after promoting to the first stream which will be synchronized to Endevor (the sync point) further moves in Endevor will be done in a sequential order.