What we need to achieve our mobile computing solution is a technology that allows us to integrate our COBOL back-end application with a non-COBOL front end in a wireless environment. A business application designed with service-oriented architecture (SOA) is well suited to this task. What is SOA?
SOA is a methodology for developing applications with standards-based interfaces that accept specific inputs and deliver expected outputs. It uses the simple design principles from various structured programming methods. SOA has emerged in recent years as a logical way for organizations to keep and reuse existing legacy applications while integrating them with new technologies.
With SOA, the front-end program can be written in Java/JSP, VB/ASP, Delphi, XML, HTML, or a variety of other languages. Your front-end operating system can be Windows Mobile, Palm, or Symbian. This platform-independent solution provides insurance for your back-end architecture against any major changes in language or platform on the front end. Best of all, you can leverage your proven COBOL back-end application in a modern, wireless environment.