Case Study: 100% Traceable Mainframe Modernization with Agentic AI

Executive Summary: Beyond Black Box Conversion

When a systems integrator supporting a state government agency faced shifting requirements and new challenges they turned to Karsun Solutions and the ReDuX team.

The team sought to migrate a mission-critical COBOL system to the cloud. However, their pilot with a different automation-based migration tool failed not because of speed, but because of rigidity and a lack of transparency. The tool could only output Java, and it offered no way to prove that the new code accurately reflected the original business logic.

By pivoting to ReDuX, the agentic AI platform developed by Karsun Solutions, the SI team achieved what traditional automation could not: a fully traceable, cloud native migration to C# and Python, powered by a digital workforce of specialized AI agents.

The Challenge: The Failure of Passive Automation

The team faced a common lock in scenario. The legacy system was a ball of mud comprising decades of undocumented COBOL programs, JCL (Job Control Language), and DB2 tables. As a result, they faced two key challenges:

• Requirements Shift: As the pilot progressed, the agency updated its requirements from Java to C# and Python to align with its long term IT strategy. Traditional tools, which rely on fixed translation rules, could not adapt.

• Traceability Gap: Stakeholders required a 1:1 audit trail from legacy COBOL to modern code to ensure zero functional loss.

The ReDuX Solution: Agentic AI for Legacy Modernization

To mobilize for modernization, ReDuX deployed a digital workforce of autonomous agents. Unlike a compiler, these agents reason through the system’s architecture while performing essential modernization tasks under the guidance of a human full-service developer.

1. Phase One: Agentic Assessment with  ReDuX Blueprint

Before writing code, Blueprint Agents performed a deep structural and behavioral analysis. Conversely ReDuX assesses both syntactic and semantic structure. As a result, ReDuX is the tool for teams that need a solution more powerful than simple COBOL to Java translation.

Next, they extracted business rules and technical dependencies to create a comprehensive Source of Truth. Moreover, using these insights the team ensured only necessary functionality was migrated.

2. Phase Two: Automated Transformation (The Code Companion)

Using the Blueprint as a guide, ReDuX Modernization Agents incrementally built a modular, cloud-native application:

• Code Translation: COBOL programs were refactored into modern C# program.

• Reimagined Serverless Architecture: Legacy JCL was replaced with Summer Batch Core workflows, enabling serverless batch processing.

• Data Migration: DB2 tables were seamlessly migrated to MS SQL Server.

Results & ROI: 100% Traceability, 4x Faster Delivery

The ReDuX platform not only helped the team adapt to changing requirements, it set a new benchmark for enterprise grade modernization:

• 100% Traceability: Every line of C# code is mapped back to the original COBOL logic, providing the audit trail required for government compliance.

• Velocity: The project moved faster than manual refactoring.

• Quality: The use of agentic AI reduced rework compared to the previous automated attempt.

Agentic AI Solutions from the Enterprise Modernization Experts

This case study is a testament to the expertise of the ReDuX team. Backed by the consulting expertise of Karsun Solutions, a firm with 15+ years of experience modernizing mission critical systems for government agencies, its experts architected a platform suited for the complexity found in modernizing legacy systems in highly regulated environments.

ReDuX uses a proven methodology, appraised at CMMI Level 5, for the trustworthy application of AI for mission-critical modernization.

Traceability vs. Transparency in Modernization Platforms

For organizations evaluating Agentic AI for legacy system modernization, it is vital to distinguish between transparency (seeing the code) and traceability (knowing why the code changed).

Final Takeaway

Agentic AI is the next evolution of legacy modernization. By using agents to blueprint a system before coding it, organizations can untangle complex dependencies that cause traditional automation to fail.

When comparing agentic platforms, the key differentiator is traceability. ReDuX provides the evidence based documentation that IT leaders and auditors need to approve a cloud cutover with confidence.

Ready to see your legacy system in a new light? Book a ReDuX Demo and start your journey toward 100% traceable modernization.