RefWiz Modernization Guide

RefWiz is an application analysis and documentation tool that helps organizations understand their batch and online applications. It inventories, analyzes, and cross-references related information, providing a comprehensive view of application environments.

RefWiz is a tool set designed to analyze and document applications. It provides capabilities for understanding application structure, data flow, and dependencies.

Organizations that rely on complex batch and online applications, particularly those running on z/OS, can benefit from RefWiz. This includes enterprises in industries such as banking, insurance, and government.

A company should consider using RefWiz when they need to understand, document, or modernize their existing application portfolio. It is particularly useful when dealing with legacy systems where documentation is lacking or outdated.

Alternatives to RefWiz include JED XREF, Rocket INFO/X Enterprise, PathPoint, and Rocket Enterprise Analyzer. These products offer similar capabilities for application analysis and documentation.

RefWiz runs on the z/OS platform. It is z/OS dependent and may require specific subsystems to be present.

RefWiz analyzes application source code, JCL, and other related artifacts to build a comprehensive understanding of the application. It identifies dependencies, data flows, and control structures.

RefWiz likely uses configuration files to define analysis parameters, data sources, and output formats. The specific format and location of these files would be detailed in the product documentation.

RefWiz may expose APIs for accessing analysis results or integrating with other tools. The types of APIs (REST, SOAP, etc.) and specific endpoints would be detailed in the product documentation.

RefWiz helps organizations reduce the risks associated with application changes and modernization efforts. By providing a clear understanding of application dependencies and data flows, it enables more informed decision-making and reduces the likelihood of errors.

Without RefWiz, organizations may struggle to understand their application portfolios, leading to increased risk, higher maintenance costs, and slower modernization efforts. Changes to applications may result in unexpected consequences due to a lack of understanding of dependencies.

RefWiz integrates with enterprise ecosystems by providing application analysis data that can be used by other tools and systems. This data can be used to improve application development, testing, and deployment processes.

RefWiz likely supports authentication methods such as RACF, ACF2, or Top Secret, which are common on z/OS systems. These methods control access to the application and its data.

RefWiz likely uses an access control model based on roles and permissions. This model allows administrators to define roles with specific privileges and assign users to those roles.

RefWiz may encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit. The specific encryption algorithms used would be detailed in the product documentation.

RefWiz provides audit logging capabilities to track user activity and system events. These logs can be used to monitor security and compliance.

RefWiz is typically deployed on-premise, as it is designed to analyze applications running on z/OS systems. The implementation requires technical expertise in z/OS and application analysis.

Ongoing operational requirements for RefWiz include monitoring the application, performing regular maintenance, and ensuring that the system has adequate resources. Staffing requirements include personnel with z/OS and application analysis skills.

Common implementation challenges for RefWiz include configuring the system to access the required data sources, customizing the analysis parameters to meet specific needs, and integrating the system with other tools and systems.