Maintaining Transactional Context: A Model Problem

Due to their size and complexity, modernizing enterprise systems often requires that new functionality be developed and deployed incrementally. As modernized functionality is deployed incrementally, transactions that were processed entirely in the legacy system may now be distributed across both legacy and modernized components. In this report, we investigate the construction of adapters for a modernization effort that can maintain a transactional context between legacy and modernized components. One technique that is particularly useful in technology and product evaluations is the use of model problems—focused experimental prototypes that reveal technology/product capabilities, benefits, and limitations in well-bounded ways. This report describes a model problem used to verify that such a mechanism exists and could be used to support the modernization of a legacy system. In this report, we describe a model problem constructed to verify the feasibility of building this mechanism. We also discuss the results of our investigation including the problems we encountered during the construction of the model problem and workarounds that were discovered.