To consider the features and the specificities of the analysed information system is essential to give a faithful image back and to provide reliable and precise information about it.

The first essential step is the Mia-Discovery adaptation to the new environnement, so as to allow :

• To make an inventory of the information system components types and the relations between these types: the Essor model
• To choose and configure the Essor analysers to extract the appropriate level of information
• To consider the particularities of the information system technical architecture (data access layer, "homemade" table system, particular tools, …)

Analysis automation is the only way to get a reliable knowledge base, because it shows the information system evolutions.

Mia-Discovery allows the constitution then the update of a knowledge base grouping all components from a legacy : programs, transactions, jcls, schedules, databases, files, tables, screens...

This knowledge base creation is made through an entirely automated analysis of all the perimeter components. The performance issue is fundamental to get updated information.

An over-all display of the system, associated with an exhaustive knowledge of links between its components, is essential for :

• making an inventary of the application legacy and detect anomalies
• quantifying a modification impacts
• disposing of an information system cartography
• analysing flows between applications
• divide a project into smaller and more coherent batches
• ...

The over-all application legacy knowledge offered by Mia-Discovery allows exhaustive detection of inter-components links. For examples :

• to determine all programs which access a file or a database in write mode
• or determine all information storage systems which are accessed by a group of programs , and get the associated access modes
• to find all programs and subprograms to be compiled again after a copy clause modification
• to modelize treatments

A few clicks suffice to explore the Mia-Discovery knowledge base and to access the targeted information.

An important library of preset requests is provided to users, covering the majority of the usual needs. New requests can easily be developed to enrich the existing library.

The Mia-Discovery knowledge base reflects the application legacy image. This base can be enriched with links to new information sources :

• Existing documentations
• Information system functional cartography
• Business process cartography
• Treatments modeling