JALPAK Hawaii adopts GeneXus for a sustainable future
Thanks to the adoption of GeneXus, Jalpak International Hawaii has been able to scale its systems and implement functional improvements without interrupting its business operations, staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and market demands.
JALPAK is the name of Japan's first international tour package brand, launched in 1965 by Japan Airlines. Since Ryoko Kaihatsu K.K., the predecessor of JALPAK, took over the planning, sale, and operation of JALPAK brand tours in 1969, the organization has grown as a travel agency under the JAL group. Currently, JALPAK has roughly 800 employees working at 13 offices in Japan and abroad, supporting the travel needs of its customers worldwide.
JALPAK International Hawaii, Inc. (JALPAK Hawaii) is the Hawaii branch of JALPAK Corporation. JALPAK Hawaii offers a wide range of travel services, including tour packages, hotel reservations, and transportation.
In 1994, JALPAK Hawaii implemented its internal core system, called "Success," to manage the inventory of tourism materials, as well as arrangements, billing, and settlement. This Critical Mission System was developed using RPG/COBOL automatic generation tools for IBM i (formerly known as AS/400).
In 2008, due to the company's growth and issues with data consistency and quality, they decided to migrate to a client/server (C/S) system called "Success II," which combined IBM i with Windows.
GeneXus played a key role in the reconstruction of Success II, allowing for sustainable maintenance.
During the migration project from Success to Success II, RPG applications from IBM i were transferred to Windows applications running on Windows Server, changing the operational style from CUI screens to Windows application screens.
Takayuki Tomioka, head of the Information Systems Department at JALPAK International Hawaii, Inc., details the work process: “GeneXus is compatible not only with IBM i but also with various development forms such as the DB2 database used by IBM i, Windows applications needed to build a C/S system, and GUI screen creation. We chose C# as the new development language for C/S applications, and thanks to the ability to design business processes, workflows, and screens without directly interacting with program code or SQL, we were able to significantly reduce development time. Specifically, the number of screens was reduced from 1,037 to 648, reports from 364 to 26, and tables from 309 to 190, achieving up to a tenth of the development time.”
Success II programs are reviewed periodically: “In 2012, we conducted 152 reviews, and in 2014, 168, in addition to developing a hotel statistics system as a subsystem.”
In 2020, following the changes in the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they decided to convert the C/S system into a web platform and restructure it to optimize IBM i performance.
“At our company, we value the customer's perspective and strive to be their first choice in travel services. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to quickly adapt to changes in the business environment. For this reason, we decided to develop a system that optimizes business processes swiftly, using tools that automatically generate code and databases, while maintaining internal development as a fundamental pillar. During the migration from Success to a C/S system, we needed to address changes in business processes, data management challenges, and develop applications for new environments, all while continuing to use IBM i with a small team in a short time. GeneXus was the optimal tool to tackle these challenges."
Converting a C/S system into a web application usually requires a significant amount of work, such as reviewing applications, modifying databases, and improving business processes and workflows. This is typically a large-scale project that can take several years. However, thanks to the adoption of GeneXus, the JALPAK Hawaii systems team, consisting of 6 people, including programmers, managed to complete the reconstruction in just 8 months.
Tomioka describes the system's structure as follows: "To solve performance issues, we switched the application server from Windows to the WebSphere Application Server (WAS) embedded in IBM i, and with that, we changed the development language from C# to Java. We leveraged the business logic and databases as they were, making the switch from C/S to web simply by altering the screens, without modifying the underlying logic."
Thanks to the adoption of GeneXus, significant work reductions were achieved by minimizing tasks such as inventorying the functions needed for the web conversion, redesign, additional development, impact analysis, and testing. Tomioka positively values this aspect:
“We were able to focus on screen development without altering the business logic. The switch from C# to Java was as simple as adjusting the generator settings to change the development language, allowing engineers with little experience in Java to participate, thanks to the Low-Code approach. Additionally, GeneXus allows access to the same database from both the existing C/S system and the web system under development, eliminating the need to maintain multiple parallel environments and automatically generating databases and tests. GeneXus greatly facilitated the transition to the web.”
The web conversion of Success II solved performance issues, enabling more agile business operations. “With the web conversion, the batch program groups of the interface were integrated into IBM i, speeding up processing by about 10 times compared to before. The simplicity of the configuration when using WAS embedded in IBM i eliminated the need to manage PC servers. Furthermore, the web conversion resolved the slow response times during remote work, enabling more flexible working methods adapted to the changes brought about by the pandemic.”
This entire process, from converting Success to a C/S system to migrating it to the web, has been developed based on the system configuration in IBM i, which has been operating since 1994. JALPAK Hawaii has made flexible adjustments to its fundamental configuration to adapt to the needs of each era, combining Windows Server with the transition to C/S and using WAS embedded in IBM i for the web conversion. Tomioka describes this approach to configuring JALPAK Hawaii's core system as a "sustainable system."
“I began my career at the company as an RPG/COBOL engineer in charge of the internal core system, and since then we have not changed our operational approach. This approach is based on internal development with a small team, allowing us to respond quickly and flexibly to customer needs. Despite the major changes in the tourism industry environment due to the pandemic, we have managed to build and maintain a sustainable system that adapts to changes without compromising core business logic.”
GeneXus has been key in creating this sustainable system, contributing to the improvement of batch functions in IBM i, the seamless integration of the frontend and backend, the change in development language, and various automations. By adopting the latest version of GeneXus during the web transition, they achieved sustainable system development that leverages existing resources while quickly adapting to the most modern IT infrastructure, economically. Tomioka values this achievement and looks to the future with the following perspective:
“JALPAK earned first place in six indicators, including customer satisfaction, in the travel industry according to the Japan Customer Satisfaction Index (JCSI) for fiscal year 2022. Fostering enjoyment in travel is JALPAK's raison d'être and our mission.”
JALPAK Hawaii's sustainable initiatives will continue to be supported by GeneXus.
JALPAK International Hawaii, Inc. (JALPAK Hawaii) is the Hawaii branch of JALPAK Corporation. JALPAK Hawaii offers a wide range of travel services, including tour packages, hotel reservations, and transportation.
In 1994, JALPAK Hawaii implemented its internal core system, called "Success," to manage the inventory of tourism materials, as well as arrangements, billing, and settlement. This Critical Mission System was developed using RPG/COBOL automatic generation tools for IBM i (formerly known as AS/400).
In 2008, due to the company's growth and issues with data consistency and quality, they decided to migrate to a client/server (C/S) system called "Success II," which combined IBM i with Windows.
GeneXus played a key role in the reconstruction of Success II, allowing for sustainable maintenance.
During the migration project from Success to Success II, RPG applications from IBM i were transferred to Windows applications running on Windows Server, changing the operational style from CUI screens to Windows application screens.
Takayuki Tomioka, head of the Information Systems Department at JALPAK International Hawaii, Inc., details the work process: “GeneXus is compatible not only with IBM i but also with various development forms such as the DB2 database used by IBM i, Windows applications needed to build a C/S system, and GUI screen creation. We chose C# as the new development language for C/S applications, and thanks to the ability to design business processes, workflows, and screens without directly interacting with program code or SQL, we were able to significantly reduce development time. Specifically, the number of screens was reduced from 1,037 to 648, reports from 364 to 26, and tables from 309 to 190, achieving up to a tenth of the development time.”
Success II programs are reviewed periodically: “In 2012, we conducted 152 reviews, and in 2014, 168, in addition to developing a hotel statistics system as a subsystem.”
In 2020, following the changes in the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they decided to convert the C/S system into a web platform and restructure it to optimize IBM i performance.
“At our company, we value the customer's perspective and strive to be their first choice in travel services. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to quickly adapt to changes in the business environment. For this reason, we decided to develop a system that optimizes business processes swiftly, using tools that automatically generate code and databases, while maintaining internal development as a fundamental pillar. During the migration from Success to a C/S system, we needed to address changes in business processes, data management challenges, and develop applications for new environments, all while continuing to use IBM i with a small team in a short time. GeneXus was the optimal tool to tackle these challenges."
Converting a C/S system into a web application usually requires a significant amount of work, such as reviewing applications, modifying databases, and improving business processes and workflows. This is typically a large-scale project that can take several years. However, thanks to the adoption of GeneXus, the JALPAK Hawaii systems team, consisting of 6 people, including programmers, managed to complete the reconstruction in just 8 months.
Tomioka describes the system's structure as follows: "To solve performance issues, we switched the application server from Windows to the WebSphere Application Server (WAS) embedded in IBM i, and with that, we changed the development language from C# to Java. We leveraged the business logic and databases as they were, making the switch from C/S to web simply by altering the screens, without modifying the underlying logic."
Thanks to the adoption of GeneXus, significant work reductions were achieved by minimizing tasks such as inventorying the functions needed for the web conversion, redesign, additional development, impact analysis, and testing. Tomioka positively values this aspect:
“We were able to focus on screen development without altering the business logic. The switch from C# to Java was as simple as adjusting the generator settings to change the development language, allowing engineers with little experience in Java to participate, thanks to the Low-Code approach. Additionally, GeneXus allows access to the same database from both the existing C/S system and the web system under development, eliminating the need to maintain multiple parallel environments and automatically generating databases and tests. GeneXus greatly facilitated the transition to the web.”
The web conversion of Success II solved performance issues, enabling more agile business operations. “With the web conversion, the batch program groups of the interface were integrated into IBM i, speeding up processing by about 10 times compared to before. The simplicity of the configuration when using WAS embedded in IBM i eliminated the need to manage PC servers. Furthermore, the web conversion resolved the slow response times during remote work, enabling more flexible working methods adapted to the changes brought about by the pandemic.”
This entire process, from converting Success to a C/S system to migrating it to the web, has been developed based on the system configuration in IBM i, which has been operating since 1994. JALPAK Hawaii has made flexible adjustments to its fundamental configuration to adapt to the needs of each era, combining Windows Server with the transition to C/S and using WAS embedded in IBM i for the web conversion. Tomioka describes this approach to configuring JALPAK Hawaii's core system as a "sustainable system."
“I began my career at the company as an RPG/COBOL engineer in charge of the internal core system, and since then we have not changed our operational approach. This approach is based on internal development with a small team, allowing us to respond quickly and flexibly to customer needs. Despite the major changes in the tourism industry environment due to the pandemic, we have managed to build and maintain a sustainable system that adapts to changes without compromising core business logic.”
GeneXus has been key in creating this sustainable system, contributing to the improvement of batch functions in IBM i, the seamless integration of the frontend and backend, the change in development language, and various automations. By adopting the latest version of GeneXus during the web transition, they achieved sustainable system development that leverages existing resources while quickly adapting to the most modern IT infrastructure, economically. Tomioka values this achievement and looks to the future with the following perspective:
“JALPAK earned first place in six indicators, including customer satisfaction, in the travel industry according to the Japan Customer Satisfaction Index (JCSI) for fiscal year 2022. Fostering enjoyment in travel is JALPAK's raison d'être and our mission.”
JALPAK Hawaii's sustainable initiatives will continue to be supported by GeneXus.