COBOL85 programming language on HPE NonStop systems (formerly Tandem NonStop)

“COBOL85 nonstop” refers to the use of the COBOL85 programming language on HPE NonStop systems (formerly Tandem NonStop). The HPE NonStop platform is known for its fault-tolerant, continuous availability architecture, often used for critical, large-scale transaction processing. 

Key aspects of COBOL85 on NonStop include:

  • Platform-Specific Implementation: HPE provided a specific implementation of the 1985 COBOL standard tailored to its unique Guardian operating system and hardware architecture.
  • Mission-Critical Applications: COBOL programs on NonStop are commonly used in industries such as finance, retail, and government for applications requiring high reliability and constant uptime (the “nonstop” nature of the system).
  • Fault Tolerance: NonStop systems achieve fault tolerance through mechanisms like process pairs, and the COBOL runtime library can interact with these features. For example, a PARAM NONSTOP OFF setting in a PATHMON configuration can prevent a COBOL85 server from running as a process pair if that behavior is not desired.
  • System Integration: Programmers can call Guardian procedures and use embedded SQL/MP statements within their COBOL85 programs to interact with the system’s robust file system and database.
  • Development and Maintenance: The combination of COBOL85 and HPE NonStop utilities is a specific skill set for developers maintaining these critical legacy systems.
  • Tools and Manuals: Documentation and tools, such as the INSPECT symbolic debugger and the FUP (File Utility Program), are specific to the NonStop environment and assist with development and maintenance. 

For detailed information, users can consult the official documentation, such as the HP COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs or other manuals available on the NonStopTools website and HPE Support portals. 

My NonStop COBOL85 programming experience.

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Author: Mark Whitfield

Welcome to my site! After graduating in Computing in 1990, I accepted a position as a programmer at a Runcorn based software house specialising in electronic banking software, namely sp/ARCHITECT-BANK on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop). This was before the internet became more prevalent and so the notion of enabling desktop access to company accounts for inter-account transfers and book keeping was still quite a cutting edge idea (and smartphones only ever hinted at in Space 1999). The company was called The Software Partnership (which was taken over by Deluxe Data in 1994). I spent 5 years in Runcorn developing code for SP/ARCHITECT for various banks like TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank and Girofon (Denmark) to name but a few. I then moved onto a software house in Salford Quays for further bank facing projects. After a further 23 years in the IT industry and now a Senior IT Project Manager (both Agile and Waterfall delivery), I thought I would echo out my Career Profile in this corner of the internet for quick and easy access.

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