I help organizations modernize legacy IBM i systems without risking the core business logic that took decades to build.
Over 30+ years in software engineering and enterprise architecture, I have seen too many "rip-and-replace" projects stall or fail because teams tried to throw out working infrastructure. My focus is on practical transformation enablement: making legacy RPG code clean, maintainable, and fully accessible to modern development tooling.
What I focus on:
- IBM i & RPGLE Modernization: Structuring legacy source code, panel groups, and DB2 logic for long-term stability and easier maintenance.
- Tooling & Developer Experience: Integrating Git version control, VS Code, and automated build pipelines into traditional IBM i environments.
- Integration & Architecture: Connecting core enterprise logic with modern APIs, web services, and front-end frameworks.
- Workflow Enablement: Giving internal development teams the practices and tooling they need to ship faster without losing system reliability.
Whether you need to refactor complex RPG application logic, update developer workflows, or build an integration strategy, feel free to send me a message.
- 🌍 I'm based in Gauteng, South Africa
- ✉️ You can contact me at rolandstrauss@outlook.com
- 🧠 I'm currently improving my skill in respect of Azure DevOps; AWS; TypeScript; Grafana; DataDog
- 🤝 I'm open to collaborating on anything IBM i related
- 💬 Ask me about anything, I'll help you where I can, but jobs that I'm getting paid for will always take priority.
Currently I have no personel projects on the go.
I am currently busy with a major projects: Modernizing (SDLC) Development Environment on IBM i.
However, I do have some exciting, gnarly and funky ideas that I plan to get off the ground in 2025/2026.
- IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 7.1
- IBM Certified Specialist - High End Disk Solutions Version 5
- IBM Certified Specialist - System i Technical Solutions - Design (including i5/OS V5R4)
