Lowering the cost of legacy systems upgrades

Program managers are continually faced with the decision whether to maintain working legacy test systems or develop new test systems with greater capability. Maintaining older legacy systems allows the preservation of proven software with decreasing overall test capability as new systems and requirements arise. Developing new systems provides increased capability while suffering from the burden of a long and expensive software development and testing process. Combining current test procedure software with upgraded hardware can provide a low cost solution for program managers. OnBoard Software, Inc. has successfully upgraded the Automated Ground Engine Test Set (AGETS) with a modern computer platform while reusing over 99% of the original software. A Strobe Data PDP 11/44 emulator operating in a Windows NT environment was employed as a replacement for the legacy computer currently used. As part of the upgrade, AGETS will gain the ability to transfer engine test data to a common database as well as increased parameter plotting and analysis capability. This paper discusses the issues related to the system upgrade and the ultimate solutions employed. In addition, the paper discusses the economic benefits resulting from these solutions.