Unisys and Oracle have partnered before, but the new arrangement features joint engineering, sales, and marketing activities to boost system migrations.

Featured in the expanded arrangement are specific blueprints that demonstrate how to redeploy applications. For example, the companies have been building a blueprint, or "proof point," on moving from an IBM CICS environment onto Linux running Oracle Fusion middleware and the Oracle 10g database on Unisys ES 7000/one Enterprise Servers.

These servers are powered by Intel-based multi-core processors. Also in this particular mix would be Micro Focus MTO (mainframe transaction option) software for CICS compatibility.

The blueprints are horizontal and not industry-specific. Critical to the arrangement is use of the Unisys 3D-VE (3D Visible Enterprise) methodology, which features a knowledge-mining and abstraction service. Through the extraction of business rules and policies, users gain a better understanding of their applications.

"One of the key areas that's different about our approach compared to some of the others is our story is not just advocating moving the applications over from one platform to another. What we've seen from customers is a desire to understand what the applications do in the first place," said Ali Shadman, Unisys vice president and general manager of open-source solutions, systems, and technology.