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Migrating Access Applications to .NET and SQL Server

Ken Young kyoung@nusoftsolutions.com Tim Landgrave TimL@2ndGS.com. Migrating Access Applications to .NET and SQL Server. Agenda. Why Migrate from Access? Current Access Migration Methods Why is Migration Tedious, Difficult and Expensive? What are the Business Benefits of Migrating?

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Migrating Access Applications to .NET and SQL Server

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  1. Ken Young kyoung@nusoftsolutions.com Tim Landgrave TimL@2ndGS.com Migrating Access Applications to .NET and SQL Server

  2. Agenda • Why Migrate from Access? • Current Access Migration Methods • Why is Migration Tedious, Difficult and Expensive? • What are the Business Benefits of Migrating? • Tool - Application Refactoring and Migration Suite (ARMS) • How Can ARMS Help and Why?

  3. Driving issues for Access Migration • Not a Client/Server architecture • Value is Performance, flexibility, management • Basic database administration • Data re-centralization • Workgroup applications “grow up” • Number of user increase • Data capacity requirements outgrow Access MDB size and performance guidelines • Functional complexity outgrows MS Access and VBA capability • Security requirements tighten • End user freedom, agility • Data integration flexibility • Self-service (i.e. reporting, analysis)

  4. Benefits to Customers • Platform Support • Windows Platform and .NET Framework • SQL Server 2000 • RDBMS • Reporting Services • Visual Studio.NET • Enables Office 2003 deployment • Customers want to deploy Office 2003 and can’t due to Access 97 dependency • Customer Satisfaction • Eliminates Access database corruption issues • Increases the availability of the data (slow connections) • Removes Access MDB file deployment • Technical Advantages • Scalability • Data Security • Improved performance • Reliability • Team Development

  5. Challenges – Until NOW! • Developer quality tools • Form & Report Migration was a manual process and therefore COST PROHIBITIVE • Reliable & consistent methodology • Migrate cost, and analysis thereof

  6. Mission Critical Apps Reporting Apps Departmental & Workgroup Applications Non-Mission Critical Apps Access Application types Component Re-use (forms, reports, modules)

  7. Client Computer Client Computer Client Computer Client Computer What an Access Application is… Biggest Issue: Everyone obtains a copy of the MDB file in their client computers memory Network \\fileserver\sharename MS Access MDB File Every computer makes a local working copy of the MDB file Form VBA Code Report NOT a Server based architecture LIMIT: 2 gigabytes minus the space needed for system objects. • Key architecture concerns • Fat client • No Server side processing

  8. Client Computer Client Computer Client Computer Client Computer Microsoft .NET Application Server Microsoft .NET Application Server Microsoft .NET Application Server Form Form Form Code Code Code Report Report Report After Migrating to .NET and SQL Server • Key benefits: • Thin client/Browser Option • Rich Client • Strong Security (SSL) Network Every computer only uses data they need! Pure Client/Server based architecture Microsoft SQL Server • Key benefits: • Reliability • Performance • Scalability • Security • Flexibility • Management & Control • Reduced cost of ownership Database

  9. User Interface Business Logic Data Access Refactoring @ Work Access Application Automate SQL Server

  10. What this means • Deployment • No more downloading .mdb to client • Better memory utilization on client • No longer loading Access engine on workstation • Better utilization of SQL Server

  11. Migration Process • Data • QueryDefs • Forms • Code • Reports

  12. Processing Data • Migrate data using the Upsizing Wizard • Does a decent job • Reports on the process • Can result in .mdb linked to SQL

  13. Processing QueryDefs • Upsizing wizard does not do much • SQL Syntax must match SQL Server • Lots of tweaking • Testing of new syntax • Porting to stored procedure / view is optional

  14. Processing Forms • Forms require recoding • Very tedious process • Controls/properties/attributes • Rewiring event handlers

  15. Processing Code • Convert code to VB.NET • Language constructs (VBA to VB.NET) • Access specific code • Items such as message box, forms, etc • Data features such as dlookup • Data objects • DAO / RDO to ADO.NET

  16. Processing Reports • SQL Reporting Services • Import Access reports to SQL Reports • Moves reports to web • Allows for feature rich easy to use reports • IT and user friendly

  17. Migration Tools • 2nd Genesis Software Application Refactoring and Migration Suite (ARMS.NET) • Form Converter • Object Builder • Access2NET Resource Kit • QueryDef Converter • VBA to .NET • Win Forms Databinder • SQL Server Reporting Services Import Tool (Microsoft) • Coming Soon… • Access to ASP.NET

  18. Automated Migration Using 2nd Genesis ARMS.NET Tools Tools Save $$ 2nd Genesis ARMS.NET – Forms, QueryDefs, Code Microsoft Access Upsizing Wizard Mission Critical Apps Reporting Apps Reporting Services Import Tool 2nd Genesis ARMS.NET – Forms, QueryDefs, Code Microsoft Access Upsizing Wizard Departmental & Workgroup Applications Component Re-use (forms, reports, modules) 2nd Genesis ARMS.NET Non-Mission Critical Apps

  19. Migration Process Using ARMS.NET • Analyze the initial .mdb using • Create plan • Convert the Access Application • Data • Upsize the Access MDB to SQL Server • Convert Access QueryDefs to SQL Server Stored Procedures • UI • Convert Access forms to .NET WinForms • Business • Migrate VBA Code to .NET Classes that manage the data • Tie Forms to .NET Classes • Reports • Convert Access Reports to SQL Reporting Services reports • Modify QueryDefs to use SQL Server data directly • Final System Testing

  20. Conversion Example • National Services company has built its business on one Access file • Initial .mdb was 64MB (one project) • No data, only forms and code • Analysis when converted shows:

  21. Developer Productivity • Typical approach to manual forms conversion with error rate, analysis, QA, and repair applied to example customer application • For Example, a single form with 10 controls with 150 properties will require: • 2 hours to analyze • 16 hours to convert code • 6.64 hours to debug and repair • At $50/hour (burdened rate), this single form costs $1,232 to convert • Sample application is 16,000 hours in forms • Which at $50/hour is approximately $800,000 JUST for Form conversion • Conversion without tools is cost prohibitive!

  22. Why our approach is better • Fewer errors in development • Client does not pay to find and fix errors not introduced • Cost is drastically lower than manual conversion • More reliable code • Focus on features not mundane tasks • Better use of developer effort • Adding new Functionality • Re-factoring - not rewriting remodel to achieve goals above • Bottom line • Reduction of engineering staff for mundane tasks • QA improves dramatically (developer errors go down dramatically) • Client should not spend money to have bodies convert Access attributes to .NET target attributes

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