IA343 Migrating PowerBuilder Applications

1. IA343Migrating PowerBuilder Applications • Jim O’Neil • Principal Technical Support Engineer • Enterprise Solutions Division • joneil@sybase.com

2. Movin’ on up… to the Internet Review of n-tier architectures Major migration considerations Overview of the Sybase product offerings Making choices Agenda

3. Let’s quickly review the landscape... Two-tier architecture (client-server) n-tier architecture (distributed) Side-by-side comparison Review of n-Tier Architectures

4. Generalized Two-Tier Architecture Database Server Client Vendor / Platform-Specific API • User interface • Some business logic • Data management • Some business logic

5. A Specific Two-Tier Architecture PowerBuilder EXEon Windows NT Oracle 8.1.5on AIX Oracle Client Interface (OCI)via PBO8470.DLL • Grid DataWindow, command buttons, … • Window functions, other scripts • Tables, indexes, … • Packages, stored procedures

6. Generalized n-Tier Architecture Database Server Client Application Server • User interface • Business logic • Caching • Transaction management • Location transparency • Load balancing • Data management

7. A Specific n-Tier Architecture Visual Basic application on Windows NT DB2/OS390 EAServer Java appleton iBook NetscapeBrowser on Windows 3.11 PowerBuilderapplication on Windows 95

8. Side-By-Side Comparison:Considerations and Challenges 2-Tier (Client/Server) n-Tier (Distributed) Considerations • Well-known design paradigm • Solution focused • Large pool of talent in workforce • Reusable business logic • Diverse client support • Centralized access and control of resources Challenges • Limited scalability • Compromised reusability • Greater maintenance and deployment effort • Longer development lifecycle • Software/hardware interoperability issues • More points of failure

9. What are some of the larger issues to consider when migrating to a n-tier architecture? Scalability Reusability Client support Security Major Migration Considerations

10. Scalability refers to the ability of the system to handle an increase in client activity... How many users do you have now? How many do you expect to have in 6 months?… in one year? Can your architecture support this usage increase? Hardware requirements Database connectivity and license requirements Client response time High availability Usage spikes (‘end of month’ activities, etc.) Major Migration Considerations:Scalability

11. Reusability refers to partitioning business logic to promote its use in different contexts, by different organizations... How well is you application partitioned? Separation of presentation (GUI) from business layer Abstraction of ‘logical’ data from physical data storage Does it rely on proprietary interfaces and/or constructs? Is logic generalized for reuse by disparate organizations? Have you employed object-oriented principles conducive to application expansion and changes in business rules? Major Migration Considerations:Reusability

12. Security refers to allowing access only to authenticated users and protecting the system from malicious attack... What software and hardware mechanisms are employed? Firewalls • Authentication Encryption • Auditing How do you prevent denial of service? How do protect data in transit from tampering or eavesdropping? Major Migration Considerations:Security

13. Client support refers to the variety of platforms and access methods available to the user community... How will users access the application? What types of hardware will they use? PCs? Macs? PDAs? What type of software will be required to support these access paths? (thin-client vs. fat-client) Will you allow access by a custom client program? … HTML pages? … both? How large is the effort to distribute application updates? Major Migration Considerations:Client Support

14. Sybase has a diverse set of products that can be used alone or together to enable your migration to the Web… ‘Legacy’ PowerBuilder solutions (Distributed PowerBuilder and WebPB) Plug-ins (DataWindow and Window) Active-X components (DataWindow and Window) Cooperative processing (Web Deployment Kit) Application server (Enterprise Application Server) Sybase Product Offerings

15. The game plan... Present background on these products Architecture Strengths and Drawbacks Show how they score in the areas of Scalability Reusability Security Client Support Sybase Product Offerings

16. Distributed PowerBuilder (DPB) and WebPB Application server written in PowerBuilder Client support PowerBuilder applications (OLE) Automation clients Java clients (via Java proxy - discontinued in PB 8) WebPB is essentially a specialized DPB client Specifically a DLL (or EXE) hosted by web server Implementations provided for CGI, ISAPI, NSAPI Sybase Product Offerings:Legacy PowerBuilder Solutions

17. BusinessComponent(NVO) DataComponent DataComponent VisualComponent VisualComponent BusinessComponent(NVO) BusinessComponent(NVO) VisualComponent DataSources Sybase Product Offerings:Legacy PowerBuilder Solutions Distributed PowerBuilder PowerBuilder ClientApplication DPB Server proprietary protocol TCP/IP NamedPipes JDBC, ODBC, native RDBMS JDBC, ODBC, native RDBMS

18. DataComponent BusinessComponent(NVO) BusinessComponent(NVO) BusinessComponent(NVO) PBCGI PBISA PBNSA DataComponent DataSources Sybase Product Offerings:Legacy PowerBuilder Solutions WebPB Web Server WebPB DPB Server HTTP(S) proprietary protocol Client Web Browser TCP/IP NamedPipes CGI, ISAPI, NSAPI JDBC, ODBC, native RDBMS

19. Strengths Leverages existing PowerBuilder investment Easy migration assuming prior application partitioning Support for CGI, ISAPI and NSAPI allows use with most commercial Web Servers Drawbacks Multi-processor restrictions No forthcoming enhancements (focus is on EAServer integration) Sybase Product Offerings:Legacy PowerBuilder Solutions

20. Sybase Product Offerings:Legacy PowerBuilder Solutions DPB WebPB Thin Client DPB FATCLIENT WebPB

21. DataWindow Plug-in Displays PowerSoft Reports (PSRs) EMBEDded in HTML pages Requires use of Web browser that supports Netscape plug-in API Netscape Navigator Version 3.x+ Internet Explorer Version 3.x+ Provides print and save capabilities only (no updating) Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow Plug-in

22. Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow Plug-in DataWindow Plug-in (NPDWE70.DLL) Client Web Browser WebServer HTTP(S) Page Page PSRs <HTML><BODY><EMBED src=report.psr WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=350></BODY></HTML>

23. Strengths Displays report EXACTLY as in PowerBuilder and Infomaker Configuration is simple for both server and client Drawbacks Doesn’t support Rich Text DataWindows Read-only view Does not automatically download other required resources (e.g., bitmaps) Limited to Intel platforms Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow Plug-in

24. Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow Plug-in Thin Client FATCLIENT

25. Window Plug-ins Displays PowerBuilder child window in confines of Web browser Window can open other popup and response windows Plug-in available in secure and non-secure versions Requires Web browser that supports Netscape plug-in API Netscape Navigator Version 3.x+ Internet Explorer Version 3.x+ Sybase Product Offerings:Window Plug-ins

26. DataComponent DataComponent DataSources Sybase Product Offerings:Window Plug-ins Window Plug-ins (NPPBA70.DLL and NPPBS70.DLL) Client Web Browser WebServer Page HTTP(S) Page PBDs JDBC, ODBC, native RDBMS PowerBuilder Deployment Kit <HTML><BODY><EMBED src=myapp.pbd WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=350WINDOW=w_main></BODY></HTML>

27. Strengths Provides the rich interface customary in PowerBuilder applications Comes in both a secure and non-secure version Simple configuration for client and server Drawbacks Doesn’t support MDI applications May require some application rework Requires PowerBuilder deployment files (and database client software) on each client Sybase Product Offerings:Window Plug-ins

28. Sybase Product Offerings:Window Plug-ins Thin Client FATCLIENT

29. Window ActiveX Displays child window in confines of Web browser Window can open other popup and response windows OCX available in secure and non-secure versions Requires Web browser that supports use of ActiveX controls Internet Explorer 3.x+ Netscape Navigator 3.x+ with ActiveX Plug-in Scriptable within HTML page Sybase Product Offerings:Window ActiveX

30. DataComponent DataComponent DataSources Sybase Product Offerings:Window ActiveX Window ActiveX (PBRX70.OCX and PBRXS70.OCX) Client Web Browser WebServer Page HTTP(S) Page PBDs <HTML><BODY><OBJECT ID=Win1 NAME=Win1 WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=350CLASSID=…> <PARAM NAME=PBApplication VALUE=“app”> ... </OBJECT></BODY></HTML> JDBC, ODBC, native RDBMS PowerBuilder Deployment Kit

31. Strengths Provides the rich interface customary in PowerBuilder applications Comes in both a secure and non-secure version Can be manipulated via JavaScript or VBScript Drawbacks Doesn’t support MDI applications May require some application rework Requires PowerBuilder deployment files (and database client software) on each client Sybase Product Offerings:Window ActiveX

32. Sybase Product Offerings:Window ActiveX Thin Client FATCLIENT

33. DataWindow ActiveX Implements most features of DataWindows All database interaction via JDBC Supported only on Internet Explorer OCX is ‘safely scriptable’ All required files put into cabinet file (.CAB) and downloaded on demand Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow ActiveX

34. DataComponent DataComponent DataSources Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow ActiveX DataWindow ActiveX (PSDWC.CAB / PSDWC70.DLL) Client Web Browser WebServer Page HTTP(S) Page PBLs/PBDs <HTML><BODY><OBJECT codebase=psdwc.cab#Version7,0,0,8046id-psdwc1 classid=...> </OBJECT><PARAM NAME=SourceFileNae VALUE=test.pbl></PARAM><PARAM VALUE=d_emp NAME=DataWindowOBject></PARAM></BODY></HTML> JDBC

35. Strengths Provides rich set of DataWindow capabilities Flexibility enhanced by accompanying Transaction Object OCX Can be manipulated via JavaScript No separate client configuration required Drawbacks Doesn’t support Rich Text DataWindow JDBC is only connectivity option CAB file is bulky (1.6MB) resulting in lengthy download time Disallows ‘unsafe’ operations like SaveAs Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow ActiveX

36. Sybase Product Offerings:DataWindow ActiveX Thin Client FATCLIENT

37. Web Deployment Kit Product results from partnership with New Moon Systems PowerBuilder applications can be deployed ‘as is’ Uses ‘cooperative processing’ Application executes on server machine GUI displayed on client machine Each client application starts separate instance of application on server Clients have ability to print and save locally Sybase Product Offerings:Web Deployment Kit

38. DataComponent DataComponent DataSources Sybase Product Offerings:Web Deployment Kit Web Deployment Kit Web Server “Launch”Page Web Browser HTTP(S) WDK Server Server Redirector Launch File TCP/IP IPX/SPX NetBEUI WDK Client Redirector app1 JDBC, ODBC Native Drivers app2 PowerBuilderDeployment Kit

39. Strengths Quickest way to the Web Leverages built-in NT security mechanisms Launch via Web page or desktop shortcut Includes Server Administration Interface Support for load balancing (“server farms”) Drawbacks Each application requires separate configuration Internet access not supported (only LAN and intranet) WinNT, 95, 98 clients only Separate product - not part of EAStudio Sybase Product Offerings:Web Deployment Kit

40. Sybase Product Offerings:Web Deployment Kit Thin Client FATCLIENT

41. Enterprise Application Server Industrial strength application server CORBA and ‘J2EE imminent’ EJB component server Dynamic HTML page server Java Server Pages (JSP) / servlet engine Supports variety of protocols (HTTP(S), IIOP(S), TDS) Variety of component and clients supported Java • ActiveX • C/C++ PowerBuilder • TDS • HTML Sybase Product Offerings:Enterprise Application Server

42. BusinessComponent(EJB) Applet DataComponent DataComponent BusinessComponent(NVO) BusinessComponent(COM) VisualComponent Servlet VisualComponent VisualComponent DataSources Sybase Product Offerings:Enterprise Application Server Enterprise Application Server Enterprise Application Server HTTP(S) JSP PKCS#11 Client Web Browser IIOP(S) IIOP(S) TDS Client Application JDBC, ODBC, native RDBMS JDBC, ODBC, CT-LIB, OCI JDBC, ODBC, native RDBMS

43. Strengths Very rich feature set Implementation neutral Highly scalable Available in four editions to meet business needs Integration with Sybase development product suite PowerBuilder migration accommodations… Drawbacks Learning curve Design paradigm shift Complexity of product and its environment Applications may require rework to make best use of features Not all features available on all platforms Sybase Product Offerings:Enterprise Application Server

44. PowerBuilder migration accommodations… EAServer integration built into PowerBuilder IDE PowerBuilder NVOs can be migrated with little or no modification (caveat developer!) COMMIT / ROLLBACK automatically overridden Connection cache ‘hooks’ Web DataWindow component capabilities Jaguar Agent for Web Servers (JAWS) code provided on MySybase for WebPB migration Sybase Product Offerings:Enterprise Application Server

45. Sybase Product Offerings:Enterprise Application Server Thin Client FATCLIENT Runs the gamut!

46. So how do you proceed? Understanding the technology is one of the easiest (or at least most controllable) parts of the puzzle! Give weight to the ‘soft’ factors as well... What are your company’s skill sets? What type of growth do you expect? What is your ‘time to market?’ Is a phased approach appropriate? Is a hybrid approach appropriate? Making Choices

47. … and how is Sybase proceeding? WebPB and DPB are in a maintenance cycle Plug-ins and ActiveXs seen as mainly an intranet option Web Deployment Kit is presented as an interim solution to ‘webify’ your applications for Intranet use EAServer will continue to receive the overwhelming majority of engineering and marketing focus in order to continue to provide and enhance a scalable, secure, and adaptable environment to support your application base Making Choices

48. Questions?