CF7 + Access to CF8 + SQL Server

[Guest]

Hey - we have a client who is running their entire public site and mission critical intranet off CF7 and an Access database.

They have recently developed a hosted application that runs on CF8 and want to migrate their intranet to use this application to replace their intranet.

They only have one web server at their office.

What is the best method for upgrading this to CF8 and SQL Server with minimum disruption? Are there any tools that will transfer data from Access to SQL? I think they have added some restrictions/relationships in the SQL that dont exist in Access so this may cause us some headaches.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. (Especially if there are any don'ts!!!!)

[tclaremont]

The cost of a test server will pay for itself very quickly if it avoids any more than a modicum of disruption.

Moving from Access to SQL Server is pretty common, but not without issues that will likely need intervention. There are tools built into access to allow upsizing to SQL.

There will almost certainly be issues that will reveal themselves in the migration, or maybe even weeks after the migration. It is tough to test everything, and just about impossible to do so without downtime.

If you must do something so illogical, can you set up another website on the same server?

[Guest]

Now that the chills have subsided from reading this.

The database migration shouldn't be much of an issue. Check Microsoft's website for migration tools. It's think it's called something like an "upsizing" tool. I'm positive they are there.

My tip is run thru a DOCUMENTED migration process a number of times until there are no incidents. Don't be satisfied with saying "I have to remember to do xxx" or "I have to do this before that". Test server.....

Do not put yourself into an all or nothing migration scenario where if the migration fails there's no extremely easy way of falling back to the existing system.

I'm a little unclear as to the "hosted" application. Is this CF8 application running in house or at a hosting company? If hosting company just think about the DNS switchover times.

[Guest]

got a double post

[Guest]

Scottcook - do you know of somewhere where we could get a document migration process?

This is not something I have done on a live large scale before so all this advice and help is great!

The company has taken their internal system and modified it to be on a live hosted environment - and now instead of maintaining two systems want to convert their internal to use teh same setup as the hosted.

It also looks like we are doing an entire redesign of the website at the same time as the restructure.

I will keep recommending a test server as I feel that this is the easiest way to avoid major outages. Is it a normal thing to migrate to a test server, then make that test live and make the old live the new test server?

[tclaremont]

Switching between test and live is certainly an option, esecially if the two hardware environments are not identical. Any method that allows you to test before going live is better than the original proposal.

If the cost is that scary for the customer, look into very short term leasing, or buying and reselling as soon as the test is complete.

As we all know, errors seldom happen to those who are prepared for them.

[Guest]

Just one last question about switching between test and live.

The company has purchased CF8 updgrade for their existing CF7... I am not 100% clear on the licensing for CF8. Are we allowed to install it on a 100% internal PC to get everything working and then use the same serial to install CF8 on the webserver and migrate everything? I know we could use developer edition, but then we cant all view the test server from the same IP as there are more than two of us.

Thanks for your help so far.

[Guest]

The licensing switch over sounds reasonable. In other words, if you bought a license and then moved it to another server and removed it from the original server that would be acceptable. It's not tied to the hardware. What is questionable is who owns the server you are moving it to? Are you renting a dedicated server at this other location? There could be licensing technicalities there.

I think you are also asking for trouble doing a database migration and a website redesign at the same time. I'd probably lean towards migrating the data to SQL Server with the database as is and then when that's working fine redesign the website.

What I meant by "documenting" your migration procedure is that you sit down and write down a step-by-step procedure of migration which will likely not go 100% fine the first time you test it out. Update your documentation and run thru it again until you get to the point where everything is written down and nothing has gone wrong.

[Guest]

We own both of the servers - so that shouldnt cause a problem.

Thanks for the advice on the migration process... we will give it a go!

[Guest]

Non issue for sure re licensing then. Seriously go with the SQL Server upgrade first and get that out of the way. You will likely find things in SQL Server that you couldn't do in Access and/or things that will work so much faster that you will change your code based on that.