Conversion questions (from Powerhouse to ?????)

[Ronald W. Olenic]

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Hi Glenn!

The path of least resistance would seem to be 

1: Set up Oracle on the DG Box.

This allows you to make the least amount of changes and get your
application started in the migration process.

2: Move the application from DG Unix to SUN.  

It would just make sense to go with a standardized platform, if there is
a higher degree of in-house support for the SUN.  Once the conversion is
done from interbase to Oracle, the step from DG to SUN should not be
huge.

3: Like any other tool, PowerHouse has both strengths and weaknesses,
but what it does well, it does very well.  I suspect that once you have
evaluated all the alternatives, PowerHouse will still be an attractive
option.  However, once you have the application on the right database
and the right hardware, it is a much smaller task to migrate pieces of
the application in manageable chunks, rather than trying to do it in one
swell foop!

Since it costs nothing to subscribe to this list, I feel I given you
your moneys worth :-)!!

The opinions expressed are my own, and as such are subject to change or
even complete reversal without notice.

Ron Olenic
Senior Systems Analyst
Glenn Waters wrote:
> 
> Having read the threads through the list-serv I came across a number of conversion questions, the majority were answered with (and I paraphrase a bit) "don't do it", "it's more trouble then it was worth","plan for it taking a lot longer" and many other variations on these. Pretty much across the board negative! Well we are in the un-enviable position of maybe having to convert systems, perhaps away from Powerhouse totally. Explanation follows...
> 
> We are running 7.33 Powerhouse on a DG Unix platform using Interbase. The system that has been built up through the years is a heavily customized, very specialized system, that runs this place pretty well. We received notice from Cognos that Interbase support is being dropped at the end of the year (because its going open source!?!), so naturally the alarm bells have gone off and we are starting to see what we might be able to do. Well if it were only that simple we might be ok, but there is more. They developed and have considerable interfaces built using Powerhouse PC! Which for any of you not aware is also sort of on the "fringe" of support (and still uses 16 bit drivers...). In addition to all of this, this is an educational institution and funding is always an issue.
> 
> So we are exploring alternatives right now. I'll list them below, and I'd be very interested in any input from you folks on our ideas, and any other ideas you may have.
> 1. Set up Oracle on the DG box. This solves the Interbase problem, and should involve only a minimal amount of pain. Keep running our current applications, converted as needed for Oracle.It doesn't solve our Powerhouse PC problem, but will buy us some time.
> 2. Oracle on a Sun box. Similar to the idea above. Again still running our Powerhouse applications.The main push for this idea is the university has standardized on Sun (we could get them "cheaper"), and would solve some non powerhouse related issues.
> 3. Convert our applications to Java. A total conversion off Powerhouse. Probably to Oracle DB, on a Sun box. Yes I understand how tough it would be :-) Advantages of Java (in a University setting) is that any workstation we have could (in theory) run the programs. Currently only Windows boxes have access to the applications because of the Powerhouse PC front end. This would solve the DB issue, and the Powerhouse PC issue, but the "cost" would be the highest.
> 4. Finally some "creative" ideas were brought up, like putting a Java "wrapper" around the current applications, that sort of thing.
> 
> We've started looking at what Cognos has to offer and the costs (Axient etc..) are a bit high. Powerhouse "web" is currently questionable etc.. And we would still have a conversion effort if we went to one of their other platforms. Any suggestions you might have to offer, ideas, shared pain are welcome.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Glenn Waters
> North Carolina State University
> College of Veterinary Medicine
> 4700 Hillsborough St., Box 8401
> Raleigh, NC 27695-8401
> Phone: (919) 513-6652
> Fax: (919) 513-6452
> Email: Glenn_Waters@ncsu.edu
> 
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