Conversion From Planning to Install

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ConversionFrom Planning to Install
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Marc Larochelle

• In-House Developer 1991 1995
• Founded Productive Computing, Inc. 1996
• FSA Member 1998 2002
• Partner FSA Member 2002 Present
• Solutions Core Contact Manager, Calendar, IT
  Asset Manager
• Plug-ins Outlook, Entourage, Address Book, Adobe
  PDF, File Manipulation, Faxing, Calendar Pop-up,
  and printer automation.

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.fp5 Solution Profile

• Large cabinet manufacturer
• 100 .fp5 files
• 40 Admin users (Windows based)
• 20 individual passwords / 20 groups
• Medium complexity

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.fp5 Solution Profile

• Minor third party plug-in usage
• Requires 16 hours a day, 7 days a week uptime
• 33,800 a day productivity value

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Why did they upgrade?

• .fp5 more expensive to maintain
• Desire for single step security model
• Desire for enhanced security for each user
• Frequent schema changes
• Desire for custom input dialogs, colorized text
• Easier to build new modules/features

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The Estimate

• 90 to 120 hours which included
• Planning
• Rebuilding security from the ground up
• Pre-conversion programming
• Conversion
• Data import (over a weekend)
• Post conversion optimization and testing
• 2 days on-site follow-up and monitoring

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The Process

• Begin with a copy of the existing .fp5 system
• MetadataMagic (from New Millennium
  Communications)
• 1 hour to convert the files (including indexed
  data)
• Minor modifications and testing

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The Process

• Security
• Remove all existing passwords and groups
• Create 7 Privilege Sets
• Used QuicKeys from Startly Technologies
• All users authenticate from main domain controller

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The Process

• Import static data (2 day window)
• Import live data (4 hour window)

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The Process

• Client Install and desktop shortcuts
• Dress Rehearsal with selected staff members
• Go Live
• Page Setup and Print Setups
• Minor security tweaks
• User Involvement
• Backup scheduling
• Begin programming enhancements (live)

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Summary

• Conversion Details
• 2/8/2005 3/22/2005
• Total of 101 hrs
• 18 hrs meetings/planning
• 79.5 hrs programming
• 3.5 hrs Active Directory configuration and
  testing

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Results

• Increase in opening time speed
• No need to enter a password when opening the
  system.
• No more squiggly lines when performing the
  noontime backup.
• Requested changes could be done immediately
• Much better performance over the WAN

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Advice

• Read the existing literature on
  conversion/migration.
• Utilize 3rd party analysis tools
• Perform a test conversion early on in the process
• Keep the field names the same
• Utilize multiple screens or computers

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Thank You

• This presentation is available at
• www.productivecomputing.com
• The FileMaker Tech Brief is available at
• www.filemaker.com

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