Managing Large Application Development using Oracle Application Express

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Managing Large Application Development using
Oracle Application Express

• David Peake
• Product Manager, Database Tools
• (david.peake_at_oracle.com)

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Agenda

• Background
• Defining Large Applications
• Project Staffing
• Before you begin
• Initial steps
• Pilots and Proof of Concepts
• Building the Solutions
• Performance Considerations
• Integration with Other Tools
• Deployment
• Conclusion
• QA

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Background

• Oracle Consultant for 13 years
• 5 years on 1 x Oracle Forms / Designer Project
• 4 years on 1 x Oracle Application Express Project
• Lead development team
• Team included Oracle Consultants, Contractors,
  and Employees
• Involved from Initial Analysis / Design through
  to Post-Production Support and Maintenance
• Designed solutions
• Built Applications
• Trained team members
• Put out fires

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The Project

• Approximately 1000 individual Applications
• Enterprise-wide OLTP System for Large Law
  Enforcement Agency
• Thousands of concurrent users
• True 24 x 7 Operations (Even Training)
• Four separate development teams with up to 50
  developers
• Many cross-team links / co-developed processes
• Large number of common entities (Addresses,
  People Contact Details,etc.)
• Still growing

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How Large Applications Differ

• Total project size gt 100 applications working as
  one suite.
• Solve complete business processes end-to-end
• Large number of stakeholders
• Mixed environments
• Complex Requirements
• Large teams of developers working concurrently
• Performance considerations
• Rollouts are not easy
• Coordination is critical

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Large Applications

• Integrated APEX applications working seamlessly
  together
• Consistent Development practices
• Complex Data Model(s) Many shared entities
• Numerous common functions / procedures
• Major Reporting requirements
• Integration with other tools
• Other applications interacting with the Database
• Extensive back-end processing

SCOPE CREEP
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Project Staffing Types of Experience

• Project Initiation Resources
• Project Manager Project Duration
• System Architect
• Expert in Oracle Database Configuration Sizing
• Security Specialist
• Knowledgeable in Corporate security
• Expert in Oracle Security
• GUI Expert Project Duration
• HTML Guru
• Experience with CSS, Javascript, AJAX, DHTML
  Critical
• SQL Experience Optional
• Data Modeller at least through Design Phase
• EXPERT at designing large application data models

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Project Staffing Types of Experience

• Design Phase Resources
• Team Leads Project Duration
• Experienced practitioners - Writing
  Specifications, etc.
• Excellence conducting JADs, running POCs
• PL/SQL Knowledge
• APEX an advantage but not critical
• Industry Knowledge a distinct Advantage
• Lead Developers Project Duration
• Experienced building Proof of Concepts
• PL/SQL Expert
• At least some APEX experience
• Ability to Train / Mentor other team members

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Project Staffing Types of Experience

• Build Phase
• Developers Numbers as required
• SQL Experience
• PL/SQL a definite advantage
• Oracle Forms developers adapt very readily
• Able to work in a team environment
• Willing to follow standards and specifications
• Numbers and personnel will continually fluctuate
• Remote Developers CAN Work Very Well

How long until my Developers should be
Productive?
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Project Staffing Types of Experience

• Test Phase
• Quality Assurance experts
• Experience writing test specifications
• Prepared to raise issues when standards not
  followed
• Documentation expert
• Ability to write User Guides
• Ability to write On-line Help
• Training Phase
• Trainers
• Ability to construct training sessions
• Ability to create Viewlets
• Ability to communicate with End-Users

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Project Staffing Responsibilities

• Systems Architect
• Design and implement Environments (Dev, Test,
  etc.)
• Develop Capacity Plan
• Security Specialist
• Document Security Standards for Developers
• Design and Implement Security practices for
  End-Users
• GUI Expert
• Implement Look and Feel Modify Templates,
  etc.
• Develop Javascript, AJAX, DHTML Components
• Data Modeller
• Work closely with the Teams and DBAs
• Ensure cohesive database design Not easy
• Enforce database naming standards
• Determine and implement partitioning strategy

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Project Staffing Responsibilites

• Team Leads / Lead Developers
• Manage developers
• Coordinate with PM, other Team Leads, etc.
• Write Specifications
• Design and build POCs
• Train / Mentor Developers
• Developers
• Follow standards
• Implement Applications based on Specifications
• Ignore the two points above and do some cool
  stuff that is totally outside of scope

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Project Staffing Training the Development Team

• New to APEX
• Oracle University Course(s)
• http//otn.oracle.com/apex
• Oracle By Example (OBE)
• User Guide / Advanced Tutorials
• Books / Forum
• Consulting Companies
• Drill into EVERYONE the importance of Standards
• Explain the Methodolgy
• Set Expectations regarding Deliverables / Testing
  /
• Walk through of Existing and Common Components
• Give them something easy to get their feet wet

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Before you Begin

• Standards, Standards, Standards,
• Application Security
• Application Naming Standards
• Application Numbering / Groups
• Page Numbering
• Item Naming
• UI Standards BE DRACONIAN
• Screen Design
• List of Values
• Display Characteristics - Pagination, Sorting,
  etc.
• Formatting Dates, Numbers, Phone Numbers, etc.
• Application Components
• Query / Detail Screens

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Before you Begin

• Application Components ( Continued)
• Summary Pages
• Reporting / Charting
• Branching
• PL/SQL Components
• Naming Conventions
• Headers
• APIs
• Use of Common Packages
• Development Standards
• Testing
• Deployment
• Change Requests

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Before you Begin

• Methodology
• Agree upon Development Approach
• Prototyping / Proof of Concept / JAD Sessions
• Change Control
• Testing / Sign-Off Procedures
• Training Procedures
• Roll-out Procedures
• Create Documentation Templates and Guidelines

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Initial Steps

• Configure Environments
• Define Topology
• Size Environments
• Procure Hardware / Software
• Install Oracle Application Express
• Define APEX Administrators / Developers
• Install / Configure Middle Tier
• Configure / Define Security
• Integrate Corporate Security
• Implement Developer Security Rights
• Define Authorization Standards
• Define Development Security Standards

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Initial Steps

• Look and Feel
• Determine Theme(s)
• Customize Templates only where Essential
• Create Sample Screens as Guidelines
• Navigation Style
• Menu Type / Layout
• Breadcrumbs
• Tab Design / Levels
• Navigation Bar

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Initial Steps

• Initial Data Model
• Review existing model(s)
• Define Common Entities
• People / Customers /
• Addresses
• Define Code Tables
• Define Partitioning Strategy
• Define Archiving / Aging of Data

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Proof of Concepts and Pilots

• Proof of Concepts
• A picture / 1,000 words
• Screen mock-ups with working navigation
• Demonstrates workflow
• Address UI Issues
• Explore Usability Issues
• Integrate into Detailed Specifications
• Use Pilots when
• Requirements are sketchy
• Significant business process change is involved
• Integrating multiple tools
• Dealing with outside Companies
• Substantial User Training is required

Low Cost Disposable
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Building the Solutions

• 1 Get Database Design CORRECT
• Rapid Application Development
• Incremental deliverables better than Big Bang.
• Dont get into Analysis Paralysis
• Keep key Users involved throughout
• Update Datamodel rather than workaround bad
  design
• Use the speed of development using APEX
• Ensure Testing is not an afterthought
• Provide Training / User Guides / Viewlets /
  Online Help

MANAGE EXPECTATIONS
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Building the Solutions

• Common Components
• Menus
• Applications
• List of Values
• Search Screens
• Packages
• Authorization
• Manage them closely
• Expected delivery timeframes
• Differences in Environments
• Dependencies
• Dont be afraid to shuffle versions
• Coordination is key

Downtime Requirements
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Building the Solutions

• Dashboards
• Important Launch Pads
• Make Common functions available
• Different content for different People
• Job Function
• Security Rights
• Informative at a glance
• Charts
• Top 10 Xs
• Scrolling Marquee
• Great for Broadcasting News / Announcements
• Maintain Content (keep it fresh and relevant)
• Encourage User Contributions

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Building the Solutions

• Multiple Applications Vs Multiple Pages
• Called from multiple Applications
• Parameter Passing
• Return URL
• OR Self-Contained business function
• Maintenance considerations
• Multiple Page Data Entry Forms Vs One Very Long
  Page
• Used by Standard Users
• OR Used by Data Entry Operators
• Insert / Maintain Data
• Beware the number of clicks

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Building the Solutions

• Multiple Teams Multiple Developers
• Consistency CRITICAL
• Not just same Look and Feel
• Same way of doing business
• Object Placement
• Object Labels
• Actions Performed

Backport Changes if Necessary

• Can multiple developers work on one Application?
• YES
• Should they?
• MAYBE

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Performance Considerations

• At some point the Applications will probably run
  slow
• Diagnose the Problem First
• Determine where the bottleneck is
• PC
• Network
• Middle-Tier
• Database
• Disk
• Check Database Health
• SGA
• CPU Utilization
• Locks
• Database Parameters

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Performance Considerations

• DBAs will assume APEX as APEX running slow
• What else is running?
• Legacy Applications
• Batch Programs
• Database Jobs
• Slow Running SQL
• Use standard Performance Tuning techniques
• Use Collections
• Use Wait Bar
• Prevent Multiple Clicks
• 80 / 20 Rule -gt Dissect the business
  requirement(s)
• Additional Screens
• Examine Datamodel

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Integrating with Other Tools

• APEX plays well with others!
• Is friendly and happy to talk to others
• Happy to share and be a Team player
• Rarely kicks sand into others faces
• Determine Security Requirements
• Identify level of Integration Required
• Identify what Parameters need to be exchanged
• Determine the Process Flow between the tools
• Coordinate schedules / deliverables

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Deployment

• Examine Dependencies carefully
• Other Applications
• Common Components
• Database Elements
• Other Tools
• Determine Downtime Requirements
• Implement Applications and Supporting Objects
• Load / Migrate Data
• Manage End-Users
• Grant Security Rights
• Provide Links
• Monitor Performance

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Conclusion

• Much Like any Large Application Development
• Standards
• Methodology
• Coordination and Management
• Scope Creep
• 1 Data Model
• CONSISTANCY

Does the Solution Solve the Business Requirements

• BUT Some Differences
• Productivity of Development Staff
• Utilization of Common Components Differs
• Use the declarative nature of APEX to your
  advantage
• Just because you can develop Applications quicker
  than the users can think of them doesnt mean you
  should

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Q

A
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