Data migration strategies

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Application development

AS/400

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IBM DB2

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Hi All I am embarking on a Data Migration project which involves migrating data from one I-Series database application to a different I-series database application. I guess as with all migrations the data does not excatly match in both appplications. I have identified that i need to populate Excel files with all the relevant data from our legacy system, once this has been done then the users of our application will be adding data to these excel files which is required by our new application. Once these Excel files have been fully populated i then need to upload to the new application, I guess my question is have any of you gone through this kind of process, and if so how did you manage it. One problem i can see is when i bring the data down to excel from legacy system, Excel does not keep the formats of each field, this would mean i need to specify the format for eac field again in Excel before uploading to new application. Thanks in advance for any help

Asked: September 5, 2006 4:02 AM Last updated: December 16, 2009 7:44 AM

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Last updated: September 5, 2006 4:23 AM GMT

SheldonLinker30 pts.
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- SheldonLinker30 pts.

Thanks. We'll let you know when a new response is added.

The strategy you propose is error-prone. Instead, write a script to do one or more INSERT SELECTs from one schema into the other. Check your work. If the second schema was loaded properly, COMMIT it. If not, ROLL it BACK, modify your script, and execute again.
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Sheldon Linker (sol@linker.com)
Linker Systems, Inc. (www.linker.com)
800-315-1174 (+1-949-552-1904)

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skeil1 Sep 5, 2006 8:49 AM GMT

Have you considered using Access if you must move it to a Microsoft product for user update? At least then it's databse to database rather than databse to spreadsheet. (Remember the 2 GB file limit in Access.)

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FlyNavy Sep 5, 2006 10:53 AM GMT

As sheldonlinker stated, moving to Excel is not a great option for this scenario. A lot of data errors can be introduced in a spreadsheet. There are a lot of data migration tools and services out there to assist you with what you are trying to do. I have seen this type of merge done a few ways. You can add the data to the existing database and alter the schema in the migration, you can add the data to a smaller, 3rd database and merge the 2 sources in the migration, or you can migrate the data you have into the new schema and then add the extra data.

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TomLiotta Dec 16, 2009 7:44 AM GMT

Note that whether or not the old and new applications are on the same system or available at the same time will be the major decision elements. Do you know the actual scenario? Tom

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