fueling success upgrading tools and strategies presented by: scott frappier symbiant technologies,...

Fueling Success

Upgrading Tools and StrategiesPresented By:

Scott FrappierSymbiant Technologies, Inc.

Mark BrummelLiberty Grove Software Europe

Fueling Success

Agenda

• The Microsoft Story– The Benefits

• The ‘Team’• The Job

– The Tools

• Pitfalls– tips and tricks

Fueling Success

The Microsoft Story

"Why yes, I do believe it updates automatically to new versions through Windows update, right John?"

Fueling Success

Microsoft Solutions Framework

Fueling Success

Benefits

• For you:– Increases customer satisfaction– Improves your competiveness– Offers a chance to implement

new functionality that benefits the customer

– Offers a chance to implement your own add-on solutions

– Decreases your support effort

Fueling Success

Benefits (Continued)

• For your customer:– Keeps business processes up to date– Allows expensive customizations to

be replaced by standard functionality built into the latest release.

– Resolves localization issues that have only been implemented on latest versions.

– Allows for a broader integration to other Microsoft products.

Fueling Success

Now back to the real world

HELPHELPI have to do an upgrade

Fueling Success

The ‘Team’

• A developer doing an upgrade may have multiple roles as they go through the upgrade process– Program Manager

• Focuses on delivery the product within the project constraints.

• Responsible for project management, solution architect, process assurance, and administrative services

• Main goal is for the delivery of the product

Fueling Success

The ‘Team’ (Continued)

• Upgrade roles…– Product manager

• Focus is to satisfy customer• Responsible for marketing, business

value, customer advocacy, and product planning

• Generally covered by the Sales staff within your organization

Fueling Success

The ‘Team’(Continued)

• Upgrade roles…– Developer

• Focus on building to product specifications

• Responsibilities include technology consulting, implementation architecture and design, application development, and infrastructure development

• Generally, a good understanding of the program is required for a successful developer role

Fueling Success


• Upgrade roles…– Tester

• Focus is to address all product quality issues

• Responsible for test planning, test engineering and test reporting

• This role can be usually satisfied by the end customer if they can be held to task by the program manager

Fueling Success


• Upgrade roles…– User Experience

• Focus is to enhance user effectiveness• Responsible for accessibility,

internationalization, technical communication, training, usability, and graphic design

• Usually in charge of training and documentation

• This role is critical with new the UI with the RTC as all documentation may need to be updated in an organization

Fueling Success


• Notes– If the original team that

implemented the site is available, it is considered a best practice to use that team’s resources during the upgrade

– A developer of an organization may have 1 or all of these roles during the upgrade process.

MANAGE EXPECTATIONS!

Do it right from the beginning

Fueling Success

The Job

• Analysis• Splitting up the project• Startup, Testing & Roll-out• Go-Live• After Care

Fueling Success

Database Analysis

• Version– How old, Steps, Modifications, Add-on’s

• Database– Native, SQL2000

• Client– Classic or RTC

• Hardware and Infrastructure– Does it need updating

Fueling Success

Versions

• Every database can be upgraded– Only some are more work

• Some versions have specific issues

• Look at where is the data, unused modules are non issues

Fueling Success

Versions and Features• CRM (Version 2.0)• Dimensions (Version 2.x)• Bin story (Version 3.x)• Inventory Valuation (Version 3.x)• Item Tracking (Version 3.6 & 4.0)• Menusuites (Version 4.0)• Jobs (Version 5.0)• Role Tailored Client (Version 6.0)Tip : Analyze the upgrade toolkit objects

to see what it hits

Fueling Success

Upgrade Steps

• 2.x 2.6• 2.6 3.7 or 4.0• 3.7 or 4.0 6.0 (5.0)

• 5.0 and 6.x tables are ‘identical’ (Almost)– No upgrade toolkit required– Business logic has changed (a lot)

Tip : For these additional steps, only merge the fields and sizes in the in between

versions

Fueling Success

Level of Modifications

• How Many Objects per type• What kind of modifications

– Field changes• Changed Field Length

– Code– Form and Report UI changes– Properties!

• DataPerCompany

Fueling Success

Replacement of Mod’s• Can a modification be replaced

with new standard functionality• Be careful with this! Big project

risk!

Tip : Sometimes it can be better (safer) to bring forward a

modification first and replace it afterwards

Fueling Success

Add-on’s

• Are there add-on’s involved• Is there a new version of the add-

on– Yes Does the customer want that?– No Can we treat the add-on as

normal modifications. Is it using old tables or functionality which is gone

• Is the add-on supported by the NAV Partner

Fueling Success

Database upgrade flavors

• Native SQL

• SQL 2000 SQL 2005 or 2008

Check if changes were made on SQL Leven

Not as easy as it seems

Fueling Success

Implementing the RTC• More (much more) training• Big Bang vs. Department at a

time• Fully implement Transformation

tool or not?• Moving the Reports

Fueling Success

Hardware

• Is my infrastructure still sufficient?

• Schedule in time• Never release new infra exactly

together with a new ERP unless it is unavoidable

Fueling Success

Splitting up the projectReal Life Example:

‘The customer wants to go from 3.60 Native on a physical box to NAV2009 with the latest version of the Vertical Solution, RTC and SQL on a Virtual System’

Fueling Success

Different Phases

1. Technical Upgrade from 3.60 to 6.0 Classic Client

2. Functional upgrade on Classic Client on Native Database

3. Vertical Solution Upgrade4. Migration to SQL Server 20085. Bring in new infrastructure6. Implementing the RTC on different

departments

Fueling Success

Starting up The Project• Planning• Creating the test database• Testing

– Benchmarking

• Roll Out

Fueling Success

Planning

• Make a good and realistic schedule• Freeze the production system if you

had not already done so• Never, ever develop changes in the

old system during the project• Create an escape plan (What if

scenario's)• Learn people how and what to test

Fueling Success

Creating the Test Database• Do the merge stuff • Create a detailed list of all objects

that need end user input• Document• Change the upgrade toolkit if

required• Run the upgrade toolkitTip : Measure the time the upgrade

runs. This will be the ‘downtime’.

Fueling Success

The Tools

• Developer Toolkit– Application designed to make

merge’s easier for your development tasks

• Mergetool– Another application designed for

merging written in C/AL• Upgrade Toolkit

– Required for data upgrades of a database

Fueling Success

The Tools (Continued)

• SQL Server Data Check– Tool created to check data in

C/SIDE to ensure SQL conversion success

• Transformation Tool– Used for the transition of NAV

objects to the RoleTailored Client• Notepad

– Everyone’s favorite text editor for Windows

Fueling Success

TOOLS

DEMO

Fueling Success

Testing Tip!

• Save a copy of the database in the status you did the test conversion

• Let users test all scenario’s in the old and new database

• All results must be the same– Documents– Ledger Entries– Management Reports (TEST REPORTS)

Fueling Success

Test, test & test; then test again• There is no such thing as to

much testing• Test for performance as well• Don’t forget interfaces, NAS

processes and reports• Be careful not to damage the

trust of the end user in the project

Fueling Success

Solving bugs

• Document all changes• This will keep you from doing

multiple test conversions• Create extra conversion steps

rather than going back to the upgrade toolkit

• Test!

Fueling Success

Native 2 SQL Migration1. Define the upgrade/migration type2. Choose hardware & correct SQL Version3. Checking SQL Data types4. Test conversion5. Testing6. Benchmarking7. Fixing Issues8. Go-Live9. After Care10. 3 Months after go life

Fueling Success

Step 3 - Checking SQL Datatypes• Datetime

– Date and time do not exist on SQL– SQL starts at 1753; NAV at 0000

• Not all native characters are supported by all SQL collations– Migrate.fob – Very time consuming

Fueling Success

Step 3 - Checking SQL Datatypes• Make table 104010 [Incorrect Data Value]

Autoincrement– Remove Deleteall from Codeunit

• 104011 [Data Check Management] and put in COMMIT– Make several Field Check codeunits for

smaller parts and run on different clients

Tip : http://www.mibuso.com/dlinfo.asp?FileID=1150

Fueling Success

Step 6 - Benchmarking• Only way to test performance

without golive– Simulate User Input– Activate Interfaces

• Don’t forget to test reporting !

• Combine manual testing and benchmarking

Fueling Success

Back to the upgrade

We have created a test conversion and solved all the bugs, now let’s go live!

Fueling Success

Roll Out

• Roll Out the new client everywhere

• Move to new infra if possible way before go live

• Do a technical upgrade first to tackle stuff like printer issues

• Plan external parties if involved for go-live

Fueling Success

Go-Live

• Plan the expected downtime• Be on-site

– Depending on the type of customer you know you are home free after a day or a week

• Create one or two test databases with go-live data

• Have remote access afterwards

Fueling Success

After Care

• Usually takes a month where bugs are found in non daily processes

• Solve them quickly to keep users believe in the product

• Measure performance after 3 months

Fueling Success

Pitfalls, Tips & Tricks

• Shared tables (DataPerCompany)• Developing in database while

doing the project• Doing to many steps in one

project• Never release new infra exactly

together with a new ERP unless it is unavoidable

Fueling Success

Pitfalls, Tips & Tricks

• Having someone on the team who did the original implementation or a previous upgrade

• A upgrade can be a one persons job• On your first upgrade project

multiply estimated times by 3 or 4. On the 4th or 5th by 1.2. From the 10th by 0.8

• Seek professional help

Fueling Success

Q&A

?

Fueling Success

Scott FrappierSymbiant Technologies, Inc.

[email protected]

Mark BrummelLiberty Grove Software Europe

[email protected]

Thank You for Attending Directions 2009!

Please remember to fill out your session evaluation form! (Online as well at

http://evals.navdirections.com)