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Copyright & Disclaimer© Copyright 2010 Chris Blythe Limited.
All product and service names mentioned are recognized as the trademarks of their respective companies.
These materials are provided by Chris Blythe Limited for informational purposes only, without representation or warranty of any kind, and Chris Blythe Limited
shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to these materials.
UPGRADING v MIGRATING
UPGRADE= ON THE SAME SERVER
MIGRATE= ON A DIFFERENT SERVER
(BUT YOU COULD GO VIA AN INTERMEDIATE SERVER BACK TO THE
ORIGINAL BOX)
MOST PEOPLE ARE ON A VM NOWADAYS
SERVER CAPACITY IS NO LONGER A DECISION MAKER
UPGRADE ORDER
1. OPERATING SYSTEM
2. DATABASE PLATFORM
3. APPLICATION
UPGRADE POSSIBILITIES
LINE 500 VERSION 7.1
ENT 2.1
UPGRADE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM
UPGRADE YOUR DATABASE PLATFORM
UPGRADE YOUR SAGE APPLICATION
WINDOWS 2003
WINDOWS SERVER 2000
SQL SERVER 2000/7.0
SQL SERVER 2005
L2/500 V5.5
L500 V5.0
ANYTHING OLDER
SQL SERVER 2008
WINDOWS 2008
SAGE 1000 V 3.0
L500 V6.0
THE OLDER YOUR PRODUCT, THE MORE EFFORT IS LIKELY
TO BE REQUIRED
PRACTICALITIES – UPGRADE FROM 5.5/6.0
• Bespoke C-BASE programs
• TESTING
• Archive Tables
• Payroll – MUST be on current version
• Database Triggers & non C-BASE bespoke BEWARE POSSIBLE CHANGES TO INCIDENCE OF LOCKING
PRACTICALITIES – ADDITIONAL FOR UPGRADE FROM 5.0
• Disaster Recovery plans• Users/passwords cleanup?• Printers/Papers cleanup?• Security Groups replace multiple menu
systems• TESTING • XML licence• Manual re-entering of stocktake card header
data
SECURITY GROUPS
• Required for DA0355 “User Access Permission views” – Sarbox requirement
• Created when moving from 5.0/2.1 or older
• Standard migration does one per user (!), DA0355 report goes off into orbit
• Reorganise into logical user groups after migration and delete excess groups
PRACTICALITIES – ADDITIONAL FOR UPGRADE FROM PRE 5.0
• TESTING• Processing cycles• Report writer reports• RWL (aka RSL) (Report Writer Language) reports• Forms – Print• Menus• Messages• Screen forms• Working Directory/Database Naming• RW Transfer files - Data dictionary• RW Transfer files – Data• “Union” (WIP/routing) files migration to database
PRINT FORMS
• Manual migration
• One module/formset at a time
• Consider re-editing instead of migration?
MENUS/MESSAGES
• Manual migration
• One module/formset at a time
• Consider re-editing instead of migration, bearing in mind effect of security groups?
SCREEN FORMS
• Manual migration
• One module/formset at a time
• Consider re-editing instead of migration?
• Why? – Because old forms may not support new functionality
• Old screen edits may have outlived their time!
BESPOKE C-BASE WORK – UNDERLYING SYSTEMS CODE1. Changed from Btrieve to Btrieve-removed
systems2. And again in Line 500 V5.03. And again in Line 500 V5.54. And again in Line 500 V6.05. Not in Line 500 V7.0, but Application code will
require recompilation anyway!!!!
Recompilation under new source code is the minimum required, so check the cost/timescales with your reseller/developer BEFORE upgrading!
Processing cycles• All batches should be posted
• All modules should be at period end
THIS IS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TESTING REQUIRED AND THEREFORE KEEP THE COST
DOWN
• This is not mandatory for V5.0+ upgrades but is very sensible!
FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES
• MOSTLY SWITCHED ON BY ENABLING A “PROJECT”
• BUT SOME (USUALLY MINOR) CHANGES ARE INTRODUCED ANYWAY
• N.B. REDUNDANCY OF SOME SWITCHABLE PROJECTS IN LATER RELEASES E.G. DA0219
• “100% BACKWARD COMPATABILITY” POLICY (USUALLY!)
TESTING - ADVICE
• How much is your reseller ACTUALLY going to do?
• Demand to see DOCUMENTED test programme BEFORE agreeing deal!
• Work out which gaps YOU are going to have to test
• Demand to see SIGNED UP & DOCUMENTED RESULTS after migration
• GET INVOLVED YOURSELF OR USE AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT!
TESTING - ADVICE
• Check Archives have been migrated properly (or at all!)
• Check spool queue items have been migrated
TESTING – EXAMPLES
• Row counts of major tables (order lines, gl transactions etc)
• Reprint invoices, statements etc and check layout
• Run major reports (Trial Balance, Aged Debtors, FA YTD additions audit trail etc) before and after, check totals/transaction numbers agree
• Check every menu option launches without error message/popup
• Data item processing (“Destructive testing”) on copy system
OTHER ISSUES
• Changed projects/system key settings – do this AFTER testing where possible
• Copying old data to “spare” companies• BACKING UP!!!!!• Do a Trial migration – particularly if you
have any bespoke/externally connected systems/triggers etc
• MAKE SURE IT IS PATCHED UP TO DATE! (get list of program versions)
WHO SHOULD PERFORM THE UPGRADE?
• RESELLER– Wants your money
• INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT– See above!
• END USER– Wants to keep the money
• A COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE MAY BE THE BEST SOLUTION!
RESELLER• UPGRADES NORMALLY DONE BY A
“TECCHIE”, NOT A “CONSULTANT”• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES NORMALLY
DONE BY CONSULTANT• SHOULD WORK WITH AN INDEPENDENT
CONSULTANT• MAY MAKE THAT ROUTE “DIFFICULT”• HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN DOING IT
AS FAST AS POSSIBLE
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
• WILL BE A SAGE CONSULTANT BY CHOICE
• WILL HAVE IN DEPTH SAGE KNOWLEDGE, ALTHOUGH NOT NECESSARILY BREADTH
• LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH UPGRADES BEFORE
• HAS THE “BIG PICTURE”• SHOULD WORK WITH THE RESELLER
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
• MAY HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR SYSTEM THAN THE RESELLER
• HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN MAKING IT GO SMOOTHLY AND WORK FIRST TIME
• WOULD BE IDEALLY SUITED AS YOUR PROJECT MANAGER
END USER
• May be capable of some or all of the work
• May not have the time or inclination to do it!
• SHOULD get involved with testing!
ADVICE• PLAN WELL IN ADVANCE• Ask your reseller for a breakdown of the time
quoted• Check they are doing adequate testing• Check the backup/DR arrangements are adequate• ALLOW ENOUGH OF YOUR OWN TIME FOR
TESTING• Plan for changes to user visibility e.g.
Paper/printers/menus/screens• DOCUMENT CHANGES AND TRAIN USERS!• Consider completing Upgrade and running for a
period before introducing new functionality
UPGRADING SAGE LINE 500/1000
CHRIS BLYTHE FCA
