Expert: Jean-Pierre Zuate - 1/13/2008

Question
Hello,

Can you let me know, what are the critical things, I need to look before moving the data and scripts from 6.4 to 2006.
Do you have a check list or the list of pitfalls which we can use.

Answer
Hello,

From Ingres 6.4 to a newer version there is a documentation, it's call the Migration Guide. Here is the link on the web : http://docs.ingres.com/mg/ and you can find the PDF in the doc when you install it from a download of Ingres Corp.

This doc explain two path for migration : unload/reload and upgradedb. As far as I know there are sometimes bugs in the upgradedb method. Prefer unloading data, ABF applications, reports, frames and so on and then reloading them in a new fresh installation.

Ingres assume a compatibility from older versions to newers, except in some area, such as Ingres/Replicator. From older to newer Replicator version you could not customise templates of DB Procs (if you use Replicator you must know what it is) and I know a customer in France that have many issues with this (it is still possible to use the older replicator version in a newer version but it is not supported and easy at all).

Sometimes the text of views or DB procs are miscutted, due to commas (,) in the text. For example in France many customers uses views to tranform money (francs to euros) and there is a but, specialy if II_DECIMAL is set to comma). The workaround is to cast the number with a comma by " or '.

In conclusion read carefully the Migration Guide.

Hope this help you and sorry for the late of my reply but I was in Morroco when your question arrive.

To terminate my reply let me wish you an happy new year for 2008 (many migrations and businesses of all kind ;-)

Regards,
Jean-Pierre ZUATE
http://lafageconseil.fr