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Exodus is a project that converts the existing Oracle Forms and PL/SQL to 100% Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) architecture. This white paper is intended to help you understand the need, functionality and efficiency of this product, in addition to the normal migration considerations of moving Oracle Forms and PL/SQL into a Java and XML environment. The following paper will discuss the company’s migration expertise, endorsement received from the industry and the technical aspects, challenges and benefits of moving Oracle Forms and PL/SQL into J2EE and XML.

Abstract

With the emergence of Oracle 10g, users are trying to understand how to migrate their applications into the new “Web-enabled” environment. In addition, many of these application developers are finding that this migration can be time consuming and overwhelming. As they move their applications into the Java environment they are looking for the ability to facilitate a smooth transition. Users want to move quickly to take advantage of new technology without having to spend enormous time and financial resources.

Industry analysts predict that within 2-3 years, 80% of “successful” applications will be Web enabled. In order to assist clients with converting their applications, Exodus makes the job easier, faster and more cost effective. The Exodus product has been benchmarked to be 90% faster than manually converting Oracle Forms and PL/SQL and provides an 80% cost reduction for the client. It also eliminates many of the “human errors” that occur during conversion as there is very little human intervention with the automated product.

Companies need to look for solutions that possess the same attributes as good business strategy – namely flexibility, responsiveness, and cost-effectiveness. Based on CipherSoft’s migration and Java expertise, there is a major difference in effort between creating a J2EE-compliant application and delivering one that is modular, performance driven, and scalable. CipherSoft has taken the steps to design and deliver a J2EE design pattern framework with Exodus. This approach provides a decisive leg-up in getting J2EE applications built, deployed and enhanced more quickly.

Corporate Profile

CipherSoft is a Canadian owned and operated Software Company incorporated in 1999 with offices in the United States and Canada and partners in over 25 countries. It remains privately held. The owners of the company have over 60 years combined experience in providing conversion tools and services. CipherSoft provides software to VARs, system integrators, consultants, dealers, manufacturers, and a variety of large end users located throughout the world.

The CipherSoft Advantage

The CipherSoft advantage is comprised of three core strengths:

• CipherSoft’s ultimate strength has always been its people, comprised of quality-driven employees in our sales, technical and marketing departments. Our commitment to our customers is to continue to provide them with products and services that exceed their expectations.
• CipherSoft maintains a development and conversion facility in our Calgary, Alberta office headquarters. This facility offers select IT services to its strategic partners and clients. Our instructors have extensive real-life experience from numerous applications using such tools as Oracle Forms, SQL, SQL*Plus, PL/SQL and Java. The consultants and programmers of CipherSoft have led many large projects and understand the transition from design and analysis to the implementation phase.
• CipherSoft has specialized in developing products that enable its customers to migrate to the latest technologies and has built a reputation for providing on time, within budget and high-end service around the delivery of our products. CipherSoft takes pride in being “customer centric” and we work carefully with our clients to determine their requirements and the technologies that are best suited to their needs.

Corporate Vision

CipherSoft aims at being a customer-oriented, quality driven state of the art technology company that profitably provides world-class products and services. Our working environment encourages employee self-expression, creativity, pride, growth and loyalty. We are motivated to reach this goal through teamwork, honesty and through the respect and esteem in which we are held by our customers, our partners, our competition and ourselves.

Competency

CipherSoft associates have had extensive experience working with different technologies on various platforms. Technical expertise among CipherSoft employees spans the following areas:

• Multiple databases: Oracle, MS-SQL Server, DB2, Sybase
• Programming languages: C, C++, Java, COBOL, FoxPro, Oracle PL/SQL, XML, HTML, Oracle JDeveloper
• Operating Systems: Unix, .Net, Linux, Windows 2000, and any O/S that supports Java technology
• Application/Web Servers: WebLogic, Oracle 10g, Apache, Tomcat, Voyager, Orion and WebSphere

Clientele

Over the years, CipherSoft has successfully implemented hundreds of conversion projects for various Fortune 1000 clients. A potential Exodus client usually realizes a need to take their applications into an “open” environment. They are normally looking for the ability to move their applications quickly and effectively to Java but are usually planning to do this manually. Many organizations have been mandated by management to convert their applications but are struggling for the ability to do it quickly and effectively.

In addition, the customer has noticed the increasing popularity of Web-enabled applications. These customers may not have an immediate problem; however, they have recognized the increasing utilization and use of web-enabled applications by other companies. Web- enabled applications are now required in most industries, so a decision to purchase may result from the fact that the technology is becoming more wide spread.

Value Added Partner Program

CipherSoft’s partner program offers our partners a winning product, knowledgeable service, timely support, comprehensive training and the marketing and sales support required to succeed in today's complex computer marketplace. We realize our Partners are the experts in their market and that we are the experts in conversions. We want our partners to be successful, so that together we can be successful far into the future.

Strategic Alliances

Oracle Partner Network Member

CipherSoft provides Oracle users with an automated tool and services to convert their Oracle Forms and PL/SQL to Java. This product, a result of years of development, will assist Oracle users in moving more quickly and efficiently to the “open” environment. The combination of their technology and our expertise broadens your potential to dominate the Internet space together. Please visit the Oracle Partner Network page --> enter "CipherSoft" in the keyword search box for more information.

Validated Oracle Worldwide Migration Partner

CipherSoft is working closely with Oracle to ensure that our migration solutions are as complete and accurate as possible. Oracle has not only endorsed Exodus, but has also embraced the architecture. CipherSoft’s automatic migration tool will migrate the entire PL/SQL code, objects, forms, menus, libraries, as well as triggers to 100% Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) architecture, or integrate Oracle Forms applications seamlessly into JDeveloper, and Oracle's ADF, Toplink and BC4J technology. Please visit Oracle’s Technology Network Website for more information: link

Oracle Modernization Alliance

The Oracle Modernization Alliance (OMA) is a group of vendors supporting modernization to open technology. OMA members consist of systems integrators providing modernization practices, vendors providing modernization solutions for specific environments and vendors that work with Oracle in providing modernization target architectures. OMA defines automated migration as the ability to transform legacy technologies into more modern ones with an automation rate of approximately 80% or higher. For more information on the OMA, please visit www.oracle.com/goto/oma

Sun Microsystems, Inc

iForce[sm] Partner Program:

This initiative brings together Sun and its best-of-breed partners worldwide to deliver proven solutions to customers. Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and at Sun's Site

Migration to Sun Platforms Partner Program:

Migration to Sun Platforms for commercial/enterprise developers offers you access to Sun experts for technical advice, resource guides, porting tools, planning strategies, and more. For more information, please visit: http://iforce.sun.com/partners/migration/tools.html.

Hewlett Packard Partner

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. CipherSoft and HP have signed a Worldwide Systems Integration and Software Distribution Global Licensing Agreement. Under terms of the agreement, CipherSoft has provided Exodus™ migration software and training to HP’s services professionals, in preparation for a worldwide rollout to assist HP’s Oracle® OpenVMS customers. For information on OpenVMS, visit This Site .

Exodus Product Suite

Exodus migrates the entire PL/SQL code, objects, Forms, menus, and libraries, as well as triggers and automatically creates 100% Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) architecture. Exodus has continued to grow and transition with the following releases:

• Exodus PL/SQL Converter - Complete automated migration from PL/SQL to Java
• Exodus 3.0™ - Automated migration of Oracle Forms and PL/SQL to J2EE architecture
• Exodus 4.2™ - Automatic migration of Oracle Forms and PL/SQL to J2EE architecture with a tight integration with Oracle JDeveloper
• Exodus 6.0 ™ - Automatic migration of Oracle Forms and PL/SQL to JSF (HTML) integrating with Oracle's ADF-JSF

Exodus Features

The Exodus solution to migrate to Java is the best option to leverage the application's competitive differentiators and the existing knowledge capital embedded in mission critical applications. It facilitates taking full advantage of new technology in the fastest and most cost-effective way. The following details Exodus advantages and features

Portability of the converted product

Exodus produces native Java and XML code and is completely portable from one machine to another. The Exodus solution enables the user to utilize virtually any J2EE application server (including Oracle 10g, WebSphere, WebLogic, JBoss). By migrating the code to a true J2EE environment, the client can choose the most efficient method of hosting the application based on their requirements.

Relative cost of the product or service

Exodus is very competitively priced. The product has been benchmarked to save up to 90 percent of the time (automatic vs. manual) and 80 percent of the costs in the conversion process.

Advanced tools like Exodus cut time and costs of migration services and eliminate risk in migration projects. By automating migration services with proven tools that have been used successfully in the migration of large environments before, the "let's re-invent the wheel" aspect of migration services is totally eliminated. Exodus eliminates out the risk of the conversion process. These risks include introducing bugs in the new system during a rewrite or manual conversion, as the human element is reduced and so too are the room for human error.

The direct cost of migration projects is a fraction of that of redevelopment, as the use of automated conversion tools will eliminate much of the human factor that introduces uncertainty and error within the project. The use of tools in the project to automate data conversion, platform retargeting, language conversion of applications, and the management of the project itself, is the guarantee of speed, efficiency, consistency, and quality.

An Exodus automated migration eliminates the need to write-off the system as an asset. By reusing (or leveraging) the existing application and migrating it to new technology, the asset is retained and unnecessary costs are eliminated. The second source of indirect cost us user retraining and business disruption once the new system goes live. This is also decreased significantly. Because the new system, in its core, is the same system as it was previously, the users will accept what is in effect is a completely "new" system the same way as they would accept a new release of their existing system, with minimal or no retraining being necessary. As a result, business disruption is negligible.

Maintainability

CipherSoft's automated migration tools benefit developers who need to maintain the system after the conversion. Automatic code generation tools offer the only guarantee that all new code will follow the same standards. Developers who make adjustments and maintain the system after a conversion with Exodus will easily recognize the overall structure of the code for the entire system. Next, developers can easily locate the areas within an application that require enhancements or modifications in order to make adjustments when new requirements are required. When a large program is converted without total adherence to coding standards, developers can lose valuable time looking for the area in the code where new adjustments have to be made later.

One of the major differences between CipherSoft and its competitors is the architecture of the product. The software mimics the Oracle environment so closely that companies can quickly achieve a successful conversion project and see immediate benefits of moving to new technology.

Relative ease of use

Exodus has many features that make it user friendly and accessible to any level of user. Exodus has GUI type capabilities, which are aimed at making the product easier to use.

Exodus is the only Oracle Forms and PL/SQL tool on the market that provides Canvases (screens) that are converted into XML. The XML files are used by the Exodus runtime to draw screens at the client’s browser.

Java & XML Benefits

Exodus utilizes the latest Java technology and standards. This offers a substantial productivity boost for software developers. In addition, developers using the Java platform can create sophisticated programs that are reusable and maintainable compared to programs written with scripting languages. Using XML, AJAX and Java, developers can build sophisticated, interoperable Web applications more quickly and at a lower cost.

AJAX, XML and Java technology have a number of shared features that make them the ideal pair for Web computing, including being industry standards, platform-independent, extensible, reusable, Web centric, and internationalized.

XML promises to simplify and lower the cost of data interchange and publishing in a Web environment. XML is a text-based syntax that is readable by both computers and humans. XML offers data portability and reusability across different platforms and devices. It is also flexible and extensible, allowing new tags to be added without breaking an existing document structure. Based on Unicode, XML provides global language support.

Exodus to be tailored to individual users' needs and expertise

Multiple national language support is a recent capability with Exodus. However, the same code that was developed to support each user in their own national language could also be further developed to create user profiles that would allow users to work with an interface tailored to their level of expertise. Combined with the strong security aspects of Exodus, each user can work with a product significantly different from his or her co-workers, one that specifically targets the needs of the individual.

Migration Assessment, Planning, and Implementation Services

Conversions are the core competency at CipherSoft, and this is reflected in the development of conversion methodologies, conversion tools and the conversion consulting services we provide that help users move to the latest industry-standard platforms.

Migration and Web deployment of Oracle Forms 3.0, 4.5, 6, 6i and 9i to 10g, 11g

Older versions of Oracle Forms can be migrated successfully to Forms 10g and deployed on the Web, with the aid of the Exodus migration tool customized as part of this service.

This solution is performed using migration tools. The solution simplifies the process of Web-enabling your existing applications. The solution is highly scalable and user-friendly.

Legacy data - Upgrading Your Data

CipherSoft has been converting legacy applications since 1982. Over that period of time, CipherSoft has performed over 400 conversion projects for their clients. We offer database upgrades to our clients who require this service as they move to the robust 10g environment.

Technical and Training support

With facilities in the United States, Canada and with partners in over 25 countries, CipherSoft’s technical and training support staff is well equipped to respond to issues in a timely manner. CipherSoft offers training either at the client’s site or at CipherSoft's head office.

Consulting Services

CipherSoft assists our client's as they acquire new strategies, processes, and capabilities to gain competitive advantage, expand into new markets and take advantage of new technologies. Our consulting services include database upgrades, Java training, migration services, and training on Oracle technology.

Quality Assurance

Our commitment to Quality Assurance is one of the reasons why CipherSoft has been able to maintain a high satisfaction rate from clients and ensure a smooth project that is delivered on time and within budget. Our goal is to facilitate a long-term relationship with the client, to ensure that standards and procedures are adhered to and that delivered products or services meet performance requirements.

Authored by: Jennifer McNeill, President & CEO of CipherSoft Inc.

Ms. McNeill is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of business, technology and strategy consulting experience. She has worked to pioneer new methods to enhance workplace productivity via technology change.