Migration guide Version 3.0 Software migration guide Published by the Federal Ministry of the Interior April 2008 Published by the Federal Ministry of the Interior Reprint, even in part, subject to approval If you are interested in publications by the Federal Ministry of the Interior which are currently available or if you require further information concerning the documents, please contact Bundesministerium des Innern Referat IT 2 11014 Berlin, Germany Homepage: http://www.kbst.bund.de/ E-mail: [email protected] Migration guide Version 3.0 Software migration guide 1st edition Berlin, April 2008 Published by the Federal Ministry of the Interior Foreword to the third version of the migration guide The migration guide has become a hands-on tool with practical relevance for all kinds of migration issues. The guide is generally accepted and highly esteemed at the federal administration and beyond. The document offers IT decision-makers a wealth of technical information concerning proprietary and open source software as well as practical assistance when it comes to planning and implementing software migration projects in the most diverse directions. In view of ever-shorter technological innovation cycles, this migration guide 3.0 comes with updated contents with regard to the technologies found in both current and future migration projects in the years to come. Tried-and-tested elements of the earlier version, such as practical tips concerning the procedure for evaluating economic efficiency and the legal framework for software migration projects are also included in this version 3.0 in updated form. The essentially new element of migration guide 3.0 when compared to its predecessor versions is the completely revised structure concept with a more pronounced modularization approach. This element, in particular, boosts the practical value of this document because it makes it easier for readers to find the right contents which answer their questions. The modular structure of this document is also the basis for easier updating procedures for the different contents. This means that it will be easier in future to achieve shorter publication cycles. The introduction of the new document structure is also an important milestone on the road towards a new form of publication of the migration guide as an interactive web offering. The authors would like to wish the readers of the migration guide an interesting and profitable read and hope that the solution scenarios outlined herein will be helpful for the user's everyday work. Page 4 Structure and contents of the migration guide Public agencies and organizations are often faced with the need to decide how they want to shape their IT system landscapes in the future. The reasons for this are very diverse: • Manufacturers phasing out support for key products • Increased technical requirements • Consolidation of existing system landscapes • Strategic aims, such as increased manufacturer dependence and increased interoperability. They are hence at present faced with the question as to which systems and components are to form the future basis of their IT structures. The migration guide is designed to assist them with its structural and modular layout as well as its contents. Amendments to version 2.0 Version 1.0 of the migration guide was published in 2003. This document was downloaded more than 100,000 times from the web and translated into several languages. In 2005, version 1.0 was upgraded and subsequently published as version 2.0. Version 2.1, which was published last on the basis of this document, already contained additional explanations and practical tips for evaluating economic efficiency and legal aspects of planned software migration projects. With this migration guide 3.0, the Co-ordinating and Advisory Agency of the Federal Government for Information Technology in the Federal Administration - KBSt - is now presenting a completely revised and updated version with more pronounced modularization of the technical subjects. What's more, other products and technologies are now included, for example, the complex of teaming and workgroup software (collaboration software) with the "Microsoft Office SharePoint Server", "O3Spaces Work-place 2", "Novell Teaming + Conferencing", "Lotus Quickr 8.0" products as well as the "Mindquarry" open source software. Structure of the migration guide Embedded in a framework chapter, the migration guide 3.0 includes three core modules, i.e. cross-section issues, infrastructures and applications. In practical work, these modules represent clearly defined complexes with specific tasks. In order to enable readers to easily navigate in the document, each of the three core modules has the same, uniform sub-structure which encompasses five levels as follows: • module, • subjects, • products, Page 5 • migration paths and • references. Along this substructure, a uniform structure frame is created for all the core modules, so that readers can resolve problems along standardized paths which always remain unchanged. The diagram below shows this structure. Use by users Example: DBMS migration • In which environment do • Infrastructure I have a Module problem? • Which complex • Database does my Subjects problem relate to? • Which products • MySQL are affected? Products/Techn • PostgreSQL ologies • SQL-Server • Which • e.g. SQL Server migration path Migration paths to PostgreSQL will help me? • What else do I • e.g. data have to References sources in consider? Office applications Fig. 1: Structure of the migration guide In the diagram, the questions which the reader seeking orientation has are related to the points of reference of the document on its contents levels. A reader who is, for example, planning to migrate a database management system will find the solution along the path through the document structure which is outlined in the diagram. When the same reader searches for another solution, for example, in a subject of the "applications" module, he or she can use the same structure path in order to navigate through the document. The "cross-section issues" module diverges from this given structure because this module is only broken down according to subjects. Contents of the migration guide The contents of the migration guide are related to software migration. The current technical discussion still focuses on the basic software components of IT infrastructures. However, the migration guide intends to include all software components relevant for administrations in its scope in the future. This goal is supported by the new structure described above and by stronger modularization which enables efficient extension and/or adaptation of the guide's contents to the needs of public administrations. Within the "infrastructures" and "applications" core modules, the guide with its subject- centred structure – such as network services or database management systems – initially addresses the individual products and technologies with a view to their technical Page 6 make-up, technical features and functionalities. Other issues which are addressed include historical development up till now, the availability of different versions and editions as well as the terms and conditions of the licenses applicable to the use of the products and technologies. Both proprietary and open source software will be treated equally. Definition: Open source software, free software The terms "open source software" and "free software" are used synonymously in this migration guide. The abbreviation used for this is OSS. OSS enables every user to use, analyse, modify and distribute the freely available source code. This openness enables users to learn from the source code and/or adapt it to their personal requirements. OSS is free from license costs and may be copied and distributed even in modified form. The freedom of the software is defined by the related licenses. Proprietary software Unlike open source software, proprietary software is owned by an individual or organization, usually the manufacturer of the software. The use of the software is subject to the terms of the license which the owner of the software has laid down. These terms usually prohibit duplication, dissemination and modification of the software. Software of this kind is sometimes also offered for free on condition that the applicable terms of the license are adhered to. However, this software is not open source software. The product and technology discussion of each complex is followed by the discussion of selected migration paths. When the first version of the migration guide was published in 2003, the picture at public agencies was still relatively homogenous with regard to the initial situation of their IT infrastructures. This has changed clearly in recent years. Although most IT infrastructures are still Windows-based, the underlying situations differ strongly even in these cases. Furthermore, a host of Linux-based and heterogeneous IT landscapes have emerged parallel. This increasing heterogeneity of IT landscapes means that more differentiated migration paths must be provided and described. A distinction is made between replacing migration paths and continuing migration paths. Page 7 Definition Continuing migration In the earlier versions of this migration guide, this term was primarily linked to the continuation of Microsoft product lines because the starting situation (Windows NT-based IT infrastructures) at that time was largely uniform at public agencies. Today, there is a host of very different starting situations, so that