White Paper Modernizing Microsoft Access Apps Enterprises are increasingly moving from proprietary platforms lke Microsoft Access to open standards and Java. Yet migrating Access applications and re-training Microsoft Access develop- {ers to use expert Java tools can be time consuming and costly ‘There isa very steep learning curve for MS Access develoners to leam the host of web and Java technologies required to build Fich internet applications. visual, drag and drop develepment ‘tool ike WaveMaker can fatten thislearning curve - minimizing hand coding while generating standard Java applications. nd retry fr Industry best practices for modernizing MS Access Applic tions include: ‘ensure that existing MS Access schema follows SQL best practices and if needed, create a new relational schema, extract the data from the Access database, cleanse the data, then import the data into ‘anew relational database, rebuild the Access applica: tion using open and standards-based development tools ike WaveMaker, Wave! é€ “WaveMaker flat out saved my job! Using WaveMaker, | built an inventory tracking application using 80% less code than | would have needed in MS Access, making me much more valuable to my employer!” Robert Manshack, New Development, IT, Texas Department of Criminal Justice \WaveMaker isan open source, visual development environment that provides an easy way to move Microsott Access developers and ‘applications to open Java standards. WaveMaker's visual, drag and drop development tools are easy for Microsoft Access developers to use, while generating standard Java applications. WaveMaker's WYSIWYG studio is ideal for developers ‘he want to focus on creating enterprise applications, not coding. ‘The following screenshot shows the WavelHaker studio: ‘Over 15,000 developers depend on WaveMaker today, including Fortune 500 customers like Macy's, National City Bank and Pioneer Energy. WaveMaker is avalable as a free, open source Community Edition or in a Enterprise Edition that adds commercial security, ‘calabllty and support. ‘White Paper Modemizng Microsoft Access Apps 1‘The following table compares MS Access and WaveMaker Features [MS Access WaveNaker Toe? mace doeter | eneptedeoer ert Cepatenaloes ——_[eeeeieans [asoniage Wal oe Pascoe Building a WaveMaker application is as simple as following an iterative, three-step process based on the Model-View-Controller (0c) design patter: © Define application data (morte!) Te model defines the data used in the application, including databace tables and telationships between tables. The developer specifies this information by importing an existing database schema or Using a visual data editor. © Create web pages (views). WaveMaker can create default web pages to create, read, update and delete data directly from database schema, or the developer can cteate new web pages using a drag and drop screen builder © Connect data to web page elements (controll). Wave- ‘Maker provides visual tools to connect data ard events with visual elements in the application such as buttons and datagrids, The developer can define new actions using @ Motivations and Issues in Modernizing MS Access Apps ‘Access is a complete database and development envirenment which can be used by a wide range of Microsoft developers. Within many enterprises, Access isthe default choice of departmental developers, although it has also been used to build enterprise-class applications. When used by departmental developers with litle formal program- ‘ming experience, Access applications are often bult by downloading corporate data to Excel, converting the spreadsheet to an Access database, then adding ad hee forms and reports, Because they grow organically, these departmental Access applications often lack formal requirements. Many developers are finding increasing pressures to migrate Access applications to open standards and Java. Some other technical drivers include: © Proprietary: enterprises moving to open source and Java platforms are uncomfortable with Access because it isa proprietary, closed-source solution. © Low data quality:some Access applications - particularly those originally based on importing departmental spread sheets often have out-of-date corporate dataor corrupt data based on poorly defined schemas WaveMaker € © Poor security: Aecess applications do net integrate with corporate security and lack advanced security features such as role-based access controls © Limited manageability: Accessapplications can be dificult to managed by © Noweb based aistibution: Aecess applications cannot be accessed over the web, "© SOX compliance: Access applications are often identified in corporate audits asa source ofisk For MS Access applications that were ceated in an ad hoc fashion, ‘migration can pose particular challenges, These include: © Data migration issues: MS Access data conversion can be complicated when there Isa poor schema design and/or low data quality associated with the Access database, ‘© Application migration issues: MS Access applications can Contain logic or design errors in theic forms and reports, ‘making them impossible to convert automatically Addressing Data Migration Issues Many databases provide automated conversion utlities for MS ‘Access data. For example, MySQL. provides a data migration too}, the "MySQL Migration Tool. However, this tcl is only as good as the underlying schema and the quality of the data to be converted. For some MS Access databases, developers fnd i easier to rebuild the data schema from scratch, “The two most common data quality issues with Access migration are: Access data schema isnot SOLready: some Access developers are not familiar with the basics of SQL schema design. This is particularly truefor Access applications where the schemas was created implicitly by importing an Excel spreadsheet, For example, the schema may lack primary, foreign key, and referential integrity constraints. © Access data is not clean in situations where the Access tables were not defined rigorously, the data may also be comupt. Addressing Application Migration Issues Porting the data from Access toa relational database only addresses part of the problem. There is stil the issu2 of what to do with the forms and reports associated with the Access application, Inaddition, itis often possible to consolidate multiple Access applications into a single web application. Similarly itis often possible to consolidate several Access fom into a single, wellde- signed web page. While is possible to use ODBC to access an enterprise database from an Access application, most developers choose to rewrite the application White Paper Modemizing Microsoft Access Apps 2“The reasons for rewriting Access applications include: © Quality issues: for MS Access applications that were built without formal specifications, many developets would rather tecteate the logic on an open platform ike Java, © Desire 0 make application web-based: most developers would prefer to migrate “legacy” MS Access agplications to atch internet architectures © Security equirements: developers often wantto add “enterprise” security features like single sign-o7 authentica tion and role based access contiols ‘AProcess for Modernizing MS Access Applications In the best case, automated conversion tools for MS Access to Java ‘only work ifthe functionality of the existing MS Access exactly meets the needs ofthe business. In practice, solutions like WaveMaker are able to automate around 60-808 ofthe conversion process by ‘generating forms to create, read, update and delete data from each table For example, ina recent project, WaveMaker was able tc automate ‘the conversion of over 400 forms out ofa total of 500 forms. The remaining forms needed to be rebuilt, either to reflect changed business logic requirements or to simplify and streamlire the user Interface following Web 2.0 best practices ‘This lays outa step-by-step process to migrate an MS Access application to open Java using WaveMaker: 1. Rebull the schema: ensure proper definitions for thefollowing: a. Primary keys b. Indexes for common search and join columas Foreign keys forall relationships, along withcardinalty Constraints and delete propagation constrains 4d. Default values for columns and NulFallowec columns Views 2, Clean the data:if needed, cleanse data before importing: a. Ensure primary key uniqueness b.Ensure referential integrity: check that primary key exists forall foreign keys, ensure foreign key uniqueness for 1.1 relationships Ensure that non-null columns have a value d.Ensure that data types agree, particularly fr date, Integer, decimal data types «Import cleansed data into new relational database schema 3. Convert basic forms: se Wavelaker to automatically create web ferms to create, read, update and delete data from each table. ‘WaveMaker forms can include masterdetallsub-forms and lookup references to set foreign key relationships, enabling the majority of forms to be converted automatically WaveMaker € 4. Rebuild advanced forms for forms that need to reflect changed business logic requirements or where there isa need to simplify and streamline the user interface fellowing Web 2.0 best practices, rebuild the application forms and reports using WavelMaker’s visual, drag and drop studio. 2a. Import relational data scherra into the WaveMaker studio b.Create new web pages using the WaveMaker page designer « Define actions using custom Java or JavaScript code, or web services ‘Summary: Modernizing MS Access Apps Enterprises are increasingly moving from proprietary platforms tke Microsoft Access to open Java platforms. Yet taining Microsoft Access developers to use complex Java tools tan be time-consuming and costiy. ‘WaveMaker provides a unique solution for migrating Microsoft Access developers and applications to open lava standards. WaveMaker’s visual development tools are easy for Mcrasoft Access developers to tse, while generating standard Java code that runs in any Java server. ‘Over 15,000 developers depend on WaveMaker today, including Fortune 500 customers like Macy's, National City Bank and Pioneer Energy. For mote information, visit www. WaveNakercom, “WaveMaker allowed me to quickly build a web-based insurance claims application that was faster and provided more functionality than the original tool - MS Access. Best of all, I did it in only 20% of the time it took to build the original MS Access application!” - Rob Geib, Partner, MarKur Networks, LLC Other Resources ‘There are a number of additional resources on the web describing MS ‘Access modernization: + Open source alternatives to Microsoft: wiww.osals. com MS Access alternatives: alternatives rze1.com/dib.html + MySQL Migration Toolkit: wzwsmysq).cam/products/workbench + WaveMaker developer forum: dev.Wavelaker.com White Paper Modemizing MS Access Apps 3