Promo

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Promo
Migrating to .NET

• Port or Re-write?
• September 29, 2004 ? 7-9pm ? InfoTech Canada ?
  274 Kenmount Rd.
• ICAN develops and integrates Electronic Charting
  and Surveillance software products. The software
  architecture is 7 years old and based on Visual
  C 6. There are many issues in deciding to
  upgrade, port or re-write for .NET. ICAN and
  others would like to hear about your migration
  experiences. Enjoy product demos, good food and
  great company.

Randal Greene - rgreene_at_ican.nf.net
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Overview
Migrating to .NET

• Definitions
• Situation
• Product Demonstration
• Question
• Issues
• Your Recommendations
• Conclusion and Resources

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Definitions
Migrating to .NET

• Migrate upgrade, port or re-write for a
  different platform, development tool or version
• Upgrade move to new but highly compatible
  version, making as few changes as possible
• Port convert or import in new tool, retaining
  architecture but adjusting for new approaches
• Re-write re-architect, re-organize, re-factor,
  re-build

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Situation
Migrating to .NET

• ICANs family of Electronic Charting and
  Surveillance Systems
• Built using Microsoft Visual C 6, MFC, OpenGL,
  Multi-threading, STL, even Assembler
• Less than 10 of current capabilities and
  requirements known at start in 1997
• Commitment to re-engineering Visual Studio

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Migrating to .NET
Product Demonstration

• Electronic Charting Systems (ECS)
• Navigation and Charting
• Buoy Tending
• Surveying and 3D Bathymetry
• Fishing and 3D Navigation
• Surveillance Systems
• Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)
• Vessel Traffic Services (VTS)

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Migrating to .NET
Question

• To Port or to Starboard!?!
• To Port or to Sherry?!?
• To Port or not to Port!?!
• To Port or to Re-write?

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Migrating to .NET
Issues

• Managed, Unmanaged or Mixed
• Take full advantage of .NET Framework or build
  expertise slowly
• Concerns regarding performance and control in
  managed code, especially for real-time
  processing, 3D and graphical output
• Plug-in or component architecture desirable

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Migrating to .NET
Group Recommendations for ICAN

• The design work to re-factor, re-organize and
  re-architect is largely independent of tool
  choice.
• Staff expertise, existing body of code and
  performance considerations all suggest a large
  portion of our project remaining Unmanaged.
• Learn, research and integrate .NET approaches
  incrementally. Dont bet the farm on it!
• Use external expertise at key points.
• Develop or adapt processes from the start,
  ensuring it covers team communications,
  roles/responsiblities, supporting tools and
  leadership expectations.

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General Conclusion
Migrating to .NET

• If upgrading is not an option, a mixed port and
  re-write approach is probably inevitable
• Strategy will likely lean toward one end of the
  port re-write continuum
• Research alternatives and issues
• Consider components/features case by case

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Migrating to .NET
Resources

• MSDN Upgrading Your Visual C Program
• MSDN Migrating to .NET
• MSDN .NET Framework Getting Started
• The Code Project Why .NET?
• Egg Head Cafe Selling Management on Migrating
  to .NET
• Win Insider Migrating to .NET
• asp101.com Migrating to ASP.NET