• Presenter
    • Adam Cogan
  • Duration
    • 2 days
  • Price (ex GST)
    • AU$535

The entire process of converting from Access to an enterprise level solution will be covered in two days, using a modified version of Northwind as an example. The attendees will approach the task as a real world problem where the entire project will be migrated in four steps (releases). Each step will be a logical extension of the last, allowing developers to stop their own development at a step where they will still have a functioning system, even though it may not necessarily be the best solution.

Day 1

Session 1
Learn how to target the areas of the systems that should be converted to achieve the best result. How should development of this type of project happen? How should a project be managed? What methodologies are in place?

Upgrading an Access 97 database to Access 2003. What are the issues? With a demonstration using a modified version of the Northwind database.

Session 2
Upsize an Access 2003 database to SQL Server. A modified version of Northwind will be used as an example and the backend will be moved over to SQL Server, correcting a number of known issues concerning the data itself as well the database schema.
Day 2

Session 1
The advantages of moving Access reports into Microsoft's new SQL Server Reporting Services will be described, along with the process for importing four of the key reports from Northwind. Issues related to importing will be handled to produce identical reports. The reports will then be deployed to a report server to demonstrate the power of online reports using Reporting Services.

Session 2
Access Forms will be transformed into Windows Forms .NET in order to provide a more scalable and distributable application. The known issues during migration will be highlighted and the power of .NET will be leveraged to improve the interface performance.

Having moved to a Windows Forms .NET environment you will be shown how to make the application more accessible. Web services will be used so that the client does not need to be within an intranet to access the corporate database.

Agenda

Day 1

Topic Description
Making a Plan
  • About Presenters
  • Development Methodology - Extreme Programming (XP)
    • Tool 1: Short Releases
    • Tool 2: Microsoft Word
    • Tool 3: Unit Testing
  • Hands-on lab - Creating a release plan
Converting Access 97 to Access 2003
  • Why would you upgrade?
  • The issues
    • Uncompiled mdbs
    • Unused code blocks
    • Using referenced .mdbs and .mdes
    • Library mdes
  • Demo - Using tools to find issues
    • FMS Total Access Analyzer
Upsizing to SQL Server
  • To Move or Not To Move?
  • Current Problems in Access
    • Corrupt data
    • Database users
    • Downtime during backups
    • Security
    • Missing records
  • What's new and different in SQL Server?
    • Architecture
    • Working with data
    • Scalability and performance
  • Demos
    • SSW Upsizing PRO!
    • Microsoft Upsizing Wizard
    • SSW Performance Pro!
    • SSW SQL Deploy
    • SSW SQL Auditor
  • Hands-on lab - Migrating Northwind from Access 2003 to SQL Server 2000

Day 2

Topic Description
From Access to SQL Server Reporting Services
  • History of reporting
  • Report life cycle
  • Installing Reporting Services
  • Building a report in Visual Studio .NET
  • Report on any data source
  • Deploying reports
  • Hands-on Lab - migrating 4 Northwind reports from Access into Reporting Services
From Access Forms to Windows Forms .NET
  • Current Problems with Access
    • Office upgrades
    • Corrupt databases
    • Slow forms
    • Large applications
    • Scalability
    • Deployment
  • What's new and different in .NET?
    • Form design
    • Form inheritance
    • Application design
    • Deployment
    • Visual Studio .NET
    • Programming - VBA vs VB.NET
  • Demos
    • Creating the Northwind Main Form in .NET
    • Creating the Northwind Orders Form in .NET
    • Orders form - the correct way
    • Northwind Orders - Converting to .NET the easy way!
  • Hands-on lab - Migrating Northwind forms to .NET

System Requirements

  • Windows XP + SP2
  • Access 97 + SP2
  • Access 2003 + SP1
  • SQL Server 2000 + SP3
  • SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services + SP1
  • Visual Studio 2003
  • Visual Studio 2005 Beta

DIY Course Materials

If you aren't able to make it to this seminar we have the complete set of course material used by the trainer, Adam Cogan, and the students.

DIY Material for this course is available for AU$390. Add to cart

  • Step-by-step hands-on lab exercises for each part of the course. These are very practical and easy to follow. You will be able to go through these even if you have not attended the course
  • The full set of 3 Microsoft-approved "How to Migrate" whitepapers which complement the hands-on lab exercises and include straightforward steps with lots of screen captures
  • The full set of 3 Microsoft-approved "Whats New and Different" whitepapers, covering the key differences between Access and SQL Server, Reporting Services, and .NET
  • The full set of PowerPoint slides used by the trainer
  • Other course materials used throughout the seminar including sample code and databases
  • Access to regular updates of the course content as we make improvements and updates