ORACLE FORMS APPLICATIONS?

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1 WHY UPGRADE/MIGRATE ORACLE FORMS APPLICATIONS? A WHITEPAPER

2 The information provided in this white paper is for general information only. It is not a specific guide to any particular upgrade/migration. Any reader wishing to implement an upgrade/migration should consult Renaps or its own technology advisor and follow a plan developed for its specific requirements. Renaps has no responsibility for the use of the information in this white paper. Renaps reserves copyright to this white paper. Renaps has proprietary rights to the information contained in this white paper, except for the information that is identified as provided by another entity or that is already made available in the public domain. Any un-authorized duplication or circulation is prohibited. Renaps Inc. Copyright 2007.

3 WHY UPGRADE ORACLE FORMS APPLICATIONS? Many organizations around the world have been using Oracle Forms based applications as part of their business information infrastructure for years. One of the most popular software tools in the world, Forms offers high end technology that enables organizations to build customized business applications without the need for complex coding. Companies have relied on their forms based applications for so long, they have become critical to meeting business objectives. As business requirements change over the years and new challenges arise, Oracle has consistently kept up with these needs by providing upgraded versions of Forms. New technology advances provide access to better functionality, more convenience with better cost savings. Since its introduction, Forms technology has evolved from desktop block/character mode to clientserver to the web. Yet still, there are many organizations that are hesitant to upgrade to newer versions. The common adage still rings, if it s not broken, then there s no need to fix it. There are also other concerns which are preventing many organizations from upgrading their forms applications. Some of these concerns are: Not sure where the Forms technology is going Upgrading means user re-training Upgrading means hiring new staff with new skills Upgrading can be risky as there is a chance of losing well proven business logic in those applications Upgrading and deploying applications can be expensive While these concerns may seem reasonable, they are not valid as we will see later in this document. Migrating to newer versions of Forms is a viable option. Here are the primary reasons that companies should choose to migrate to a newer version of Forms. Risk of de-support and obsolescence Potential for cost savings Business Process Integration and enhanced functionality Keep up with Oracle s future direction Renaps Inc. Copyright

4 RISK OF DE-SUPPORT AND OBSOLESCENCE Risk of De-support As new versions of Forms are released, Oracle stops supporting the older versions such as 6i which is no longer supported by Oracle. The option to purchase extended support comes with an additional cost and has a limited life cycle. Versions 6i and 9i are only under extended support until early Once the life cycle has expired, Oracle will no longer provide support and companies are left with unsupported technology. See Figure-1 for the Forms lifecycle. Risk of Obsolescence Not only will the Forms technology become obsolete, the hardware and operating systems to support these older versions become obsolete and companies will find themselves paying more for maintenance of older products. This does not provide a good return on their investment. POTENTIAL FOR COST SAVINGS Depending on your specific situation, there is the potential for significant cost savings for migrating to newer version of Forms. Cost savings can result from: Avoiding the cost of extended support With newer versions there is no need to pay additional fees for extended support on top of the regular maintenance costs. Reduced cost of new version licenses In some cases, based on your type of deployment and system configuration, there is potential for realizing savings in licensing and maintenance costs. Reduced deployment costs New version of Forms allow web deployment. Web deployment enables access of Forms applications via a web browser from any where in the world, eliminating the need for using remote access software. Since web applications are deployed centrally, the cost of deploying an application is reduced significantly. Web deployment could also result in reduced maintenance costs. Leverage existing investment in Oracle Technology By upgrading the legacy Forms applications, organizations can extend the life of Forms applications without risk. This better utilizes the existing Oracle infrastructure and minimizes the need for new investments in hardware and software for a new application platform. Better utilization of saved funds Organizations can choose to re-direct the saved funds into other areas of the business to expand their operations and maintain customer confidence. Renaps Inc. Copyright

5 BUSINESS PROCESS INTEGRATION AND ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY Web-based functionality Upgrading to newer versions of Forms allows companies access to webbased functionality. Versions of Forms such as 6i, 9i and 10g are all webbased applications that enables users to sign on remotely from any computer with internet access. Integration with other applications Large organizations typically use many different applications (e.g., CRM, Financial and HR etc.) alongside their custom forms based applications. There is a need to integrate all their applications to achieve efficiencies and get a clear of their business. In addition, there is a need to connect with their supplies and customers. The new version of Forms facilitates this integration and enables implementation of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Support for new technologies The new version of Forms runs on Oracle Application Server which supports new technologies like mobile devices (PDA s, Cell Phones etc.), wireless and RFID etc, which are becoming essential aspects of many organizations. Improved graphical user interface (GUI) Older versions of Forms have alphanumeric, monochrome screens which operate on tabs instead of mouse clicks. Form to form transfer is manual which becomes tedious for the user and susceptible to errors. Upgraded versions of Forms can have colorful, user friendly screens that incorporate graphics and are mouse enabled. Integration of other applications in to the same screen and data exchanges with other applications becomes simple and automatic. Application Integration Form application Field staffs using wireless/mobile devices Internet Customers placing orders Suppliers providing delivery status via web services Renaps Inc. Copyright

6 KEEP UP WITH ORACLE S FUTURE DIRECTION Oracle FUSION Strategy In today s highly competitive global business environment, it is essential for businesses to take advantage of new technology to remain competitive. Recognizing this fact, Oracle is continuously upgrading the technology and moving towards their FUSION strategy. Oracle has maintained a commitment to continue enhancements of their Forms software and is in the process of launching version 11g. New versions will only continue to be developed as technology moves forward. The new Forms versions support Java and facilitate interoperability with J2EE applications. Forms and Java applications can share business logic written in PL/SQL. The Oracle Forms product is here to stay. Forms are part of the overall goforward Oracle FUSION strategy. It is important for the businesses to upgrade to new versions of Forms to take advantage of the FUSION technology platform and have a clear forward path. Renaps Technology Canada Inc. Copyright

7 CONCERNS ALLEVIATED Not sure where the Forms technology is going Oracle Forms has a very large user base around the world. Many mission critical business applications are running on Oracle Forms. Even Oracle E- Business suite is based on Oracle Forms. Recognizing this fact, Oracle has developed a clear roadmap for Oracle Forms and has not declared any intention to discontinue the product. In fact, Forms is now part of the Oracle go-forward FUSION strategy. Upgrading means user re-training Not True. By migrating to a higher version of Forms, users will see little difference in the basic functionality and business logic of the applications. Even the look and feel of the applications can be kept to a large extent (change to full graphical user interface and make use of all new features are only optional). Re-training will not be necessary and users will be able to adjust to the upgraded applications quickly and easily. The upgraded forms can be deployed on the client-server, character, web and wireless platforms. Upgrading means hiring new staff with new skills Not True. The new versions of Forms development tool (ADF / J Developer) provides an integrated Forms and Java visual development environment. It makes existing Forms developers feel at home and allows them to re-use their current PL/SQL skills while providing easy path forward to Java development leveraging their familiar Forms concepts. It provides a transition path for Forms developers resulting in increased productivity. Upgrading can be risky as there is a chance of losing well proven business logic in those applications Not True. The migration can be accomplished with little risk to the existing business logic in the Forms applications. The migration tools make this process simple and painless. Upgrading and deploying applications can be expensive Not True. Upgrading an application manually can be expensive and a lengthy process. The use of migration tools can result in significant savings in the cost (up to 60%) and can cut down the time required significantly. Renaps Technology Canada Inc. Copyright

8 UPGRADING IS A VIABLE OPTION Upgrading their existing legacy Forms applications to a new technology platform is the only viable way that companies can stay on a level playing field with their competitors. By harnessing the use of advanced technology, organizations can ensure greater performance from their applications and enhance their business operations. The companies who choose not to upgrade will not only incur higher costs, but also eventually run the risk of falling behind their competitors. The longer the wait to upgrade, the more expensive the upgrade will be. UPGRADE OPTIONS While upgrading the legacy Forms applications to the new Forms version is the easiest and inexpensive option, there are other options available. Forms applications can be migrated to Oracle Java/ADF platform or to a generic J2EE platform (i.e., IBM Websphere etc.) or to Microsoft.Net platform. These options are relatively expensive. However, the organizations can consider these options based on the corporate decision on standardizing all their systems/applications to one specific platform. TOOLS FOR UPGRADE/MIGRATION OF FORMS Oracle has provided a few tools to help upgrade the Forms applications. However, several Oracle migration tools are available from other independent software vendors which provide several other useful features resulting in efficient migration. The ORMIT tool from Renaps Inc. makes the migration process simple and help mitigate the risks of migration while providing significant cost and time savings. The ORMIT can not only help in the forms upgrade, but also in re-engineering and maintenance of the upgraded applications. For further details of ORMIT and Renaps Inc. migration services visit References: 1. Oracle statement of direction for tools, Sep Oracle published information on Fusion Strategy Renaps Technology Canada Inc. Copyright