DBArtisan and Rapid SQL helped streamline the system migration from Sybase ASE to SQL Server in less than six weeks. The goal was to create an Application Database that tracks nearly all aspects of cinema advertising business. The Sololution was DBArtisan® and Rapid SQL®. The Challenge was Moving from a home-grown system to a standardized platform required migrating from Sybase to SQL Server. No disruption to business and no downtime of any systems permitted. Required full-scale testing between both existing and new system prior to launch. System management needed to remain simple. The Results was the use of in-house development teams and Embarcadero tools improved cost effeciencies. Cross-platform tools extended IT teams capabilities without additional cost or training Wizard-driven utilities simplified a complex database migration.

1. Success Story
DBartisan and rapid SQL helped streamline
the system migration from Sybase aSE to
DBArtisan and Rapid SQL
SQL Server in less than six weeks
OrganizatiOn
Val Morgan Cinema Network
thE SOLutiOn
Val Morgan Cinema Network is recognized as
one of the world’s leading providers of screen
The Sybase database consisted of four hundred
advertising, with operations in Australia,
tables, seven hundred stored procedures, over
New Zealand and a joint venture in the UAE.
eight hundred foreign key constraints, and more
In Australia and New Zealand Val Morgan holds
than nine hundred indexes. As a large number
the advertising rights to virtually all cinemas,
of business critical systems were all supported
including those operated by the major cinema
by this database, a successful migration was
exhibition chains and leading independent
essential – performance, availability, and
operators. The company’s attention is focused
scalability of the new environment could not be
on the national advertising market with
appLiCatiOn compromised and the database management
approximately 80 employees based in offices
Database application that learning curve had to be kept to a minimum.
throughout Australia and New Zealand.
track nearly all aspects of Val Morgan looked to Embarcadero
cinema advertising business Technologies’ leading cross-platform database
ChaLLEngE
management solutions to assist with the
migration project. Embarcadero’s database
Val Morgan developed an in-house system
SOLutiOn
administration solution, DBArtisan, and
– CinVendo on which almost all aspects of their
• DBArtisan®
development environment, Rapid SQL, were
business were managed. The system was built on
• Rapid SQL® used to setup and configure the new SQL
Sybase® PowerBuilder® and ran on Sybase ASE.
Server database. The IT department was already
To enhance corporate reporting and business
ChaLLEngES familiar with DBArtisan having used it as an
intelligence capabilities CinVendo needed to be
• Moving from a home-grown integral administration tool for all their databases
more tightly integrated with a recently acquired
system to a standardized for a number of years and was confident in its
GL package. During the evaluation and selection
data movement capabilities. Rapid SQL allowed
platform required migrating of this package, it was clear that the majority of
the development team to test SQL and stored
business software was now being developed to
from Sybase to SQL Server
procedures, debug bad performing queries,
integrate with Microsoft® SQL Server or Oracle®
• No disruption to business
and check results, while integration with PVCS
systems and in fact the solution selected did not
and no downtime of any
ensured secure version control. Rapid SQL’s
support Sybase. Although there were no issues
systems permitted
search capabilities and task development were
with the Sybase platform itself, the company
• Required full-scale testing invaluable in ensuring an efficient and successful
needed to define the strategic direction of the
between both existing and migration project.
IT environment – stay with a single RDMBS
new system prior to launch platform, or expand to multiple platforms. The
BEnEfitS
decision was made to migrate CinVendo from
• System management needed
Sybase to Microsoft SQL Server. By standardizing
to remain simple
on one platform, the company could realize improved Cost Efficiency
cost savings and take advantage of services to
rESuLtS
With a small IT team, it was imperative to keep
support the reporting and data warehousing
• Use of in-house development costs down and also to ensure the technologies
initiatives. The migration to SQL Server was no
teams and Embarcadero tools that ran the business were rationalized so as to
small undertaking in both scale and complexity.
improved cost effeciencies minimize management and support overheads.
No disruption to the business could be sustained
The company was able to handle this project
• Cross-platform tools during the project and every aspect of the
entirely with in-house development using
extended IT teams systems, from triggers to stored procedures,
standard tool sets. Val Morgan had initially
needed to be fully tested to address the subtle
capabilities without
selected DBArtisan to manage its Sybase
differences between the two platforms. Finally,
additional cost or training
environment because it was recognized as
the resulting system had to be as simple as
• Wizard-driven utilities the leading solution in this space at that time.
possible for the IT department to manage.
simplified a complex With cross-platform support, when the company
database migration

2. A DBArtisan/Rapid SQL Success Story
migrated to SQL Server there was no need
Embarcadero technologies solutions were
to invest in a new administration tool, or
retrain resources. The IT team was able to
able to support the project every step of
extend their capabilities to manage the new
platform at no additional cost maximizing
the way, allowing for a successful transition
the availability, performance, and security of
database applications.
from Sybase to SQL Server.
proven functionality for higher
productivity
COnCLuSiOn
combinations of cross-DBMS platform
Although Microsoft SQL Server offered its
migration for common database objects,
own suite of management applications,
From a development perspective, nothing
such as tables, data, users, indexes, and
the company did not feel that they were
operates differently from before, which is
views. Both DBArtisan and Rapid SQL were
sufficient to support this project. Val Morgan
in and of itself the benefit. There was no
used to evaluate query plans, debug, and
chose to stay with DBArtisan and Rapid
negative impact on productivity or cost
test the new environment, ensuring that
SQL as they were already familiar with the
due to the decision to continue using the
the migration project had been completely
technology and its ability to provide the
Embarcadero products for the task and for
successful and the new system was ready for
functionality they required. Using software
ongoing management of the new system.
use. Testing of SQL and stored procedures
which was known to the development staff
The CinVendo migration was completed
was also another important function that
enabled them to be more productive and
in six weeks. The system went live without
DBArtisan and Rapid SQL performed to
shortened the development time for the
any disruption to the business and this was
ensure optimal performance of the new
project. Val Morgan could continue to build
thanks to the level of comprehensive testing
system.
their database applications with confidence
that the IT staff was able to carry out during
that the products would continue to evolve
the project. The system and specifically the
Strategic utilization of Corporate Data
and deliver robust and efficient management
query performance have been improved
and development platforms.
dramatically. DBArtisan and Rapid SQL
Closer integration between CinVendo and
will continue to be the tools for choice for
the finance GL package was a key strategic
Simplified Database Migration database management and development.
initiative for the company and essential
to enhancing their business intelligence
Data migration is a complex task, DBArtisan’s
capabilities. Migrating CinVendo to SQL
wizard-driven utilities for migrating schema
Server was an essential first step in making
objects and associated table data from
this a reality. Embarcadero Technologies
one database server to another gave Val
solutions were able to support the project
Morgan the means to confidently migrate
every step of the way, allowing for a
the entire database from Sybase to SQL
successful transition from Sybase to SQL
Server. DBArtisan could also perform
Server.
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