If you are searching about legacy migration you might have heard about legacy modernization to open source software (also known as OSS). So have you ever wondered if this would be a reasonable step to take? Maybe you need some more information about open source, first.
Open-source software is the kind of software that provides its source code open to public, so that anyone is able to copy, modify and redistribute it without paying royalties or fees. The code can evolve through community cooperation. Often someone who started an open-source project ends up as a large company. Many producers of OSS offer trainings or Service-level-agreements (SLAs), which is a part of a service contract where a service is formally defined.
Examples of open-source software products are the web-browser Mozilla Firefox and the operating system Linux. The expectation by switching to OSS is most of the times to save money – and it is true: Such products are most of the times for free or really cheap implemented, why license costs can be saved. Nevertheless, adoptions and extensions might be necessary, as well as trainings and other external services. So license costs should not be the only reason to switch to OSS without further investigations.
Other relevant topics when thinking about implementing OSS in a company would be the data privacy and IT security. A lot of questions need to be answered here: Where and how will data be saved or shared and how could the systems be controlled? Might there be a possibility for developers to control the system unnoticed and grab data out of it? All those questions regarding security topics should be verified by experts.
So as you can see: It is not always easy to decide, which software to switch to due to cost reduction or due to just modernize your systems. But don't worry: We will keep on writing about legacy modernization, legacy migration or whatever you want to call it. Please stay tuned and feel free to leave a comment!
Friday, October 18, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
HTML5 and the Digital Rights Management
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a class of controversial technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders, and individuals. It is used to control the use of digital content and devices after sale. So DRM is a set of access control technologies and highly discussed in the context of HTML5, as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) published a draft proposal that would make DRM a part of HTML5.
Well, industrial players including Google, Microsoft, and Netflix (an American provider of on-demand Internet streaming media) have been lobbying for the inclusion of Encrypted Media Extensions (EME), a form of Digital Rights Management, into the HTML5 standard as they would benefit greatly by the approval. The EME allows JavaScript to select content protection mechanism and its goal is to reduce piracy on the web.
In the beginning of 2013, 27 organizations have started a campaign against Digital Rights Management in the HTML5 standard. However, Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, defends the DRM in HTML5 and claimed this step as necessary to get more content on the open web. So again, what can DRM do? Well, it restricts what you can do with software or data in general. So it should keep you from using copyrighted material in a way, the publisher does not want you to use it.
Now how would DRM affect you? This question is not easy to answer, because it depends on how what products you use and how you use them. But one thing is for sure: The restrictions have become tighter. So for example with DRM it is possible that you can make copies of audio content, but only at low quality. Another example would be that iTunes content could not be shared.
The plan of the W3C is to finish HTML5 by 2014. So we are very excited to follow the development and especially the discussions regarding the DRM. What do you think about this topic? Write a comment and share your opinion!
Well, industrial players including Google, Microsoft, and Netflix (an American provider of on-demand Internet streaming media) have been lobbying for the inclusion of Encrypted Media Extensions (EME), a form of Digital Rights Management, into the HTML5 standard as they would benefit greatly by the approval. The EME allows JavaScript to select content protection mechanism and its goal is to reduce piracy on the web.
In the beginning of 2013, 27 organizations have started a campaign against Digital Rights Management in the HTML5 standard. However, Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, defends the DRM in HTML5 and claimed this step as necessary to get more content on the open web. So again, what can DRM do? Well, it restricts what you can do with software or data in general. So it should keep you from using copyrighted material in a way, the publisher does not want you to use it.
Now how would DRM affect you? This question is not easy to answer, because it depends on how what products you use and how you use them. But one thing is for sure: The restrictions have become tighter. So for example with DRM it is possible that you can make copies of audio content, but only at low quality. Another example would be that iTunes content could not be shared.
The plan of the W3C is to finish HTML5 by 2014. So we are very excited to follow the development and especially the discussions regarding the DRM. What do you think about this topic? Write a comment and share your opinion!
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Migration: A Topic of Information Technology or the Physical Movement by Humans?
If you just type in “migration” into your favorite search engine, you might find different results. Some are about sociology, like the physical movement by humans, some might be about animals traveling in search for a new habit, but you also might find results regarding information technology.
Congratulations! If that is what you are looking for, you found it. But what exactly is a migration when we talk about information technology? First of all you should know that there are some different migrations to think of. We can talk about a data migration, an architecture migration, a software migration and a language migration. Broadly speaking, it is about software and hardware migration. However, for today let’s just talk about what kind of changes are possible when we talk about migration in general.
First of all there is the update, also known as patch. Here everything stays within the software product line. There should be no big troubles embedding the latest version into the system environment and all updates should however be possible and from this time on useable without special trained staff. And of course: Nobody has to get new devices due to the update and also nobody has to get a new software license.
Need more than just a software update?
The next form of a migration would be the upgrade. This is generally a replacement of hardware, software or firmware with a newer or better version, so that the upgrade affects the product itself or the compatibility with its environment. Here again, everything stays within the software product line. Existing databases can be migrated with little effort and therefore sufficient tools are provided by the producer, so that no external support is needed.
The kind of migration that has the most impact is for sure the one which replaces a whole system so in this case; we leave the software product line or skip at least one generation of the product. In most cases there is a lack of required migration tools and therefore experts are needed to ensure the overall functionality of the system.
So if you ever consider the last form of migration, be aware that there are two ways to think of it: You can either choose a target date on which the migration will take place at a time or you might consider a step-by-step migration. Sounds interesting? More on that later… Thanks for following our blog!
Congratulations! If that is what you are looking for, you found it. But what exactly is a migration when we talk about information technology? First of all you should know that there are some different migrations to think of. We can talk about a data migration, an architecture migration, a software migration and a language migration. Broadly speaking, it is about software and hardware migration. However, for today let’s just talk about what kind of changes are possible when we talk about migration in general.
First of all there is the update, also known as patch. Here everything stays within the software product line. There should be no big troubles embedding the latest version into the system environment and all updates should however be possible and from this time on useable without special trained staff. And of course: Nobody has to get new devices due to the update and also nobody has to get a new software license.
Need more than just a software update?
The next form of a migration would be the upgrade. This is generally a replacement of hardware, software or firmware with a newer or better version, so that the upgrade affects the product itself or the compatibility with its environment. Here again, everything stays within the software product line. Existing databases can be migrated with little effort and therefore sufficient tools are provided by the producer, so that no external support is needed.
The kind of migration that has the most impact is for sure the one which replaces a whole system so in this case; we leave the software product line or skip at least one generation of the product. In most cases there is a lack of required migration tools and therefore experts are needed to ensure the overall functionality of the system.
So if you ever consider the last form of migration, be aware that there are two ways to think of it: You can either choose a target date on which the migration will take place at a time or you might consider a step-by-step migration. Sounds interesting? More on that later… Thanks for following our blog!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
HTML5: A Future Standard
You for sure have heard the hype: The markup language HTML5 is the future standard of the modern internet. HTML5 is a so called W3C Candidate Recommendation since December 2012, which means the standard is at a point where it does what it is supposed to and from where on significant features are mostly guaranteed. HTML5 really is becoming a new standard. But what does that mean?
The main goal of HTML5 is to be easily readable by humans and consistently understandable by computers and devices. Modern browsers all support HTML5 and developers want to use it, because of the various new features. These allow the developers to create more dynamic end results than they were able to create before. But even better: HTML5 is able to reduce the development time, so it’s possible to concentrate on writing functionalities that work and look great.
So what exactly is possible with HTML5? Well, for example there are local storage and caching; fast load times; plug-in-free video players and the possibility of carrying over the language to smartphone browsers. This is great news, because nobody has to develop different kinds of apps for different platforms anymore. But developers should be careful and think about whether the users are likely to be using browsers that are up-to-date or not.
According to surveys, in 2012 about 75% of North American internet users used browsers that are mostly HTML5 compatible, which is a growth of nearly 32% from the same time in 2011. Furthermore 63% of developers have been already actively developing with HTML5 in 2012. So as a résumé, what is HTML5 all about? Well, it’s becoming a new standard, it’s cheaper, it’s faster, it offers new features which were impossible before and last but not least it supports mobile devices.
But there’s still one question unanswered: What about the discussion regarding the Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) and HTML5? Stay tuned for more information about this topic!
The main goal of HTML5 is to be easily readable by humans and consistently understandable by computers and devices. Modern browsers all support HTML5 and developers want to use it, because of the various new features. These allow the developers to create more dynamic end results than they were able to create before. But even better: HTML5 is able to reduce the development time, so it’s possible to concentrate on writing functionalities that work and look great.
So what exactly is possible with HTML5? Well, for example there are local storage and caching; fast load times; plug-in-free video players and the possibility of carrying over the language to smartphone browsers. This is great news, because nobody has to develop different kinds of apps for different platforms anymore. But developers should be careful and think about whether the users are likely to be using browsers that are up-to-date or not.
According to surveys, in 2012 about 75% of North American internet users used browsers that are mostly HTML5 compatible, which is a growth of nearly 32% from the same time in 2011. Furthermore 63% of developers have been already actively developing with HTML5 in 2012. So as a résumé, what is HTML5 all about? Well, it’s becoming a new standard, it’s cheaper, it’s faster, it offers new features which were impossible before and last but not least it supports mobile devices.
But there’s still one question unanswered: What about the discussion regarding the Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) and HTML5? Stay tuned for more information about this topic!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Do we really need to think about legacy modernization?
If you hear the term “data migration”, it might send a chill down your spine. It doesn't matter, whether you work as a CEO or as a secretary: sometimes you might feel, that something regarding your work with the computer goes wrong or things just should not be the way they are. Then you maybe find yourself swearing at the computer but anyhow thinking: “Never change a running system”.
But what if you always find yourself in trouble, even if the problems are not that big? So first of all, you might want to figure out, whether a legacy modernization or a migration is necessary for your company and could help you, to get your work done more relaxed.
A good way to start this is to take a look outside your window. Relax and think about the following questions – but please: be true to yourself!
What does that mean? Well, you first of all should consider, that changing a running system, might be a good thing. As the American writer Alvin Toffler said in 1970: “Change is not merely necessary to life – it is life.”
If this now has been a kick-off for you, to finally become an interest in the topics related to data migration or architecture migration, it would be a pleasure for us to welcome you as a new follower of our blog. Stay tuned for the next articles, in which we offer you more information about what migration is and how it could look like.
But what if you always find yourself in trouble, even if the problems are not that big? So first of all, you might want to figure out, whether a legacy modernization or a migration is necessary for your company and could help you, to get your work done more relaxed.
A good way to start this is to take a look outside your window. Relax and think about the following questions – but please: be true to yourself!
- Do you still have (enough) technical support for your legacy systems?
- Do you have more and more problems with downtime? If yes, how does this affect your work?
- Do you have problems, recruiting new qualified employees, who can deal with your legacy systems?
- Do you sometimes think, that you are way too inflexible with all your legacy systems and wish for more extensions, interfaces or an improved usability?
- Do you have to deal with data security issues, because your legacy systems don´t accomplish the standards?
What does that mean? Well, you first of all should consider, that changing a running system, might be a good thing. As the American writer Alvin Toffler said in 1970: “Change is not merely necessary to life – it is life.”
If this now has been a kick-off for you, to finally become an interest in the topics related to data migration or architecture migration, it would be a pleasure for us to welcome you as a new follower of our blog. Stay tuned for the next articles, in which we offer you more information about what migration is and how it could look like.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Modernization of our Blog
Dear reader,
Starting now we are going to modernize our migration blog. From now on we will offer you blog entries with information and news about automated migration and related topics, such as legacy modernization, more frequent.
So stay tuned and lets have fun. If you visit us for the first time, it would be our pleasure to welcome you as a new follower.
Your PASS Consulting Team
Starting now we are going to modernize our migration blog. From now on we will offer you blog entries with information and news about automated migration and related topics, such as legacy modernization, more frequent.
So stay tuned and lets have fun. If you visit us for the first time, it would be our pleasure to welcome you as a new follower.
Your PASS Consulting Team
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