Quest Notes Migrator for SharePoint

1. Quest Notes Migrator for SharePoint Steve Walch, Senior Product Manager Blog: http://notes2sharepoint.org November, 2011 Partner Training Webcast Series - Session 6 Tips and Tricks for Managing Large Migration Projects

2. Partner Training Webcast Series • Migration Basics with the NMSP Designer Client • Analysis and Automation with the NMSP Migration Console • Advanced Content Migration Jobs • Tool Deployment, Domino.Doc and QuickPlace / QuickR migrations • Migrating Application Designs • Tips and Tricks for Managing Large Migration Projects • Even More Advanced Content Migration Jobs (Product demos using NMSP 6.1 beta)

3. Today’s Agenda Tips and Tricks for Managing Large Migration Projects • Design analysis revisited • Capturing copies of application designs during analysis • Blending tool and manual analysis • Rethinking application complexity • Triaging value of applications • Working with business owners • Managing the migration process • Managing doc links • Using Intermediate files • Migrating with the NMSPCMD.EXE command line

4. Review: Design analysis and app complexity • Scan Design Elements • Summarize design element counts by type • Create local Design Copies for off-line manual analysis • Compare design elements with template / reference db • Percent match • Difference details • Best Fit class template detection • Compare design of each db with predetermined set of class templates • Report on which class is the closest match • Simple Complexity Calculations • Design Element Index, Quest Design Index, Data Complexity Index • Both algorithms based on design element counts, not scanning code • Intended to be superseded by manual analysis when appropriate

5. Capturing Local Database Design Copies • Capture full design of every database scanned • All design elements, no data documents • Databases named by Replica Id • Default location: <ProgramData>\Quest Software\Notes Migrator For SharePoint\6.0\Design Copies • Change location in Options dialog (Advanced Tab) • Local Design Copies may be opened from Console • Select database in view, “Open Local Design Copy” action • Allows for detailed manual analysis without touching production databases or production servers • Great for offshore teams (analysis, migration, development)

6. From Machine Analysis to Manual Analysis • First filter out unused or unwanted applications • Next, use Classification and Consolidation • Eliminate standard templates • Find cases where many apps use similar design • Override computed complexity using Apply Class Rules • Perform detailed manual analysis when appropriate • Open databases in Domino Designer • Analyst should have access to NMSP analysis data • Analyst ideally has access to business users • Analyst ideally has both Notes skills and SharePoint skills • Manual complexity trumps computed complexity

7. Determining application complexity • Complexity should be based on how hard it will be to rebuild in SharePoint • Many things that were hard in Notes may be easier in SharePoint • Needs to factor in possible targets • Is InfoPath available? • Can we use third party Web Parts or Workflow tools? • Complexity analysis outputs often includes • Recommended targets • Estimated cost • Possible compromises • Needs to factor in what migration tool can do

8. Review: Where tools help with Design Migration • Migrating Notes Schema • Provision Lists with similar schema to Notes application • Generate Content Types based on Notes Forms • Migrating Notes Forms • Generate InfoPath Document Forms (for XML Form Libraries) • Generate InfoPath List Forms • Migrating Notes Views • Generate SharePoint Views from Notes Views

9. Other Aspects of Migrating Complex Apps • Analyze data complexity & design complexity • Design comparison, deviations from templates • Forms Used • Aware of web-enabled design elements • Advanced Source Features • Transform data via dynamic formulas • Extract multi-valued items, etc. • Advance Target Features • Complex field types and web part properties • Approval status and in-process workflow state • Dynamic folders and version information • Use of custom list/site templates

10. Rethinking Application Complexity

11. Triaging value of applications • Phase 1: Tool Analysis • When was it last used? • How much was it used recently? • Which forms are used in actual data documents? • Phase 2: Business Level Analysis • Survey / Interview business owners and end users • Weigh cost/value tradeoffs

12. Working with business owners • How useful is the existing application content? • Which core application functionality do you need? • Do you really need the same look and feel? • Can you live with default SharePoint forms? • Can we reduce the number of views? • Can we simplify app navigation? • Do you really need all the bells and whistles? • Which buttons, actions, user-invoked agents are needed? • Can you live with out of box approval process or canned workflows? • Where can we compromise to do things “the SharePoint way”?

13. Migration Project recommendations • Many skills are required • Some Notes experience • SharePoint customization / development experience • Migration tool experience • Start with simple applications • Build on early successes while getting comfortable with tools • Run projects in phases • Pilot projects helpful in early stages • Group apps that would logically be migrated together • Same users, same business, same app type, same target site • Applications that are likely to cross reference each other • Applications that should “go live” together • Manage user expectations, Sell the value of SharePoint

14. Typical Project Life Cycle • Sample content migration (partial) • If appropriate, try different target types • Enable “easy” features / customizations • Highlight the things that SharePoint does easily and cheaply • Show business users • Discuss functionality gaps and options • Make user aware of the cost of each choice • Complete customization and development (if needed) • Optional: Save as reusable list or site templates • End user acceptance testing • Migrate all content / Deploy to production

15. Migration Console tracks key project data • Computed and manual complexity • Cost estimates (any unit) • May include incremental costs for consolidated applications • Disposition • Recommended Targets • Responsibilities • Priorities • Completed Tasks • Some manual, some may be automatic

16. Advanced Link Tracking • Keeps doc links working throughout extended migrations • Tracks migrated docs in a SQL Server database • Converts doc links in migrated content to “Dynamic links” • User is redirected to last known location… or back to Notes • Supports links between different targets • Notes, SharePoint list items, Pages, InfoPath, Word, PDF, SQL Server • Navigation menus in migrated QuickPlace / QuickR sites • Supports HTTP links that point to web-enabled docs • Configure HTTP Link Detection for each Domino server • Link Redirector Pages (QuestLinkTracking.aspx) • Front-End Services solution (full functionality) • Sandbox-safe Link Redirector (does not connect to database)

17. Link Update/Finalization tools • Link Tracking databases may be analyzed • How many links in a given set of documents • How many links to a given set of documents • Broken links • Link Tracking database may be updated • Host name changed • Documents about to be moved from staging to production • Links may be “finalized” at any time • Replaces “dynamic” links with permanent URLs • Once all links are finalized, Quest code can be removed • Warning: Beware of finalizing to notes:// URLs in SharePoint columns • Warning: If documents have moved, update links in Link Tracking database before finalizing

18. Managing links in staging environments • Use Link Tracking database in Staging • Update Links in database before content is moved • Option 1 for best end user experience • Install NMSP Services in production • Link Redirector page connects to Link Tracking database (or copy) • Option 2 for locked-down SharePoint 2010 environments, including Office 365 • Install Sandbox-safe Link Redirector solution to avoid broken links • Finalize frequently (over SharePoint web services) • Option 3 for locked down SharePoint 2007 environments • Finalize before promoting content to production • Plan project to batch content that is likely to link to each other • Only finalize links to permanent production URLs!

19. Using Intermediate Data Files • Run Job with the “Save to Intermediate File” option • Generates a XML file with all Notes data exported • Attachments may be encoded or stored in sub-folder tree • Includes mapped users and groups (in using client-side mapping) • Includes generated Word, PDF, InfoPath files (sans final fixup) • Run Job again with “Load from Intermediate File” • Imports data into SharePoint without connecting to Notes • May be run on a different machine • Must use same migration job that was used when exporting

20. Fun with Intermediate Data Files (unsupported) • Use external tools to edit intermediate files before importing • Examples: Fix up user names, Clean up terms, Enforce compliance • Use external tools to create intermediate files from other systems • Example: Load data from relational database • Use external tools to send data to other systems • Example: Import data into Microsoft Dynamics • Use Folder Reorganization Utility to copy attachments and generated files to file system • Free on SharePoint4All Community site (Notes Migration area)

21. NMSPCMD.EXE Command Line Utility • Write scripts to automate migration jobs • Uses jobs saved to file system only • Override certain job parameters on command line • Saves log files to file system • Use case: Run one migration job several times • Vary source and target parameters in loop • Use case: Automate import of data • Distributed teams create migration jobs and export Notes data • Use case: Scheduled migrations • Run jobs overnight • Run the same jobs every night (using incremental migration)

22. Command line syntax • NMSPCMD.exe -job <jobfile> • options: • -source <connectionstring> • -targetsite <siteCollectionUrl> • -targetweb <subsitePath> • -targetlist <listName > • -import <infile> • -export <outfile> • -view <viewname> • -form <formname> • -formula <formula> • -log <logfile>

23. Leveraging other Quest Products • Web Parts for SharePoint • Migration Manager Suite for SharePoint • Deployment Manager for SharePoint • Site Administrator for SharePoint • Notes Migrator for Exchange • Coexistence Manager for Notes • Message Stats with Notes Report Pack

24. Notes Migrator for SharePoint 6.1 Beta Program • Beta in progress now! • Go to http://communities.quest.com/groups/notes-migration-product-beta-group • Sign in with your Quest Community ID • Or register to create a new one • Use corporate email (No gmail or hotmail accounts) • Press the “Ask To Join This Group” button • Once approved, log in and download • Reviewers Guide • Product Installer • Expected release: January 2012

25. Steve’s blog: http://notes2sharepoint.org Product: http://quest.com/notes-migrator-for-sharepoint/