Components

TORCH Migration Suite is composed of 5 main modules consolidated by the TMS Knowledge Base, a Zim database that contains all definitions and objects needed to perform the migration process. The TMS can contain information up to 999 different target databases.

Each of these modules is designed to accomplish one migration step:

• Configuration Engine
• Data Dictionary and Schema Analyzer (DDA)
• Data Analyzer and Loader (DAPG)
• Source Code Analyzer (SCA)
• Zim-Oracle Tools

The Configuration Engine or TORCH Configuration Tool is used to set the migration parameters as the Server type, connection parameters, valid dates range, table space names for data and indexes, Zim functions mapping to server functions and others. The remaining Torch components behave accordingly to these parameter definitions.

The CE is mainly used to configure and generate the so called “intermediate database” as a mirror of the target database – usually the current production DB. This Intermediate Database is the place where all transformation will take place and will be the source of all SQL scripts and new Zim DD definitions.

The Data Dictionary and Schema Analyzer is the TORCH main module. Firstly it imports the target DD definitions, analyze them reporting any inconsistencies, allowing the user to clean and simplify possible sources of future problems.

After revised, the Zim DD is adapted to be SQL compatible and the SQL scripts to create tables, indexes, triggers and foreign keys are generated.

The Source Code Analyzer (SCA) module reads the application source programs, analyzes and reports all Zim commands that may be adapted to get the best performance and functionality.

The Source Code Analyzer Report is one of the most important tools in the fine tune process of an existing application connected the new SQL database.

The Data Analyzer and Loader (DAL) module main purpose is to generate a foreign package (also known as a Zim Foreign Directory) that allow any Zim database to access data from Zim and SQL databases simultaneously. The generated package is called “Torch Loader database” and contains:

• Zim and SQL table definitions;
• Programs to validate the existing data and
• Programs to load data from Zim databases into SQL databases.

Using this approach it is possible to load data from virtually any Zim database into any other SQL database directly without the need of text files to unload and reload data, meaning better speed, minimum downtime and assured data integrity.

The Zim-SQL Tools is a component containing a series of table definitions and Zim utility programs that will be used during and after the database migration simplifying all the definitions manipulation. You will be able to read the SQL schema definitions, tables, triggers and so on, compare them side by side with those defined in the Zim Data Dictionary, import SQL table definitions into Zim and vice-versa and much more. You can decide, for example, from where you will maintain your application and table definitions.