You can use Pro2 to migrate your OpenEdge database with planned minimal downtime.

To stay competitive in the modern business world, your applications need to run as close to 24/7 as possible. In some cases, you can only have downtime limited to 4 hours. This can make upgrading or migrating your OpenEdge database difficult, even with proper planning. With Pro2 version 6.2, you can migrate your OpenEdge database with minimal downtime.

With proper planning, two short downtime events are needed to complete the migration process. The first event is used to setup the source database and to configure how changes to the database are recorded, whether they are trigger based or CDC.

The second downtime is used as the “cut over” event. The application continues to use the original database up to the point of the cut over.

A benefit of this method is if the project becomes nonviable for any reason, the original database is intact and functional. Downtime events, though small, can be planned to accommodate business specific priorities such as end of the month, end of quarter, etc.

To migrate your OpenEdge database with Pro2, watch the following video, or use the procedure below.

The first step in the migration process is to prepare your source and target databases.

To prepare your source database for migration, you can embed Pro2 repl tables directly into your OpenEdge database. However, doing so is optional.

  1. Open a Proenv instance.
  2. Navigate to the Pro2 folder from the Proenv window. Type cd followed by the name of the folder where you installed Pro2, for example, cd Pro2v61.
  3. Type cd db to navigate to the database folder of Pro2.
    Note: Check the directory of the db folder to view the database instances. Type dir after navigating to the database folder.
  4. Copy the repl.df and repl.st files from the Pro2 installation folder.
  5. Create an empty Repl database instance by typing prodb repl empty.
  6. Load the required table definitions in the Repl database by typing prowin repl -1.

    The Procedure Editor window appears.

  7. Navigate to Tools > Data Administration.
  8. In the Data Administration window, navigate to Admin > Load Data and Definitions > Data Definitions (.df file)….
  9. In the Load Data Definitions window, load the repl.df file and click OK.
    Note: The repl.df file is located in Pro2 folder name/db.
  10. Start the source repl database instance by entering proserve database name -S port number in Proenv.
Now prepare you target database for migration:
  1. Copy the .st and the .df files from your source database.
  2. Modify the .df to be a type 2 target database.
  3. Set up the new target database with a logical name so that replication program can identify it.
For the next procedure, go to the Pro2 UI and add a new replication:
  1. From the Pro2 web interface, navigate to the Manage Replication tab.
  2. Click New.

    The Create Replication window appears.

  3. Set up the settings for the replication instance, for example, Source DB Mode is set to Triggers, and the Source DB Connection is set to LAN.
  4. Click Next.

    The Select Source tab appears.

  5. Enter Source DB Name
  6. Enter Host Name
  7. Enter the port number in the Host Port/Service field (for example, 2233).
  8. (Optional) Enter your User Name and Password.
    Note: Enter your user name and password only if it is required by your source database.
  9. Select Test Connection.

    If the test is successful, move on to set the target database. Review your source database details to ensure they are correct.

  10. Click Next.

    The Set Target tab appears.

Add the target database details. The target database is where your replicated data flows to when a replication is initiated.
  1. Set OpenEdge as the Target Database Type.
  2. Enter the Target Database Name and Logical Name.
  3. Set the DB Host Name IP address.
  4. Enter the port number in the DB Port/Service field.
  5. Next, Generate the Target Schema .df files.

    This .df files contain the changes needed to facilitate the database migration.

  6. Copy and paste them on to your target database.
After copying the file into your target database, you can begin the target database configuration process.
  1. Open the Data Administrator and use Load Data and definitions to load the target database .df file.
  2. After the process is completed, verify that the Pro2 fields have populated.
  3. Now load the inactive index .df file. This deactivates all of the running indexes.
  4. When complete, verify that the indexes are inactive.

Return to Pro2 and finish the replication configuration process.

After replication is configured, go to the pro2 dashboard to start the bulk load process.
  1. Go to Actions.
  2. Click Run bulk load.
  3. Select your OpenEdge source database.
  4. Clear the bulk load results and click Run.

After the Bulk load process is completed, go to you target database and run the Procedure editor to confirm that the records were replicated.

It is essential that both bulk load and replication processes are running.

After enough time has passed and you are ready to complete the database migration, return to Pro2 and generate the sync-up .df file.
  1. Go to Actions.
  2. Select Target Database Utilities.
  3. Click Target Differential.
  4. Enter the Source Database name.
  5. Select OpenEdge Database Migration, and click Submit.
  6. After the job completes, copy and paste the sync .df file into your target database.
    Note: All Pro2 related fields and indexes are be generated in one of three different .df files if there is a default index present in any source table. The .df files generated are:
    • database name-tgt.df
    • database name-inactIndex.df
    • database name-defaultindex.df
  7. In the last step, you validate that there are no differences between your two databases by generating a CRC report.

You are now ready to start using your new database.