RE: [AM] Database "refactoring" effort question

It's a bit of a blanket generalization. 

Cost-benefit examination should say whether or not an upgrade on the basis
of allowing faster/friendlier refactoring is warranted. It all comes down to
many "technologists" never being in the best position to objectively
estimate this, since they always want newer toys! :)

If a hypothetical scenario, like needing to split a column, is one of few
and far between changes to a legacy system, then it might be more
cost-effective to try another solution rather than refactoring the
underlying DB. Might be as simple as providing a view with "calculated"
splits for the app needing the new data, for example. Or, adding a new table
with a one-to-one relation. Or, or, or... Many of those might be unappealing
from the point of view of a programmer obsessed with refactoring everything
in sight, or a relational purist who froths and foams at nulls, but such
legacy problems are often much larger than any of these narrow viewpoints. 

_________________________________
Paul Tiseo, Systems Programmer
Research Computing Facility
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Griffin 371
[email protected]
   

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scott Ambler [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 12:55 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: RE: [AM] Database "refactoring" effort question
> 
> 
> Yes, that can be a serious issue which would motivate an upgrade.
> 
> Fundamentally, at some point someone needs to decide to do something about
> your organization's legacy database situation.  Until then, they'll be an
> anchor around your neck.
> 
> - Scott
> At 10:59 AM 2/3/2004 -0500, you wrote:
> 
> > > "deprecation period", which could be several months, you support both
> > > versions of the column along with any triggers... to keep them up to
> date.
> >
> >Several legacy databases do NOT support triggers.
> >
> >For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at
> >www.agilemodeling.com
> 
> ====================================================
> Scott W. Ambler
> Senior Consultant, Ronin International, Inc.
> www.ronin-intl.com/company/scottAmbler.html
> 
> www.agiledata.org
> www.agilemodeling.com
> www.ambysoft.com
> www.enterpriseunifiedprocess.info
> www.modelingstyle.info
> www.ronin-intl.com
> 
> For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at
> www.agilemodeling.com
> 

For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at www.agilemodeling.com
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