notes migrations don't have to be hard
DESCRIPTION
Change can be intimidating, and moving Lotus Notes applications to SharePoint can put many users out of their comfort zone and delay user adoption. But reconfiguring Notes applications for SharePoint is an excellent opportunity to improve the user experience and increase productivity. Notes applications can be migrated and re-configured without code, while retaining traditional Notes functionality and look and feel for a better user experience.TRANSCRIPT
Notes Migrations Don’t Have to be Hard!!Dan Barker – Global Product Manager
Dell Software
Who on earth is Dan Barker?
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• Global Product Manager for Dell Software
• Worked with SharePoint since the “Tahoe” days
• Developer, architect, financial/data analyst, GM
• Prior work at multiple fortune 500 companies
• Work from the Microsoft campus in Redmond
• I am not related to Bob Barker
• Sports Nut/ Detroit Tigers fan
www.dan-barker.com
@barkingd
The Business Case
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• It all started with wanting to get off of Lotus Notes Support
• The original business case was to save money by consolidating on one platform.
• The enterprise chose Exchange and SharePoint
• The email part of the migration was completed with moderate difficulty. Then came the applications . . .
Email was moved but…..
• The application data / logic was more complicated thanexpected
• Moved email but not applications
• Application migration project became too expensive
• Ok REALLY EXPENSIVE……
• Result?– The enterprise had to keep the old platform
• Why?– Accommodate business critical applications that couldn’t be moved
• Result?– The users are sad.
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Now we pay for everyone’s support
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Exchange SharePoint
Lotus NotesDomino
Notes Developers
SharePointDevelopers
Why application migration projects fail
• Lack of application rationalization
• Big bang approach
• Migrating the complex applications first
• Poorly developed RFPs
• Poor change management
• Require new applications to look like Notes
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Application Rationalization
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We don’t know what our users need…..so we’ll move everything !
Organizations that have been on notes a long time usually have:
• Too many applications to move
• Rationalization is the first step to reducing the work load
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Concern
Shrinking the portfolio!
• Unused databases should be archived or eliminated outright (Environment age a big factor)
• Documents can be converted to PDF – and made searchable in SharePoint
• Non functional empty databases can be deleted or backed up to cheep storage.
• Other functions can be moved to existing enterprise applications. • Document Libraries, Project Management, Leave time scheduling,
Expense Reporting
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First Key to Success
Big Bang Migration
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We want to retire the platform by the end of the year, we need to get everything off at once
• The concern is often based on pressure from the CEO, CFO or other executive
• Get off the old platform quickly.
• Deadline is often based on when the current support agreement will expire
Recommendation = Put migration success ahead of financial goals!
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Concern
Move applications by functional group starting with simple workloads
• The big bang approach never works for other IT projects
• There is no reason to think it will work for Notes application migrations
Just say no!!
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Recommendation
Migrating the Complex Applications First
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Before we move the easy stuff, we want to make sure we can move the complex workloads.
• Different products & skillsets
• Administrators and developers with years of Notes experience may not know how to develop the same functionality in other platforms
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Concern
Recommendation
Move the easy stuff first
• Gives administrators and developers time to get familiar with the new platform
• There are no functions that exclusive to Lotus Notes.
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Applications must look like Lotus Notes
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Concern
My users can’t learn a new interface.
• The IT department sometimes creates a constraint that says applications on the new platform must have the same look and feel as the original application in Lotus Notes
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Embrace the new platform
• In order to gain the full benefit of the new platform, you must get the user used to the new UI as quickly as possible.
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Recommendation
Poorly Developed RFPs
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We’re don’t know how to do this so we’ll just issue an RFP
• RFPs and RFIs are often the preferred way of dealing with Notes applications migrations.
• Allows the IT staff to not worry about developing skills that won’t be needed after the migration.
• “Throw away skill”© 2014, Information Control Company20
Concern
Issue a more open RFI
• Don’t over burden the RFI with constraints
• Ask the respondents to suggest the constraints that will assure the quickest migration and best end user adoption.
• Allow each respondent to run a meta data collector against the application portfolio
– so they have the data they need to make the best estimates.
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Recommendation
Customization Strategy
• Migration is the beginning (point-in-tim)
• Ongoing customization and change control is residual
• Repurposing Notes applications requires it
• Start with a strong understanding of what’s needed
• Adoption and enablement – Dev and Non-technical!!
• ROI in mind
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Summary ofRecommendations
Start with the simple applications
Document libraries
Discussions
Standard Notes Templates
Strong Rationalization Program
Archive what you don’t think you need
Strong executive support
Encourage in the box thinking
Have a customization strategy in place from the beginning
Give vendors the data with the RFP and break up the project!
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Dell Software Group tools and offerings
• Notes Migrator for SharePoint
• High data fidelity
• In depth analysis
• Link synchronization
• Quick Apps for SharePoint
• Quick build Notes solutions in SharePoint
• Social Migrator for SharePoint
• Move IBM Connections to SharePoint
• APPceleration
• Migrate template applications to SharePoint
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