DOT NET is one of the key products that enable application development under the new vision. However, DOT NET is not quite backward compatible with prior versions like visual basic version 6. This makes migration a serious issue. Converting existing source code to DOT NET architecture is not just a matter of loading it to the new version. DOT NET has its built-in migration tool, which performs the vital task of converting the source code syntax. But that’s just half of the work done. But before the converted code is actually compiled, the developer needs to enable it to smoothly fix lot of issues to fit into DOT NET architecture. In present efforts to find out solutions to these migration issues, a re-engineering Migration Model for Legacy Source Code (MMLC) has been proposed in this study. Proposed model has been further validated using a in-house project at one of the leading software development organisation. It is envisaged from the experimental try-out that the model would help the developer community to easily convert their legacy source code to DOT NET framework.

The architecture of DOT NET offers several advantages, such as object-oriented features, ease of developing and deploying Windows and Web applications, ability to develop Web services and mobile applications, improved security features, ability to access data using disconnected record sets, backward compatibility etc. With all the above features, it becomes necessary to convert the legacy source code into DOTNET framework to sustain and improve the business[1].

It is evident form the literature review that there are two ways in which re-engineering approaches are followed by developers. Figure 1 depicts a broad view of the re-engineering approach. Most of the legacy applications are re-designed and redeveloped without using the migration tools.

This approach is more expensive and may take more time for development. Here we focus on availing the migration tool (shown by the dotted line) with certain human efforts to achieve the desired target as follows:
• Evaluate the complexity of the application under consideration. In addition, analyze the feasibility of migration in relation to the time and effort involved in migration.
• Modify the code, if necessary, before the upgrading process. This helps to reduce reworking time after the upgrade process.
• Upgrade the legacy application to DOT NET framework using the upgrade wizard. Modify the migrated code based on the results of the upgrade report that defines the migration issues. Legacy system migration encompasses many research areas. A single migration project could, quite legitimately, address the areas of reverse engineering, business re-engineering, schema mapping and translation, data.

Download pdf Source Code Migration to DOT NET Framework: A Re-engineering Application Perspective