Data Migration from Micro Focus ALM (SaaS) to Azure DevOps

Business Need

Whenever there is an organizational directive of migrating any existing dataset of Microfocus ALM SaaS/ On-premises to Azure DevOps Service/Server, the latter being the tool where the future Development and Test activities will be performed, Kovair’s flagship product QuickSync is the go-to solution. This has been highlighted by our success stories pertaining to various use cases.

Kovair QuickSync not only migrates the raw records to one tool to another tool, but also takes care of the linkages between these items, under the specific area paths that are required to be migrated from Microfocus ALM to Azure DevOps, along with relevant attachments, if any. You can tailor it to fit the needs and standards of your business.

Kovair satisfies the objective to have a more accessible and comprehensive view of migration business data with a 360-degree viewing ability, which empowers the stakeholders and prevents a large cost incurred by the company.

Overview of Source & Target Tools

Micro Focus ALM (SaaS/ on-premises) is a software tool developed and marketed by Micro Focus primarily for managing requirements and testing. It includes modules for requirements management, test planning, and functional testing and defect management.

Azure DevOps Server (ADO Service / Server) is a Microsoft product that provides reporting, requirements management, project management, automated builds, lab management, testing, and release management capabilities.

Migration Challenges

Data Migration from one tool to the other always brings along certain challenges as mentioned below:

• The volume of data to be migrated from Microfocus ALM can be cumbersome on a migration tool and migrating these datasets without automation is a NVA (non-value added) process for any organization.
• Specific inter-relationships from within the data is always required to be migrated. Each of these specific relationship’s linking needs to be properly mapped within the migration tool.
• Being cross-vendor tools, one from Microfocus and the other from Microsoft, there exists no out-of-the-box connectivity between ALM & ADO.
• Microfocus ALM SaaS and Microsoft Azure DevOps have contrasting differences in the data models for various artefacts.
• Records from multiple Microfocus projects are usually required to be migrated into Azure DevOps projects. Merging items from multiple Microfocus ALM projects to fewer structured Azure DevOps project is another aspect of the migration complexity.
• Synonymous to entity mapping, there exists an equally important requirement of user mapping. In most cases there exist several Active Directory users who will not be having access to the Azure DevOps organizations. Mapping and migrating those users add to the deliverable challenges.
• All Attachments and Comments associated with all Microfocus ALM artefacts – including Design Steps and Call Tests are consistently to be migrated into Azure DevOps.
• Since data is business and the client cannot afford to lose business, the data quality is always of utmost importance. Data sanity is to be ensured to uphold the quality standards needed during the scope of any migration.

Salient Features of QuickSync

• Migrate Requirements, Test Plan, Test, Test Steps, Test Runs and Defects.
• Supports migration of Attachment, Comments and Change History.
• Full scope migration of data with its inherent relationships.
• Can migrate data from one Project to one or many Projects, as well as many Projects to one or many.
• Supports both custom and system fields for migration.
• Copies data from source to target rather than cut and paste.
• Supports multi-host mechanism for parallel migration of Projects.

Migration Proposition

In the ALM domain, the choice of systems and the integration among the cross-functional teams play a great role. Micro Focus ALM (SaaS) brings rich functionalities to the ecosystem in the area or test and defect management. It is a (SaaS) tool.

Kovair, being an integration and migration specialist, has been in this domain for decades, and helps organize and move seamlessly without any downtime. Kovair QuickSync is a flagship product for these kinds of migrations.

How Kovair QuickSync Works

Kovair, in the first step of the migration, starts to understand the data structure and reaches a consensus on the migration use cases with the client. Kovair uses its data migration and synchronization solution – Kovair QuickSync for migrating data. QuickSync tool is then installed in a server at the client’s organization.

Before initiating the configuration of QuickSync, Kovair analyzes the existing data structure of Microfocus ALM Projects and obtains confirmation from the client on the Artefact and Field mapping.

After this, the configuration consisting of mapping the Projects, Artefacts, and Fields between Microfocus ALM and Azure DevOps is performed, on a Project-by-Project basis. The entire configuration is achieved through mouse clicks – without the need for any coding. As there can be multiple projects to be migrated, the client usually prefers to go in the route of sequential migration.

Kovair QuickSync Unique Value

Kovair QuickSync is a platform which is flexible enough to mold as per the client’s business needs seamlessly. Its core competency lies in supporting one to many computed data routing to multiple attributes across multiple projects that need to be migrated.

Kovair QuickSync also facilitates its users to have real-time monitoring of the migration. The volume of successful and failed transactions can be monitored from one single window.

QuickSync Pre-Requisites

Hardware:

• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 runtime.
• Minimum screen resolution for QuickSync: 1366 x 768.
• Minimum primary memory (RAM): 8 GB.
• Tool Installation Space in HDD (Native): 500 MB.
• 5. DB Server 2019 or latest required.

Sync & Migration Support Details

The following are the artefacts and the associated attributes, which are exposed to source and target for rich data migration.

Migration Experiences

Kovair’s experience from various migration projects has been stated below:

• Rapid migration of data with maximum data availability to the business and no application downtime.
• No impact on applications data or performance on either side.
• Data integrity retained with business-oriented data transformation performed only with the click of a mouse. The hierarchy and relationships are maintained for all the records across artefacts.

Migration Phases

The Kovair team completes the necessary tool configurations such as creating connections, mapping projects, mapping users, mapping entities, creating business flow, and installing windows service. Once done, the migration occurs automatically without the need of continuous supervision.

The following steps provide an overview of the entire process of data migration.

Customer Satisfaction & Results

Data migration automations are streamlined and developed within a few weeks, saving organizations from having to rely on legacy applications with massive license cost. The time invested was trimmed to weeks.

QuickSync users are relieved not to have to manage the project teams for any data migration project. Powered by Kovair’s deep experience with data and analytics, the customer can focus its resources in the right areas and avoid disruption during a time of major change.

If required, during the entire process of migration, the client team members are also provided training sessions so that they can have a better knowledge about the capabilities of QuickSync.