The Pros and Cons of Oracle Forms Migration
The ultimate question that every Oracle Forms and Oracle EBS user eventually faces is “Should one modernize application Oracle Forms or migrate to another technology?” In order to compete and succeed in modern times, companies must target a new generation of users who are tech savvy, use social media and their mobile devices on a daily basis.
It is therefore no longer a luxury to take existing investments and modernize them- it’s an imperative!!
Historically, with each new release, Oracle Forms has evolved significantly from character mode to client server, to web-based mode, (Forms running through the browser), and finally, to a browser less standalone option. Although often called “oracle legacy”, these robust applications still get the job done, and they’ve been doing so very successfully for decades. The business logic and functionality remains the same, however the way people conduct business operations – meaning the devices they use, the front-end platforms and the experiences users expect, have changed dramatically.
So where does one even get started and more importantly what does Oracle have to offer for your Oracle Forms environment?
While no two systems are the same, we have taken a closer look at the challenges involved when considering Oracle apps migration. You may be considering migration due having fewer Forms programmers or maybe you don’t want to incur Oracle license costs. Whatever the reason, it’s important to know that Oracle apps migration requires investing significant resources and you have to know what to expect in return.
We have summarized the pros and cons of Oracle migration options you should consider that would help bring your Oracle applications into the next generation. For a more in depth analysis of these options we invite you to check out our newly released whitepaper.
Upgrade to the Latest Version
- Pros: Ensured support; new features; monitoring, security & debugging functionality; management & performance; go browser less
- Cons: Limited Forms developers; locked to the desktop; lack of
trust in “Future of Oracle Forms”; high licensing costs
Lift & Shift Your Oracle Forms to the Cloud
- Pros: Test server creation in minutes; ease of installation; environment available outside organization; easy adoption; access to other cloud services
- Cons: Complicated upgrades; upgrades are on the customer; plan security and architecture; hesitation to enable systems to cloud
UI/UX Modernization
- Pros: Fast time to market; automation on application layer; cost-effective; no need for lengthy QA; low-no risk; ensures stability; easy integration and automation of Oracle EBS
- Cons: Solution costs; lack of confidence of Forms in the future; backend isn’t modernized
Hybrid Applications
- Pros: Existing interfaces; quick turnaround; change management; leverage existing IT; business logic doesn’t have to be reverse engineered if exposed by AuraPlayer REST services; leverage mainstream technologies; phased approach to migration
Migrate Away from Forms
- Pros: Reimagine existing system; not dependent on Oracle Forms; easy to find developers; next generation tech features; quick go-to market; rapid responsive development
- Cons: Prolonged planning time; original system developers are usually unavailable; high costs; error prone; data synchronization challenges; lengthy time to market.
We hope this has given you some insight into the ins and outs of migration vs. modernization. If you’re interested in learning about the best way forward for modernizing your Oracle Form applications we would love to hear from you. Reach out to us for a chat here.
