Oracle and Sun have thrown a lifeline to anyone who feels trapped
in the Java-starved world of Microsoft .net.
The companies, which are bitter opponents of many Microsoft
technologies, have announced a migration kit that will allow users
to move their business applications from proprietary Windows
technology to the "open" Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) platform.
Microsoft argues that Java, which is effectively owned by Sun,
could just as easily be described as proprietary.
Oracle and Sun claim that many companies with existing Microsoft
applications are looking for "open, standards-based development
tools and deployment platforms". A key reason for this, they add,
is the perception that developers will have to be retrained and
applications rewritten to work with .net technology.
The move is seen as an aggressive response to Microsoft's decision
to freeze Java developments on its .net platforms in favour of its
own C# development language. In January, just after announcing this
strategy, Microsoft produced Java User Migration Path (Jump) to
.net, a set of development tools and services that enable Java
programmers to "preserve, enhance and migrate" Java language
projects to .net.
The reverse migration tools are the Oracle Migration Kit for ASP (a
conversion program to translate Microsoft's Active Server Pages for
Web sites into Java Server Pages) and Oracle Migration Workbench.
These are combined with the Sun Developer Kit for Windows NT and
migration consulting services.
The aim is to enable companies to move Microsoft Web-based
applications to the J2EE world using Java Virtual Machines running
on the Oracle 9i Application Server, Sun's Solaris operating system
and products from a wide range of companies, including IBM,
Hewlett-Packard and BEA.
Doug Kaewert, vice-president of Sun's developer network group,
said, "Our customers have asked us for easy migration solutions to
move from Microsoft to J2EE and Sun Solaris platforms. Together,
Sun and Oracle are addressing this need and will continue to
address customer requirements to build scalable products on open
standards."
Migrating Microsoft to Java
Migrating Applications: The Oracle Migration Kit for ASP
provides tools for developers to convert Active Server Pages
applications to J2EE technology applications.
Migrating Data: The Oracle Migration Workbench simplifies
the process of migrating from SQL Server and Microsoft Access
databases to Oracle 9i Database.
Migrating Operating Systems: The Sun Developer Kit for
Windows NT is a collection of information, tools, hints and tips,
code samples, white papers and links to third party migration
resources to help with migration from Windows NT to Solaris OE
and/or Java technology.
Daniel Thomas