Comments on: Why Content Migration Is Like Changing A Nappy http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/ Just a nerd trying to save the publishing industry. Again. Fri, 11 May 2012 17:43:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: android apps http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-134574 android apps Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:40:45 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-134574 I agree with your Why Content Migration Is Like Changing A Nappy | Jon On Tech, great post. I agree with your Why Content Migration Is Like Changing A Nappy | Jon On Tech, great post.

]]> By: Mo Braga http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1548 Mo Braga Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:52:53 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1548 The analogy is pungently accurate, however after a while kids grow out of the need for nappie-changing; content never seems to. The analogy is pungently accurate, however after a while kids grow out of the need for nappie-changing; content never seems to.

]]> By: Jon Marks http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1402 Jon Marks Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:45:37 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1402 Hi George, Thanks for the comments. Actually, I do agree with you. There is a lot of software out there (yours in particular, actually) that can make the task a whole lot easier. However, many people haven't had exposure to Vamosa and other similar products. How easy is it for prospective customers of yours to get hold of a free/eval version of the software so they can play and test? Maybe a version that will only do X pieces of content, where X is pretty small? We're about to embark on a Vamosa project shortly so hopefully I'll become wise in the ways of your latest versions! Hi George,

Thanks for the comments. Actually, I do agree with you. There is a lot of software out there (yours in particular, actually) that can make the task a whole lot easier. However, many people haven’t had exposure to Vamosa and other similar products. How easy is it for prospective customers of yours to get hold of a free/eval version of the software so they can play and test? Maybe a version that will only do X pieces of content, where X is pretty small?

We’re about to embark on a Vamosa project shortly so hopefully I’ll become wise in the ways of your latest versions!

]]> By: George Knox http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1257 George Knox Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:31:13 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1257 Many of the issues posted about content migration are overcome with good automated content migration software and a migration methodology. Most people still are struggling with Cut and paste, scripts when they should be using a software approach. Still do not understand why people have a blind spot on this subject. Suspect they think it is to difficult and complex for software. 100's of companies who use migration products would differ. Check out best practice paper at http://www.vamosa.com/knowledge-base/how-to-guides-o43 Many of the issues posted about content migration are overcome with good automated content migration software and a migration methodology. Most people still are struggling with Cut and paste, scripts when they should be using a software approach. Still do not understand why people have a blind spot on this subject. Suspect they think it is to difficult and complex for software. 100′s of companies who use migration products would differ. Check out best practice paper at http://www.vamosa.com/knowledge-base/how-to-guides-o43

]]> By: Jonathan http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1137 Jonathan Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:41:01 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1137 It's one of the Big Web Problems. But what, in general, would you think might be a good approach to take in order to avoid some of the nastier issues if you could? It’s one of the Big Web Problems. But what, in general, would you think might be a good approach to take in order to avoid some of the nastier issues if you could?

]]> By: Philippe Parker http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1133 Philippe Parker Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:43:23 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1133 You need to change a girl: they can't piss in your eye unless you're holding them over your head. Most important thing to remember: During a migration, the content is still in nappies and readily disposable. Once you're potty-trained and in your new CMS, getting rid of the crap is a far messier process. You need to change a girl: they can’t piss in your eye unless you’re holding them over your head.

Most important thing to remember:
During a migration, the content is still in nappies and readily disposable. Once you’re potty-trained and in your new CMS, getting rid of the crap is a far messier process.

]]> By: Tony Byrne http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1124 Tony Byrne Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:15:24 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1124 Oh, thanks for this...very useful as we are advising lately on "best practices" here. I might add: * You can hire a nanny, but then you can't be sure it will be done right or often enough (and might not notice til the house starts stinking) * You find yourself wishing for a period of constipation, but it almost never comes * Safe, long-term disposal of unwanted objects remains a big problem Oh, thanks for this…very useful as we are advising lately on “best practices” here. I might add:

* You can hire a nanny, but then you can’t be sure it will be done right or often enough (and might not notice til the house starts stinking)
* You find yourself wishing for a period of constipation, but it almost never comes
* Safe, long-term disposal of unwanted objects remains a big problem

]]> By: Lorenzo Wood http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1120 Lorenzo Wood Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:09:08 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1120 Wise words. The only thing about which I disagree with you is that you can't automate nappy changing. Wise words.

The only thing about which I disagree with you is that you can’t automate nappy changing.

]]> By: Jon Marks http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1109 Jon Marks Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:41:59 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1109 You've never changed a nappy, have you. The source data isn't clean. Not clean at all. No siree, ma'am. Okay, you can completely automate really simple migrations. But most CMS content migrations I see aren't simple. The source and target repositories have different concepts too and often the data you need for the target doesn't exist in the source. I guess I could automate an email to the Oompa Loompa saying <blockquote>Hey Oompa Loompa, can you re-add those channel-file metadata associations again manually before I get back into the office tomorrow.</blockquote> What do you get when you guzzle down sweets? You’ve never changed a nappy, have you. The source data isn’t clean. Not clean at all. No siree, ma’am.

Okay, you can completely automate really simple migrations. But most CMS content migrations I see aren’t simple. The source and target repositories have different concepts too and often the data you need for the target doesn’t exist in the source.

I guess I could automate an email to the Oompa Loompa saying

Hey Oompa Loompa, can you re-add those channel-file metadata associations again manually before I get back into the office tomorrow.

What do you get when you guzzle down sweets?

]]> By: Suzy T http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1062 Suzy T Fri, 29 May 2009 13:10:47 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1062 Good post, I love the picture - graphic! My only thought is that it is almost possible to script everything, provided that the source data is "clean" i.e. you know what it should look like so you get an oompa loompa from the source db/application to change it all by hand. Good post, I love the picture – graphic! My only thought is that it is almost possible to script everything, provided that the source data is “clean” i.e. you know what it should look like so you get an oompa loompa from the source db/application to change it all by hand.

]]> By: Lokesh http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1057 Lokesh Fri, 29 May 2009 07:23:02 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1057 Awesome post Jon. Yes, there is always more content to migrate, especially in the kind of projects where there is no 'freeze time' or 'cut-over' period. It becomes challenging to 'include' the last bit of live content to the new system. Yes, there is no chance you can completely automate it. I know few software providers who claims to automatically migrate content from one CMS/DMS to another CMS/DMS, but technically they end up manually doing more than 40% of the tasks, be it XML generation, or writing so called custom scripts. Yes, the content is extremely difficult to classify, but not always. You are lucky if you get to migrate content from one modern day CMS to another modern day CMS, but it becomes a nightmare if the content is present in unstructured file system and metadata is spread across various tables in the database, and definitely the content export will eat half of one's life. I laughed my lungs out on 'You thought it was out of scope until you find yourself doing it' Awesome post Jon.
Yes, there is always more content to migrate, especially in the kind of projects where there is no ‘freeze time’ or ‘cut-over’ period. It becomes challenging to ‘include’ the last bit of live content to the new system.
Yes, there is no chance you can completely automate it. I know few software providers who claims to automatically migrate content from one CMS/DMS to another CMS/DMS, but technically they end up manually doing more than 40% of the tasks, be it XML generation, or writing so called custom scripts.
Yes, the content is extremely difficult to classify, but not always. You are lucky if you get to migrate content from one modern day CMS to another modern day CMS, but it becomes a nightmare if the content is present in unstructured file system and metadata is spread across various tables in the database, and definitely the content export will eat half of one’s life.
I laughed my lungs out on ‘You thought it was out of scope until you find yourself doing it’

]]> By: JS http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1040 JS Thu, 28 May 2009 12:53:33 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1040 Well put Jon. Despite the fact that I can't really relate to the nappies, but I can relate to the content of them (as I believe we all produce that except The Queen). One of my previous bosses told me "Sh*t in, sh*t out" when I was building a fairly advanced CSV to database import. Whilst I agreed with the first part of the statement, I refused to act as a conduit to produce the second part. I could feel he wanted to sack me when the speed of the old and simple import was four times faster as the first version of my import. Funnily enough my import didn't accept things like obviously faulty email address'. Another scenario that remind me are the countless "Client DB to our DB" 'conversions' that I've done. The only thing I can recommend in this are these day (apart from stay away) is to bill by the hour and script <em>everything</em>. Everytime we did it without scripting we ended up with one insanely important gatekeeper person who would then dictate the pretty much everything else in that project - because he was the only one who understood the client's DB structure and how it was pushed into our DB structure. Finally, "Sometimes the state of the content is a symptom of some other illness" made me chuckle out loud. Thanks!! Well put Jon. Despite the fact that I can’t really relate to the nappies, but I can relate to the content of them (as I believe we all produce that except The Queen).
One of my previous bosses told me “Sh*t in, sh*t out” when I was building a fairly advanced CSV to database import. Whilst I agreed with the first part of the statement, I refused to act as a conduit to produce the second part. I could feel he wanted to sack me when the speed of the old and simple import was four times faster as the first version of my import. Funnily enough my import didn’t accept things like obviously faulty email address’.
Another scenario that remind me are the countless “Client DB to our DB” ‘conversions’ that I’ve done. The only thing I can recommend in this are these day (apart from stay away) is to bill by the hour and script everything. Everytime we did it without scripting we ended up with one insanely important gatekeeper person who would then dictate the pretty much everything else in that project – because he was the only one who understood the client’s DB structure and how it was pushed into our DB structure.
Finally, “Sometimes the state of the content is a symptom of some other illness” made me chuckle out loud. Thanks!!

]]> By: John Goode http://jonontech.com/2009/05/27/why-content-migration-is-like-changing-a-nappy/#comment-1034 John Goode Thu, 28 May 2009 05:48:57 +0000 http://jonontech.com/?p=724#comment-1034 Then there's understanding the hierarchy. And trying to auto build a navigation! In SA they'd say *YES WELL NO FINE*. And what's the point of sweetcorn? Then there’s understanding the hierarchy. And trying to auto build a navigation! In SA they’d say *YES WELL NO FINE*.

And what’s the point of sweetcorn?

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