Transcript PDMWorks Enterprise Data Loading Strategies

SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
Marc Young, CEO
xLM Solutions, LLC
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
With
diligent
planning
and
thorough
testing,
Loading,
or migrating,
data
into
EPDM
can be
Strategies
to
ease the
migration
pain…
the process
can go
smoothly
a daunting
task…
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
1. Pre-Migration Data Analysis
•
•
•
•
Data Clean-up and Process Review
Data Formats
Data Loading Rules
Migration Cost Estimation
2. Data Loading Options
•
•
•
•
•
Manual Processing
EPDM Import and Export Tools
Custom Scripts (executables, add-ins, etc)
Combined Manual Processing and Custom Scripting
Pre-Developed Data Migration Programs
3. Execution
•
•
•
•
Testing the Migration Process
Data Verification
Pre-Data Load Planning
Production Data Load
Data Analysis
Analyze the Data to be
Loaded
Determine
legacy data
nature and
location
• File-/Folder-based
• Legacy systems
(databases, vaults,
etc.)
• Hard copy (e.g.,
aperture cards)
• Type of data: CAD
(with internal links),
office, etc.
Anticipate data
access issues
• All sources
available?
• Third-party systems
accesses?
• Additional experts?
• Additional
resources?
Is CAD data
conversion
needed?
• e.g., ProE →
SolidWorks
Data volume and
estimated time
to load
• Will/Can downtime
be scheduled for
data loading?
Analysis
Data Clean-Up
Analysis
Data Clean-Up
What types of data clean-up are
required?
•
•
•
•
Duplicated part numbers per file
Duplicated file names
Missing or incorrect file attributes
Missing or incorrect file associations or
links
• File revision not current
• Non-current parts in current assemblies
• Non-compliance or old revision/versioning
scheme
Validate data accuracy
Analysis
Process Reviews and Updates
• An opportunity to review business
processes
• Opportunity to evaluate and update
user experiences
• Important: new changes to the
underlying data model must be verified
with the migration processes
Analysis
Data Formats
CAD Data
• File-based
• Typically has relationships among files
• Attributes and properties contained within the file
Meta Data to be Loaded or Added
• Text description of data external to the associated (CAD) file
• Users
• Establish a list of users that needs to be loaded into the system
• Determine and collect the information required for each user
• Manually create or import the user information
• Import by automation
• Import from existing Active Directory
• Lists
Combined Data
• CAD data with embedded relationships; but…
• Attributes and properties reside outside of the CAD file
• e.g., in an Excel spreadsheet
• Construct a link between the CAD file and attribute data
Analysis
Determine the Data Loading Rules
What are the rules to determine
where the data goes?
• Should the data be located in a folder?
• Should a folder be automatically created
for the data?
How will data fields be mapped
from legacy system to EPDM?
• Text, serial number, special values (date,
time stamp, etc.)
What state(s) will the data be
loaded to?
Will the data be linked to other
PDMWE data?
• If so, what is the ruleset?
How to handle the cases with
missing data?
Which data revision to load:
latest or full history?
• If a full data history is desired, determine
how the revision history is maintained in
the legacy system
Analysis – Effort and Cost Estimations
Time (data
loading tools
development
and testing)
Impact of
downtime
for users
Data Load
Project Cost
Quantification
Resources
involved
Price
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
1. Pre-Migration Data Analysis
•
•
•
•
Data Clean-up and Process Review
Data Formats
Data Loading Rules
Migration Cost Estimation
2. Data Loading Options
•
•
•
•
•
Manual Processing
EPDM Import and Export Tools
Custom Scripts (executables, add-ins, etc)
Combined Manual Processing and Custom Scripting
Pre-Developed Data Migration Programs
3. Execution
•
•
•
•
Testing the Migration Process
Data Verification
Pre-Data Load Planning
Production Data Load
Data Loading Options
Manual Processing – Load Data as Needed
Legacy System
Read
Write
Execute
EPDM
Update/Verify
Attributes:
•Part no.
•Revision
•Descriptions
•…
Data Loading Options
Manual Processing – Load Data as Needed
Pros
• Eliminates migration software
development cost and time
• Data is manually verified during the
process for
• Valid and correct intra- and inter-file
relationships (e.g., drawing is linked to
the latest revision of model)
• Updated attributes (part number,
revision, descriptions, etc.)
Cons
• Need to maintain two PDM systems for
an extended period of time
• Confusion in data physical location
• Increased processing time for the user in
organizing and moving file(s)
• Only the latest revision is migrated into
EPDM
Data Loading Options
Manual Processing – Drag-and-Drop
EPDM
• Conditions
•
Migration approach is limited to pre-defined variable mappings with
consistent data properties
» SolidWorks,
Inventor, AutoCAD, PROE
• Alternatively, perform queries and check-in returned results
Data Loading Options
Manual Processing – Drag-and-Drop
Pros
• Simple method to load data, with
minimal time consumption
Cons
• Only latest data revisions can be loaded
• EPDM data attributes must already
exist in legacy file properties
• Assumes valid CAD references and that
they reside properly in the respective
EPDM folder(s).
• May become complicated if a large
number of folders need to be loaded
and/or the legacy folders contain
corrupted data
Data Loading Options
Combined Load Data as Needed and Drag-and-Drop Approach
Legacy System
EPDM
Legacy
Folder
Read
Write
Execute
Update/Verify
Attributes:
Read
•Part
no.
Write
•Revision
Execute
•Descriptions
•…
Production
Folder(s)
Data Loading Options
Combined Load Data as Needed and Drag-and-Drop Approach
Pros
• A single location for all data
accesses and searches
Cons
• Data copied from the Legacy
Folder to Production Folder are
disassociated (no revision
history between the two data
versions)
• Still a manual process in moving
the files
Data Loading Options
EPDM Import and Export Tools
EPDM Import and Export tools – Originally
developed for communicating with other
enterprise applications such as ERP/MRP
systems
Import tool can also be used to import or update
data in EPDM for migration purposes
SolidWorks plans to expand the tools to become
the main conduits for importing and exporting data
for EPDM
Descriptions on the Import and Export tools as well
as the associated XML format are in pages 148158 of the PDMWorks help manual
Data Loading Options
EPDM Import and Export Tools
Pros
• Can update attribute
information with minimal to
no coding
• Attributes are updated using
built-in EPDM functionalities
Cons
• At present, an Import can
only be triggered from a
workflow trigger event
• Difficult to update revision
history
Data Loading Options
EPDM Import and Export Tools – An Import Example
Drag-and-drop the legacy files into
EPDM
Use the export tool to create the
base XML file
Modify the XML file with legacy
attribute information
Run import tool to update EPDM
with the legacy attribute information
Example…
Data Loading Options
Overview of Custom Scripts and Programs
Best suited for larger data volume migrations
•• Best
suited for larger data volume
• Manipulates both meta data and data files simultaneously
migrations
•
•
Data relationships and links may be created programmatically in
Manipulates
both meta data and data files
the system
•
simultaneously
Supports custom logging and error handling
Highly suitable for implementing complex data load scenarios
•• Data
relationships and links may be
Supports all data
•• Supports
allloading
data rules
loading rules
created
programmatically
in the system
•
Dynamic determination of target data directory
• Supports custom logging and error
• Modification of incoming data based on existing
handling
data in the system
• Highly
suitable for implementing complex
• May optionally reformat the data before entering
data load
scenarios
into EPDM
• Supports
allupdating
data loading
rulesnumber and workflow
• Allows
the revision
state of the data if the entire data history is
imported
•
etc.
Data Loading Options
EPDM Custom Script Tool
Examples of Custom Script Functions
• Define target folder structure
• Automate variable mappings
• Change and increase the data revision number programmatically if
full history is imported
• Create links among files
• Load data from legacy databases
• And more…
A Scripting Example
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•
•
•
•
Given a set of legacy folders containing files with multiple revisions
Each file name contains attribute information
Excel files should go into a Manufacturing folder
Word documents should go into an Engineering folder
All files are to be loaded in “Release State”
Data Loading Options
Pre-Developed Data Migration Tools
• Requires a basic, one-time configuration
• When properly configured, tool execution requires no
operator intervention
• Most tools support full
•
•
•
•
Migration of revision history
Attribute mappings
Events logging
And more…
• Existing tools
•
•
•
PDMWorks Workgroup  Enterprise PDM (www.solidworks.com)
SmarTeam  Enterprise PDM (www.xlmsolutions.com)
Pro/Intralink  Enterprise PDM (in progress?)
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
1. Pre-Migration Data Analysis
•
•
•
•
Data Clean-up and Process Review
Data Formats
Data Loading Rules
Migration Cost Estimation
2. Data Loading Options
•
•
•
•
•
Manual Processing
EPDM Import and Export Tools
Custom Scripts (executables, add-ins, etc)
Combined Manual Processing and Custom Scripting
Pre-Developed Data Migration Programs
3. Execution
•
•
•
•
Testing the Migration Process
Data Verification
Pre-Data Load Planning
Production Data Load
Execution
Testing the Migration Process
• Legacy
data issues
• Test
the migration
process!!!
» Missing data files
• Mitigate
all discovered issues
» Orphan links and/or blank fields
» Inconsistent
legacy data such as revision schema
» Bad
formats
– E.g., Attempts to load characters into integer fields
– Class determination rules fail
» Repairing the legacy data
– Manual clean-up
– Change data load rules (i.e., change the code)
– Modify the EPDM data model to better accommodate the legacy
data
•
Bug(s) in the migration tool code
• Document
the procedural
migrationissues
procedure or update
• Data loading
the tool
to failure
automate
migration
process
» e.g.,
to deletethe
all files
with a creation
date before 12/31/1999
• Test again!!!
Execution
Data Verification
 Crucial to implement a data verification
strategy
 Analyze migration process log files
 Spot-check data

Randomly verify the data objects loaded

Check at least 10% of data
 User validation (done through testing with the
pilot system) – an important part of the
verification process
 User validations
IT/CAD administrators
sign-offs
 Develop a tool to compare and analyze the
data in EPDM and legacy system(s)

Verify the number of records between systems

Ensure pertinent fields and data are preserved
in both systems
Execution
Pre-Data Load Planning
• When will the legacy system be turned off?
• How long will it take to load the data?
• Will the data loading occur during nonbusiness hours?
• Specify the data load process:
o
What are the required pre-data loading
activities/events?
» e.g.,
o
legacy data clean-up
Document the data load sequence
» Populate
» Import
the lookup tables
users before documents
» Import
projects and documents, followed by the
associated links
» Create
•
references to class data
Identify personnel responsible for the various
parts of the data load process
Execution
Final Data Load
• With proper planning and testing, the
final data load process “should” go
smoothly
• Advices:
• Follow
the documented procedures
• Allocate
buffer time for unexpected
issues
• Prepare to support users in the new
system
SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
Thank
you!
Questions
?
Script example shown is available at:
http://www.xlmsolutions.com/sww2009/example.zip
Marc Young
xLM Solutions, LLC.
248-926-5932
[email protected]