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Data Migration Utility


Arjun Pande (3714) | asked Jan 05 '15, 1:15 a.m.

We are trying to migrate the data from one project area to another project area where we want to copy all the work items and all the attributes of the work items in destination Project Area.

We have a source Project Area which contains ADT Peer Review Work item and ADT Action Item. But in the destination Project Area we do not have any Peer Review Work item and ADT Action Item so we will be migrating the data in ADT Task Work item in destination Project Area. This can be achieved by using the functionality of "Move or Copy this work item in another project Area". We also want the mapping between the two work items where we can map the attributes from source and destination.

Eg: Source A Project area contain an attribute named as "Contact Name" but in Source B (the destination Proejct Area) we do not have that attribute, instead we would like to map that attribute with the target Project area attribute.

Because it does not copy the attribute values when we  try to use the functionality "Move or copy this work item in another Project Area" when they have different naming conventions in Source and destination project area.

We are trying to build a java custom utility where there will be mapping in the excel sheet which will transfer the values of the attributes from source to destination Project area. My question here is do we have any alternative method for this?

Do anyone have this custom utility already developed or anyone who can help me up with the best possible approach?. It would be really helpful.

Thanks,

Kapil


Comments
sam detweiler commented Jan 05 '15, 9:58 a.m.

you should be able to create a mapping file for the csv import to map the contet where-ever you want to.. same field, or different.

we did that when we migrated  a team from 3.0.1 to 4.0.3

export, create the mapping file, fixup a couple columns of data (users mostly) and then import into new project.

some things don't copy easily.. links, attachments, approvals, comments.
or they copy but reference old data..

4 answers



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Ajay Mallikarjunaiah (148410) | answered Jan 05 '15, 1:34 a.m.
Hi Kapil,

Before Data migration, the skeleton of two projects should be identical .i.e. the attributes in target should be in consistency with that of target project area. However, requirements can get peculiar. If you insist that target project area cannot be in consistent with that of source, you can do the following.

1. Export workitems from source project area with their desired attributes to a .csv file.
2. Please change the attribute names present as column header in obtained csv to the desired attribute names of destination project area.
3. Now try importing the csv file in destination project area.
4. Please be informed that it will create new workitem in destination Project area.

Hope it helps.


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Arjun Pande (3714) | answered Jan 05 '15, 1:48 a.m.

Thanks for the quick response Ajay.

  Exporting the work items from souce project area and changing the attribute names one by one would be time consuming as a source project area may contain thousands of work items and changing the attribute names would be very tedious.

Do we have a custom utility where I can save my time wherein at a go it will move all the attribute values in destination project area or any other functionality which can help?

Thanks again.


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Susan Hanson (1.6k2201194) | answered Jan 05 '15, 8:56 a.m.
We've done this using a Migration utility based on the RTC Java APIs.  If the project areas are on the same repository, then we basically go in and "muck" with the attributes.  In our Java, we have mappings for each of the attributes in the "old" project to each of the attributes in the "new" project (for example, different literals for enumerations).  In the case where the new project area has removed an attribute, we normally will add that as text to the bottom of the Description attribute so that we don't lose data.  We even are able to change the type of work items and then we know what are the attributes in the new work item type and map them appropriately also.  The project area is an attribute as well that gets changed on the move over.  In this way, you preserve all history and work item IDs.

If the project areas are on different servers, it gets a bit more complex since you won't keep IDs or history anyway and in those cases, it may just be as easy to export to CSV, "muck" with the attributes, and then import them into the new project area, creating new work items.

Comments
sam detweiler commented Jan 05 '15, 10:09 a.m.

we also created custom project copy (really clone) utilities because our projects were across servers of different levels. and moving away from private process area to shared process area.

worked on same server too

2 of us spent 2 months + nights and weekends creating these tools and process
I no longer work there.




Arjun Pande commented Jan 14 '15, 7:16 a.m.

Susan, can you please help me with your utility or the approach you finalized to make that utility. Any information regarding that will help.

Thanks in advance.


Susan Hanson commented Jan 14 '15, 7:21 a.m.

The utility itself I'm not sure I can provide outside of my company but I can attempt to provide you some guidance on the approach and logic.  You can email me separately at hansons at us.ibm.com   and I'll see what I can do to assist.  I assume the two project areas are on the same repository/server.


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Arjun Pande (3714) | answered Jan 05 '15, 9:25 a.m.

Susan,

Can you please help me with your utility or the RTC Java APIs it would be really helpful for us as we are wroking on the same repository.

Thanks in advance

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