Hi all,

I think PLSQL is brilliant and the optimisations gains from it are phenomenal. However I often think that having so much of my business operations tied to PLSQL (even if they are merely linking a few tables and producing an output) would mean that when I do wish to move off Oracle (highly unlikely... but possible... perhaps scale a feature off to another DB), I may be stuck with a very expensive task.

I just wanted to know from the forum, whether anyone has experienced difficulties migrating code off PLSQL on Oracle over to some other layer like some Services based tier or even to another database compeltely and how they found the migration? (eg: expensive, easy etc)

I guess if you could give me the alternative implementation, on a platform that you had some guarantee would last longer than PL/SQL, then you could compare. But I don't think there are any guarantees. You're going to have to migrate in time, no matter which way you go.

My 2 cents, would be that you should code to your shop's strengths. If you have plenty of PL/SQL developers, invest in PL/SQL code. Mostly .NET ... code a business layer in C# or VB.

--=cf

I work in Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server environments and often have to migrate scripts and code back and forth. Being familiar w/ both syntaxes, its usually not such a big deal. If you have thousands of lines of code... well that's going to be a hassle no matter how you slice it.

That being the case, every DB has slightly different functions / syntax. If you are ever to move from Oracle, unless you've coded all of your scripts / queries (both PL and regular SQL) with the intention of universal compatibility, you're going to have a significant migration effort on your hands.

If you are to bring your PL/SQL tasks into an external environment (.NET, etc.), you're basically trading one dependency for another and giving up the PL/SQL efficiences. Even if you drop Oracle as your main environment, would it be possible to keep an instance or 2 up and running for post-processing work?

However, Chuck's point is very true - go with whatever your strengths are.

Thanks for all of your responses fellas.

Just related to the 'strengths' argument... in regards to the general population of people who know some form of PL/SQL, or T-SQL or PGPLSQL etc...

Which of the custom scripting languages do you think trump the market in regards to knowledge resources worldwide?

try stabilizing a single site before moving the others. It may cause you much trouble on the latter part. better ready than sorry.