Database migration tools have become important tools for 3000 sites, whether they're staying with the platform or moving apps to another environment. One of the most senior has had some makeovers, as Taurus Software's Bridgeware has been the selected tool to move Ecometry customers.

Cailean Sherman of Taurus brought us up to date on the latest for this software created in conjunction with Quest Software. The newest version replicates IMAGE files in real time, as well as MPE files, Eloquence database and the usual suspects in the relational roster: Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, My SQL, or any ODBC database.

A good share of the Bridgeware work has been supporting customers who want to stay on the server. "We’ve been building a lot of operational data stores lately for customers who want to stay on the 3000," Sherman said. "These people want to have their production data available real time in a relational environment for reporting and analysis. The data can be ported to open systems once a migration is over, to replicate data between databases and files on open systems."

Taurus made its entry into the 3000 marketplace at the same time the server was getting PA-RISC hardware. When the new Series 900 servers emerged in 1987, Taurus came out with Chameleon, aimed at letting managers employ both Classic and MPE/XL command interfaces.