E-Business on Solid Ground

Lawson Release 8.0 Technical Aspects Preparing to upgrade, etc. Rocky Mountain Lawson User Group December 6, 2001 Brian Beckman

What’s new in 8.0? MA system completely re-written PB split out of AC PR requires BSI TaxFactory Collaborative Commerce consolidated with core application engines

What’s new in 8.0? 8.0 Applications require a new install tool (lasetup) This tool requires Perl version 5.0 or greater Provides version management and more automated patch application.

What’s new in Applications will initially run in the 7.3 environment. Later releases will require the 8.0 environment

8.0 Environment Significant upgrade to environment Many changes to how Lawson works with databases –New dictionary format –New index formats (filters, etc.) –Support for NULLs and varchars

8.0 Environment Dbreorg –Fast option to alter tables rather than unloading, dropping, and re-loading –Should speed up cyclical updates

8.0 Environment Support for dynamic upgrades –Initial upgrade pass flags records that have been upgraded. –As processing continues, new/changed records are un-flagged –Additional upgrade passes only process un- flagged records –Targeted for upgrades from 8.0 apps.

Upgrades to 8.0 Apps Process is similar to upgrade to 7.2, but –uses dbcopy if possible –improved GUI menu –single location for all workfiles (doesn’t need to be in $LAWDIR) –Majority of processing done in unloads rather than loads

Upgrades to 8.0 Apps Setup Impact –Major for MA, AC (billing) –Moderate for IA, HR, PO, BL, FR –Minor for AP, PR, BN –None for most other modules Expect significant database changes in most modules

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade What can you do to get ready to upgrade applications to 8.0?

START Project Strategy Meeting Initial Upgrade Planning Project Team Training Application Exploration Business Procedures Review Detailed Upgrade Planning Test Upgrade Business Strategy Session System Test End User Training Readiness Assessment Production Upgrade Post Upgrade Review Recycle as often as necessary (2-3 test runs typically) Business Needs Analysis Upgrading your Lawson Apps… a methodology for success.

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade Get to environment and stay current on ESPs Get to current cyclical of 7.2 apps –7.2.3 for upgrade to –7.2.4 for upgrade to 8.0.2

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade Get to current version of database Get to current version of operating system Contact Client Account Managers for info on supported versions

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade Consider future hardware needs –upgrade will require two full copies of production data static 7.2 source 8.0 target (expect database growth) –consider development/test system needs –consider future plans for applications, users, etc.

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade Consider future database needs –More apps? –More users? –More data?

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade Consider moving to BSI TaxFactory now –works with 7.2 apps Get Perl installed When 8.0 environment is released, consider upgrading environment ahead of apps.

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade Consider move to e-Console Get users info about new apps to generate interest in upgrade

Preparing for 8.0 upgrade Develop purging/data archiving plan. The less data you have, the easier it is to upgrade!

Additional Info For additional info - support.lawson.com –release notes –info about upgrades

Questions? Questions and answers?