| Task |
Description |
Expected Completion |
| Setup |
Project Startup Activities should consist of the following;
- Configure ColdFusion, IIS, and SQLServer on development server.
- Configure Deveopment environment; use Visual Source Safe (if avaialable on Development server)
or establish some other secure way to insure code integrity through project.
- Put a message on the existing website that the site ENGINE is being completely re-written and we
plan to roll it out on such and such a date, or earlier. The performance issues will be addressed.
This will be good for customer relations, and put some healthy pressure on :-).
|
Day 3 |
| ODBC Driver |
Obtain and instal ODBC driver and get the connection from CF to FileMaker (on the test Mac server of course)
activated. This is a very important step in determining how the project takes shape. Information about
the Odbc Driver can be found here;
http://www.filemaker.com/products/odbc_backgrounder.html. The Development Workstation must be
networked into the mac network by now for this to work. There is very little history of ColdFusion
interfacing with FileMaker, hense the conservative estimate.
|
End of Week 1 |
| Establish Test Data |
Create and populate all tables in the SQLServer database. Bid, BidLog, Bid Notification Toggler,
BidCountdown, Customer (selected feilds), and set of 1500 Inventory records that will act as this
month's items (or lots) up for grabs. Save all data porting procedures (be they
manual exporting/importing, or programmatic, through ColdFusion odbc driver link to FileMaker) as they
will need to be re-used at implementation time, to get the live data. If the Test data on the Mac Test
server is out of date, it should first be refreshed with the live data (if possible). Availability of
import/export procedures is not known. Could be a piece of cake, but also could turn out to be a very
complex process. Could also be dependent on Odbc driver.
|
End of Week 2 |
| Establish CF App Framework |
This is the start of the actual Code Rewrite process. Establishing the framework.
- Start with home.html (re-write into home.cfm). Establish directory structure based on the
segments. The directory structure should logically line up behind the page construct.
- Write the Login Module.
- Write the Category Search - Demonstrate to members of the orginization.
|
End of Week 3 |
| Ride the wave |
Now that things are moving right along, push through to the end of re-development of the Web site.
Basically, everything else behind home.cfm, including;
- all bidding logic, placing, tracking, etc.
- All data synching procedures (both real-time customer data bridge and auction opening and closing
inventory transfer procedures).
- CONSIDER taking inventory completely out of FileMaker (the 180,000 historical items). If it saves
time in the area of programming the inventory bridge, perhaps it would be worth it. If it can't be
removed because some process tha HAS to remain in Filemaker (billing, etc) then that has to also be
taken into consideration
- Will need someone to make changes on the FileMaker side to
support the CDB (Customer Data Bridge). Customer data fields that are needed in SQLServer, but are
added or changed directly in FileMaker, need to be fed to SQL. ColdFusion can programmatically feed
customer data directly to FileMaker in real time, as the changes are made on the website, using the
ODBC connector, but would need some sort of trigger from FileMaker when customer data is changed there.
I'd suggest creating a new table in filemaker for which "Outbound Customer Info" would be written
whenever customer data is changed in FileMaker. CF could regularly check this table, and pull the
updates into SQL Server, then delete the record(s) from the filemaker table.
- All image indexing logic (determining by now if we are using the Mac as an Image Server (which
I think is a good idea)).
- Design myConsignment (will undoubtedly be able to clone from other logic - altering the SQL
statement to select records based on consignor)
- Does not include the 10 Minute Rule but could if there is extra time
- At this time, the test site is ready to undergo acceptance testing.
|
End of Week 8 |
| Finish the InHouse Piece |
Develop the online piece always bearing in mind the Inhouse Functions that are related. The most
well structured approach to rewriting your two systems (web for customers, and inhouse for employees)
is to have one cohesive application architecture with two distinct entry points (user portals). At
this time, plug in the pieces of code (additional limbs) that extend the web application to accomplish
the inhouse functions that aren't included in the web interface.
|
End of Week 11 |
| Final Acceptance Testing |
The final acceptance test should include the following;
- Users who know the business trying out all the functions. Develop a test plan in advance of this
activity. Users could also come up with their own ways of testing. The more minds in the test broth,
the better.
- Load Testing the web portion by hitting the Development Environment Server(s) with Mercury
LoadRunner or Segue SilkPerformer would be a good idea.
|
End of week 12 |
| Implementation & Post Implementaion Support and Transfer |
Project Delivery Activities should consist of the following;
- This will require the two new Servers have been purchased and SQLServer configured on one, and
the Live Data ported there. While ColdFusion and IIS (or Apache) are configured on the other, and
the application deployed there.
- This should obviously happen at a time that the auction is closed.
- Watch Application performance (both inhouse and web) following implementation (while the auction
is open of course).
|
End of week 13 |