Question move data from one sql server to another.

[skahn]

We just redesigned, and rewrote, our application with brand new designed database schema.
My next job is to write c# code that will convert and move the data from the old database to the new database.
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I'm a simple man. I just want to read the data, massage the data to convert it to the new tables' format, and insert the data into the new database. i.e. SQLBulkCopy
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The system architect wants to use reflection, POCO, Json and maybe even a dictionary to do this. I'm asking myself why make this so complicated?
I don't even know if I know how to do what he wants.
I think he is planning on using api calls to migrate the legacy data to the newly designed database.

Can someone give me a hint of what the architech is talking about?

Thank you.

 

[jmcilhinney]

Maybe you should ask the system architect what he means and what he sees as the advantages of that method.

 

[Skydiver]

Most architects are trained to look at the long term. While you are looking at the short term solution where bespoke C# program to migrate from the old database to the new database is a "one and done" problem, I am guessing that the architect is looking at re-using your code for future migration projects. So he is already planning ahead by trying to make as many pieces as configurable as possible, and minimize the places where code will need to be touched (in the case of using reflection and POCOs).

If you truly believe that the bespoke approach is best, try convincing the architect with some of these arguments:
"YAGNI" (You Ain't Gonna Need It) as recommended by Agile and Extreme Programming.
"Simplest thing that could possibly work" as recommended by Test Driven Development, Agile, and Extreme Programming.
"You can always refactor later" a corollary to YAGNI.