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Data migration for ancient Unix-based .IDX DB

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  • Unix
  • Business Computing
Last response: in Business Computing
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August 10, 2013 1:46:05 PM

Wasn't quite sure where to post this so feel free to relocate the thread.
What I'm up against here is a realty company that uses an early 80s-90s unix OS that has 1 sole function, to manage a database for vacation rentals. The file types I noticed were .dat & .idx which I'm somewhat familiar with. The lady who uses and backs up the system (onto those huge old 525mb QIC data cartridges on their tape drive lol) mentioned about updating the system. They purchased the system from the author back in the mid 80s and stopped buying the updates because of the authors price demanded.

So here we are mid-2013 and I'd like to find a way to migrate the already stored data to a more reliable medium. I'm thinking something along the lines of using dated tech and their respective OS to move the data to more current storage mediums (flashdrive, ssd, etc) by moving it to an Iomega Zip drive or series of floppies then a flashdrive. Any advice from you seasoned folks? Any and all advice, tips, tricks is greatly appreciated. They use an IDE hard disc and currently their intel-chipset MB has a fried fan controller and I put a floor fan on it after cleaning it, A more permanent solution is coming for that in the mail. Could've cooked an egg on that heatsink, and they were really hesitant to let me clean and inspect the box since it is mission critical for their rentals. I have pictures and will post so you all might get a chuckle outta this. Thanks everyone :) 

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Best solution

August 13, 2013 6:31:15 AM

Investigate any and all relationships between the tables.
Document this thoroughly
Export the tables, one by one, into a series of CSV files (or whatever that thing can export)
Export them out to another IDE drive
Attach this IDE drive to a new workstation
Copy those files to a new SATA drive
Import those CSV into tables in something more up to date. MySQL, SQLServer, even Access. Whatever you are most comfortable with.
Rebuild all the relationships between the tables.

Now build a user friendly front end for them.

Simple, right?
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