This document summarizes a presentation about migrating from Subversion to Perforce. It discusses critical milestones for planning a migration, such as executive approval and transition team training. It also covers different migration approaches like importing only the latest files ("Tips") or importing full file histories and branch operations using Baseline and Branch Import (BBI) or Detailed History Import (DHI). The presentation outlines technical tips for the migration and discusses customer experiences with smooth migration processes.

1. Subversion to Perforce
in 30 minutes
Tom Tyler, Perforce Software
Consulting Services

2. Speaker: Tom Tyler
Tom Tyler is a Senior Consultant at
Perforce. He started his career at NASA
Kennedy Space Center in 1990, and has
worked as a developer and consultant in
various software development organizations.
Colleagues knew Tom as “The ClearCase
Guy” before he discovered Perforce in 1999.
He has since been consulting with Perforce
customers large and small.
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3. You’re Here Because ...
A Bit About You?
• The topic sounded interesting and I'm just
curious. There’s no immediate business need.
• We're contemplating a migration to Perforce.
• We're committed to migrate to Perforce,
and hoping this helps informs our planning
• We migrated already, and want to see if we
missed anything.
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4. Agenda
•
Critical Milestones
•
Migration Approaches
– Tips
– Baseline & Branch Import (“BBI”)
– Detailed History Import (“DHI”)
•
Transition and Cutover
•
Technical Tips
•
Customer Experience
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5. Critical Milestones
•
Executive Decision:
We’re Going to Perforce!
•
Transition Team Ready
— Team Selected
— Team Trained
•
Migration Plan Ready
— Migration Approaches Selected
— Cutover Strategy Defined
— Transition Strategy Identified
— Transition Schedule Identified
— Branching Strategy Planned
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6. Critical Milestones
•
Dry Runs Completed
— Full Dry Runs (Stress & Load)
— Data & process snags addressed
— Pilot / POC
•
Perforce Environment Ready
— Migrated Source Code Verified
— Build Systems Retooled
— Build Results Verified
• Users Trained
• Live on Perforce!
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7. Branching Strategy
Mapping the Flow of Change
REL1.1
REL1
REL2
MAIN (fka “trunk”)
Team B
Team A
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8. Perforce Directory Standard (PDS)
perforce.com/blog
http://info.perforce.com/PDS.html
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9. Migration Approaches
• Tips Only
– Copy tips into new system.
• Baseline & Branch Import (BBI)
- Bring along only “interesting” history – key
baselines and high-level branch operations.
• Detailed History Import (DHI)
– Bring historical details into Perforce.
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10. Tips – Latest Files, No History
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11. Tips – Latest Files, No History
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12. Tips – Latest Files, No History
All files have only 1 rev.
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13. Tips – Latest Files, No History
All files have only 1 rev.
One Changelist
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14. Baseline & Branch Import (BBI)
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15. Baseline & Branch Import (BBI)
//fgs/Jam/3.0-r/src/README
//fgs/Jam/MAIN/src/README
//fgs/Jam/dev/Port_OSX/src/README
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16. Baseline & Branch Import (BBI)
//fgs/Jam/3.0-r/src/README
//fgs/Jam/MAIN/src/README
//fgs/Jam/dev/Port_OSX/src/README
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17. Baseline & Branch Import (BBI)
//fgs/Jam/3.0-r/src/README
//fgs/Jam/MAIN/src/README
//fgs/Jam/dev/Port_OSX/src/README
One Changelist and
description per Baseline.
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18. Baseline & Branch Import (BBI)
//fgs/Jam/3.0-r/src/README
//fgs/Jam/MAIN/src/README
//fgs/Jam/dev/Port_OSX/src/README
Approximately same “time of import”
timestamp for all Changelists/Baselines.
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19. Detailed History Import
Read-Only Import Area to “Life In Perforce” Structure
//fgs/main/…
//i_svn/fgs/trunk/…
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20. DHI - File History
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21. DHI - File History
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22. DHI – Folder History
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23. DHI – Folder History
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24. DHI – Folder History
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25. DHI – Folder History
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26. Transition and Cutover
• Grand Opening
– Friday Subversion, Monday Perforce!
• Phased by Team
– Beware software dependencies.
– Beware dependencies of collaborating teams.
– Limitations of migration utilities can limit cutover options.
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27. Subversion Migration Tech Tips
• Case Issues: Convert on same platform as server
• Provision Adequate Hardware Resources!
• Typemap, file types, and Unicode
• SVN Empty directories
– Use ‘.d’ or README files
– Make dirs in build/deploy files, Makefiles, etc.
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28. Subversion Migration Tech Tips
• Handling SVN Properties
– Use Perforce Attributes
• Handling SVN Externals
– Use flexibility of Workspace Mapping
– Add Version Specifier files
• Keep SVN around for a while
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29. Why Migrate? Top 6
Drivers
Benefits
• Vastly more powerful
branching & merging
• A whole ‘nother level of
capability
• Scalability
• A whole ‘nother level of
scalability
• Better Visualizations (GUI)
• Preference for Best of Breed
• Faster
• Standardization and
Consolidation
• Faster/better merges and
detection of need to merge
• Put Developers at the top of
their craft
• Faster
• Better ROI on Backup, HA/DR
Solutions, Infrastructure
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30. Customer Experience
“
I want to take this opportunity to
acknowledge an outstanding job done
by you supporting us through our
Perforce migration.
”
- Perforce Customer
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31. Customer Experience
“
I also had boasted the lofty goal before
we executed the migration that I was
aiming for zero loss of productivity to
our <snip> project as the result of this
migration. I think I can make a case that
this came true, also.
- Perforce Customer
”
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32. Customer Experience
“
I have had several people comment
to me that they are impressed at
how smooth the whole migration
process has been.
- Perforce Customer
”
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33. Thank You!
Please Send us Your Questions!
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34. You’d like to know more about ....
•
•
•
•
•
Migration Planning
Migration Approaches
Technical Snags
Transition and Cutover
Details of DHI Tools
Polling Question
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35. Resources
• Website: www.perforce.com
• Visit the Multimedia Library
• Demo: eval-demo@perforce.com
• Support: support@perforce.com
• Consulting: consulting@perforce.com
• Phone: 510-864-7400
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