Data Conversion Architect

UCT’s flagship data migration software is recognized on the market as a proven, highly effective toolset that provides three essential benefits − risk reduction, timeframe reduction and cost reduction − and a 99.9% conversion rate.

A comprehensive toolset

DCA can be used on any type of data migration project on any platform, in any language. The result of more than 25 years of ongoing development and significant R&D investments, DCA is a powerful, web-based collaboration toolset that generates conversion source code modules from business rules to automate the development, testing and reporting phases of a conversion system development lifecycle.

DCA has been used for conversions that have involved as many as 2.4 million records in a single project. With a data conversion rate of 99.9%, it has been a key to UCT’s success on hundreds of data migration projects for life and annuity insurance companies, as well as policy administration system vendors across North America.

DCA can also be used in any industry facing complex data migration challenges, including health, property and casualty, financial institutions, governments, and more.

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An advanced code generator

DCA does not perform the conversion; no customer data is loaded into the tool.. Its role is rather to aid the team as they develop a separate conversion system.

DCA is in fact a code generator that allows us to:

Directly access mainframe data in its native form to ensure a successful conversion
Absorb changing requirements as new ones are discovered or a new target system is evolving
Create user-friendly documentation that is perfectly synchronized with source code
Report, assign, track and resolve data migration issues
Provide a development environment that allows rapid change, generation and testing of code (up to 3-5 times a day vs. once per week)
Provide much-needed converted test data to target system test teams early in the conversion lifecycle

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KEY BENEFITS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Risk reduction

Timeframe and cost reduction

Security and compliance

Risk reduction

Reduces risks associated with data migrations by making data visible early in the lifecycle so testing can start as early as possible.

Automatically generates audit reports critical to identifying data anomalies and converting data.

Covers every aspect of the data migration process.

As a one-stop-shop, UCT can use DCA to provide a turnkey solution or simply perform one aspect of the data migration process.

Timeframe and cost reduction

Allows UCT to audit and cleanse the data while converting it, thereby reducing timeframes and conversion costs by an estimated 40 to 60%.

Turns BAs into programmers, which reduces dependency on programmer-analysts (less than one per project).

Facilitates complex migration projects on a compressed schedule.

Security and compliance

Security is not compromised since the conversion system is executed in secure zone within the customer infrastructure.

Creates documentation directly from migration logic, so it is always synchronized, available and usable.

Manages project files in a virtual library that reflects data migration structure.

Generates validations and automates common lifecycle tasks.

Identifies data inconsistencies and corrects various anomalies based on business rules, so data can be transformed and/or cleansed before or during the conversion.

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DCA makes a difference

Classic data migration process	UCT data migration process using DCA proprietary toolset
Technicians create programs by using traditional methods, namely a paper-intensive, handwritten requirements collection and implementation process. They ask the user their needs, they write it down, they code it, they take it back to the user, they make adjustments and they redo the process multiple times.	We express mapping requirements as business logic directly into DCA, which automatically turns the logic into source code and documentation. Changes to requirements in DCA immediately result in changes to source code. Source code can be tested and output generated in minutes. This allows us to iterate and evolve a migration solution very quickly without involving the programmer.

DCA enables browser-based mapping and allows for complete project management, tracking and system update compatibility. DCA contains a full complement of software tools for:

Data analysis
Data cleanup
Data migration and conversion
Data migration reconciliation, balancing, & validation
Product configuration
Error management and reporting

On an Extract Transform Load (ETL) project, the generated code modules equate to the data transformation component. DCA is designed with a specific data hierarchy that models the typical migration project, which consists of auditing systems, moving data from source systems into target systems and reconciling the results.

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Main Features

Generates conversion modules from business rules
Auditing and balancing business rules automatically created
Built-in reporting services provide data migration metrics and analysis
Creates XML, delimited data, flat files, JSON and common insurance transactions to load target data structures or drive transactions through the target system
Creates user friendly and perfectly synchronized documentation of migration actions
Synchronizes DCA items to the conversion platform in real time
Sophisticated data audit and data cleanup capabilities
Fully customizable Compare/Balance functionality verifies results
Run-time exceptions tracking
Message board retains project information and enhances team communication
Automated software updates
Complete Help and Reference documentation

Architecture

Thin client web application
Creates a conversion system, which can run in any environment
Platform and database independent
Non-invasive software

Core technologies

User interface: ASP.NET, C#, and VBScript
Code generation engine: C++
DCA’s code is portable to any environment

Supported operating systems

DCA-generated code can run on any environment including OS/370, AS/400, Windows and UNIX
DCA is installed on a ‘Wintel’ class server using Windows 2000 or higher

Supported data storage formats

Databases: SQL Server, DB2, Rdb, MS Access, etc.
Proprietary data storage: flat files, delimited data files, VSAM files, XML data, etc.

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Licensing opportunities

DCA is available for licensing to insurers, system vendors, system integrators, thirdparty administrators (TPAs) and other consulting firms who want to successfully run their own data migration projects. UCT offers a variety of packaging options that include training and multiple levels of resource support, using flexible cost structures based on various metrics to fit any business model.

INQUIRE ABOUT OUR LICENCING OPTIONS

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Data Conversion Architect

Download our DCA brochure

Inquire about a data migration or conversion study

Inquire about a product demo