The final versions of the full set of .NET components (whether this concerns the development tools, or products from the .NET server family) are unlikely to be available before mid -2001, going by the most optimistic predictions.

"Old" applications built on the Microsoft DNA architecture will still function on Windows 2000 servers equipped with .NET generation tools. The two generations of applications will be able to cohabit without interference.

We therefore do not see any short-term threat for current and future DNA-based applications.

Microsoft points out that tools and assistants to help with migration will be provided with the .NET platform. However, we do not feel that this is an ideal solution, for various reasons. Firstly, migration assistants can never carry out 100% of the modifications necessary. Consequently, it would be advisable to devote sufficient time and resources to this migration. Secondly,transforming an ASP/VBScript application into ASP.NET/VB.NET will not automatically make it a.NET application. It will in all likelihood be necessary to alter the application architecture, so as to benefit fully from the new possibilities offered by .NET.

In future articles we will try to answer some of the questions that you are undoubtedly asking yourself if you have Microsoft DNA applications in production. We will try and draw an accurate schema of the optimum .NET architecture, and will show you the best way to write DNA applications which can be ported to .NET.