
Oracle Forms Migrated to Thin-Client Java - 80% Faster Conversion for Ontario Schools
At a glance -
the essentials
Ontario College Application Service
- The Ontario College Application Service - the central clearing house for applications to 25 Ontario Colleges, three Agricultural Colleges, and the Michener Institute - operated its Secondary School Online Application (SSOLA) system on Oracle Forms 6i, deployed via Oracle 9iAS. The system loaded as an Applet in browsers, causing slow initial load times, and required students to install Oracle JInitiator. With target users being students on low-spec computers and slow internet connections across Ontario, the JInitiator requirement made the system practically unusable for a large portion of applicants.
Kumaran migrated the Oracle Forms 6i application to a thin-client Java solution using Servlets, HTML, and JavaScript — retaining Oracle 8i as the database and Oracle 9iAS as the Application Server. All business logic from the Forms application was re-implemented in Java, with server-side logic in Servlets and client-side scripts in HTML/JavaScript. Kumaran's Forms-to-Java migration tools reduced conversion time by 80%. The migrated system supports multiple browsers including IE and Netscape, requires no plug-in installation, and was delivered on time for the next application cycle.
- 80% reduction in conversion time using Kumaran's Forms-to-Java migration tools
- No plug-in installation required — accessible on any browser from any device
- Faster page load times replacing Applet-based slow initial loading
- Multi-browser support — IE and Netscape compatible
- Delivered on time for the next annual application cycle
From Applet-based bottleneck to thin-client Java - 80% faster conversion
The Ontario College Application Service partnered with Kumaran to migrate its SSOLA system from Oracle Forms 6i to a thin-client Java solution, eliminating the JInitiator plug-in dependency that had been blocking student access across Ontario. Kumaran's Forms-to-Java migration tools reduced conversion time by 80%, and the solution was delivered on time for the next year's application cycle - well received by end users on launch. This was one of Kumaran's first Oracle Forms to Java migration projects, setting a foundation for future engagements in this space.
The Background
The SSOLA system served students applying to colleges across Ontario, but its Oracle Forms 6i Applet-based architecture had become a barrier to access. Students on low-spec machines and slow connections could not practically install JInitiator, and the slow initial load times made the system unusable for a significant portion of applicants. With the application cycle approaching and student access at risk, a rapid, tool-assisted migration to a browser-native, plug-in-free Java solution was essential.
Want to know how we achieved these results?
Contact us today to learn more about our Oracle Forms to Java migration approach and the success story behind this engagement with the Ontario College Application Service.
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