Running the information transfer

Once you've got a model, Marshal provides a variety of ways to trigger and execute the information transfer.

It's possible to execute a model using the modeling tool itself. This simplifies and speeds up modeling by allowing the developer to instantly test the model and verify the output. It's also a good solution for information transfers that are run less frequently, or just once, as well as for processes requiring manual interaction or verification.

For more qualified scenarios, where automation is needed, Marshal provides support for event-driven as well as timer-driven information transfers.

Marshal supports backend scheduling of information transfers. The Marshal Archiver allows you to define and schedule export jobs. A job might execute a single model or a sequence of models. The job also includes support for running external software in connection to the information transfer. Use this, for instance, to obtain execution parameters or to pass the final, exported, result along to another system or communication solution.

Programmatic execution of a Marshal transfer

It's also possible to run a transfer on-demand or event-driven. This is done, programmatically, by calling one of the interfaces (APIs) available in Marshal. The Marshal Archiver exposes a WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) interface allowing an application to pass parameters to, and execute, export jobs. A similar but stripped set of functionality, suitable for Internet domain solutions, is made available through the Marshal Integrator software.

For scenarios where an on-demand mechanism is required or preferred, but unfeasible, Marshal also provides a signaling solution as an add on to Marshal Archiver.

Manual and test

Run manually in the Marshal Editor modeling tool. This is useful for single-shot migrations, such as migrating old data in to a new system, and for testing purposes during development of the model itself.

Scheduled execution

Run scheduled using the Marshal Archiver backend service. Use the Archiver to set up scheduled migration jobs, for instance, for archiving, backup or night-time synchronization purposes.

On demand execution

Run programmatically using the Marshal Integrator web service or by triggering the Marshal Archiver via Windows Communication Foundation. This allows for other applications to run data migration jobs on-demand, e.g. for system integration and publishing purposes.