I am working on big application build using ASP.NET which was started 1.5 years back. The Site uses 3rd party telerik RadControls for UI. The problem with the website is it uses outdated stuffs like DataSets and all with no proper architecture. I have done some research and found some new technologies like ADO.NET Entity Framework out here. I want to know that is it worth investing to learn and migrate my site to ADO.NET Entity Framework at this stage.
Additionally are there any good technologies or tools (that can be used in ASP.NET) out there in the market which can be used to make the development life easier and be upto date with latest technologies.
ALL SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE REALLY PRECIOUS.
THANKS IN ADVANCE.
There is no real answer to this question.
Entity Framework is very useful. As is ASP.NET MVC. I guess it depends on what your metrics are to determine if it is worth it.
What are the goals for migration? Are you looking for a more testable website? Its unlikely to be worth migrating a large website just for the sake of it, so determining the measure of a successful migration may naturally lead you to a decision.
Its also worth noting that ASP.NET Web forms are still a viable option. If you want rapid development, which uses data grids and such like, then forms might be your best option. You could look to move to MVC, which will allow you to enforce a cleaner separation of concerns. Its horses for courses. A quick Google and you will find plenty of forms vs mvc pros and cons.
You could also consider a piece meal migration. For example, you could build and Entity Framework model of your database and start to use it one page at a time. Slowly removing ADO, but maintaining a working site. You can also use Forms, and MVC together in one site. So you don’t have to do a complete migration in one go.
Food for thought, good luck.