I posted this over at SQL Server Central, but I thought I’d repeat the question here:
I really need some help on this one. One of our development teams is looking into ORM as a way to get code out the door faster. I’ve been doing a bunch of research on the topic (I’ll post the links below) and I’ve found some interesting discussions over the pluses & minuses of the methdology. There are lots of positive examples of how well it works from all the vendors of various ORM products. I can’t find any concrete examples of failed projects or long term maintenance nightmares or anything else like that. Even if ORM is the greatest thing since the flush toilet, there must be failures out there. Does anyone have any links or can provide any examples on failed or problematic ORM implementations?
I’m not trying to prevent the use of ORM, but I want as thorough an understanding of any possible problems as I can. Please help.
Here are a few of the links that I found useful:
http://saloon.javaranch.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=78&t=000447
http://groups.google.com/group/ruby-talk-google/browse_thread/thread/938ae1538a84602d
This one is widely quoted
http://blogs.tedneward.com/2006/06/26/The+Vietnam+Of+Computer+Science.aspx
And answered directly
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/architecture/ORM_Vietnam.aspx
More
http://rapidapplicationdevelopment.blogspot.com/2007/08/create-data-disaster-avoid-unique.html http://www.devx.com/vb2themax/Article/19894
http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials/aspnet/e957c6de-8400-4748-b42d-027f7a228063/objectrelational-mapping.aspx
What are some of the lessons emerging from these experiences? ,
So far… nothing. They won’t let us look at the code or the database yet. We did have a long discussion about “concerns” they were having over SQL Server’s locking mechanisms. I suspect they’re hitting issues, but we can’t see what they’re doing.
I am looking forward to when I get at the database and the code because I suspect, if nothing else, I’ll get a lot of good blog posts out of it.