Stored data are transported between different systems having different platforms by converting the format of the stored data into a common format either before or after transmitting the stored data from the source database system to the target database system. The common format may be a format that is universal in that the common format is not machine dependent. The stored data may be kept in the common format at the target database system and never converted to another format. Optionally, the stored data may be converted from the common format to a format associated with the target database system, thereby facilitating backward compatibility. A tool may be provided for performing the conversion.