Nowadays, most modern businesses are driven by data. In this article, we are going to discuss various ways to migrate data and help build a successful data migration strategy which will prevent data loss as well as protect valuable data.
We all know that data migration is a complex and time-consuming process that involves multiple systems, different technologies, tech teams, etc. Therefore, planning data migration is very important as most of the data migration projects run over budget or end up overwhelming data processes.
Luckily, we have data migration companies, tools, technologies and data migration specialists available in the market which can help migrate data seamlessly and at a much lesser cost.
What is Data Migration?
Data Migration is the process of shifting data from one location to another, one format to another, or even one application to another. This process is taken under consideration when organisations plan to move from on-premises infrastructure to a cloud-based storage in order to further improve their company.
Types of Data Migration
Data Migration can be done in a variety of different forms. In general, there are five types of data migration:
- Storage Migration: This type of migration focuses on moving data from the existing storage device to a different or advanced storage device.
- Database Migration: This is the process of upgrading a database engine and migrating the entire installed database of files to a new device.
- Application Migration: This type of migration takes place when an organisation wants to switch from one web hosting service to another for better connectivity.
- Business Process Migration: This kind of process is when migration of applications and databases takes place. It contains complex information like customers, products, and operations.
- Cloud Migration: This type of migration involves moving data from one cloud to another or hard-drive to cloud storage for better connectivity and speed.
How to Conduct a Successful Data Migration
Recognise Data Format, Data Location & Sensitivity
Once you have decided the type of data migration your organisation needs, then you should list down details like data format, locations where data is stored or kept, and who is using the existing data.
Use Clean Data
Bad or incorrect data should not be moved to a new system as this may lead to errors. Before moving forward with any type of migration, make sure that the data is clean and ready to be moved to the new system.
Full Data Backup
If you are migrating organisational data, taking a proper backup of the complete data is very important. Any move at any time may go wrong during data migration especially when not done correctly. Therefore, in order to prevent any data loss, take backups and test beforehand.
Define Size and Scope
You have to clearly define the scope, size, objective and goals of the work before starting the migration process and make sure that everyone is on agreement with everything. You also have ensure that people who are going to be impacted by migration should be well-informed in advance to reduce downtime and errors.
Identify Right Resources and Assess Staff
It is essential to have the right team with expert knowledge and skills in the data migration process in order to run a smooth and error-free data migration. To successfully do this, hiring or consulting with a Data Migration Specialist is strongly required.
Importance of Data Migration Strategy
It is important that you should plan a Data Migration Strategy to avoid missing deadlines, exceeding budgets, and project failures. Well-planned data migration strategies will help you prevent poor execution and errored data.
Conclusion
I hope this article will help you perform an error-free data migration because, as discussed, a right data migration strategy is essential to prevent any data loss.
We can consider data migration as relocating valuables from one home to another for better security and quick access. So, if you are planning to do so, we strongly suggest that you should consult a data migration assistant or connect with a data migration company to avoid any mishaps.
