Whether you intend to upgrade the server or you are looking for options for replacing them, data migration plans are useful in streamlining the process. It is also useful in relocating to the data center, conduction of server maintenance. The data migration plan is recognized to be the initial step of the data migration plan. It is useful in preparing, selecting, transforming, extracting and transferring the data of the correct quality and form.
Migration of data is considered to be a special activity which requires a detailed plan, primarily when it involves the transfer of complex data.
The data migration services makes use of the cleanup process for reducing the chances of risks. Here are a few checklists that will help in making data migration less risk and enhance the opportunity of success in the completion of the project:
Identification of location, data format, and sensitivity
Before the starting of the data migration procedure, you need to identify the type of data, you are going to migrate, the current format and what will be the format of the data post to migration. With the identification of this information, you will gain prerequisite knowledge to conduct the process of data migration.
During the pre-planning procedure, you may find potential risks which need effective planning to deal with. This pre-planning step will ensure that you do not make any critical errors during the final migration procedure.
Tips
You need to select a process, which you are highly comfortable with, such as a whiteboard or a spreadsheet. You need to keep in mind that it is a crucial step as it reduces the risks of the error to a significant extent.
Planning for the scope and size of the project
As you have gained a prerequisite understanding of the movement of data, you need to define the specific scope of the data migration process. You need to figure out the resources which will be used during the process of data migration. You need to analyze both the target and source system after which you should note a specific flexible period for the project.
You need to make a check if the migration of data will disrupt the normal operations of the business or it may increase the downtime. You may consider planning the migration of data during weekends or after the completion of working hours to ensure the smooth running of other operations of the business and avoiding the continuity of the business.
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You should make sure to make proper communication with the potential stakeholders about the potential downtime and timeline to ensure that the migration of data is going on perfectly without interrupting the other operations of your business.
Taking the back up of all data
Before you start the process of data migration, you need to ensure that the data has been backed up, primarily the files, you are planning to migrate. In case you encounter any sort of issues during the process of migration like missing, incomplete, or corrupt files, the backup data will be useful in rectifying the errors. They will be effective in the restoration of the data in the original form.
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Cloud backup of the data is recognized to be the most secure and safest process to take the backup of data.
Assessing the migration tools and staffs
If you are planning to transfer a large number of files, data migration can prove to be a big job. In such cases, it is recommended to refer to the scope and size of the project. You can make use of the information to ensure that the time, has the prerequisite skills and knowledge, which are required for the completion of the project.
You need to find out whether your team has the required resources and time for tackling the project in the specifically designated period. It is also necessary to check out whether you need to bring an expert for completing the process of data migration successfully.
Tips
You can consider using the data migration software to make the process free from hassles. You will be able to reassess the flexibility and features for ensuring that it meets the prerequisite requirements, during the migration of data.
Executing data migration procedure
With the prerequisite plans to guide you, you should make sure that the prerequisite system permissions have been applied for the migration of the data in a successful manner. It will also be useful for the extraction of data migration from the source system to the target.
You should make sure that the data has been cleaned for bestowing protection to the target system after which it should be transformed in the prerequisite format for the process of transfer. Next, to this, you need to load the de-duplicated and cleaned data in the target system. It is a prerequisite to monitor the process of data migration closely and thus you will be able to resolve and identify the arising issues at ease.
Testing of the final system
As the migration of data gets completed, you should make sure that there are no specific issues with the target systems as well as the sources. The ultimate objective is ensuring that the migrated data is secure, correct and it is in the right location.
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Even after you conduct testing, there are high chances that error has been made during the process of migration of data. For accounting the same, you need to conduct a full audit of the data quality and system for ensuring that each and everything is correct as the process of data migration is done.
The above mentioned six steps will help you in migrating the data from one location to the other successfully.
