Businesses constantly work with large amounts of data – transferring, sending and storing information such as customer and employee details, products, services and finances. It’s important for this data to be stored properly and for it to be easily accessible when needed for the ease and uninterrupted flow of day to day tasks.

Data migration is the process of transferring information from one location to another, and happens most often during the implementation of new cloud-based storage applications. Too often, businesses underestimate the time and effort required for the data migration process, causing them to succumb to unexpected disturbance of their usual workflow which can have a negative effect on productivity.

How to create a data migration strategy

One of the most important steps in data migration is planning. This will help you know what to expect and prepare for any issues that may arise. The first step is deciding what new software you want to transfer the data into. Focus on making sure the software ties in with your business objectives before you do anything else, as you could make things more difficult down the road.

It’s helpful to have one person from each team in your business that the data migration will affect to talk about their needs for the new software. Educate yourself on the source and the target of the data – the ins and outs of the current location and the new one. This will help you understand what to expect, how long the transfer will take and how it will happen.

Create a plan

Use a project management application to keep track of how the data migration plan will be executed, who has what responsibilities and when they need to be carried out. Use a schedule to predict how long each step will take and when the overall project will be completed so that you can prepare and dedicate the time for everything to be done properly.

Knowing what you are going to do every step of the way and being ready for issues will minimise inconvenience to your business and make the process a lot easier. Make sure you are familiar with any known risks of data migration, such as data profiles not matching up across the systems – data can become distorted as a result.

Dealing with data gravity

A very time-consuming part of data migration is dealing with data gravity – referring to how large amounts of data will attract more data. The more data you have the higher chance there is for incomplete or inconsistent data to be present, which can cause issues during the transferring process. Before the transfer of data begins, it should be analysed, and this can require data to be inspected manually.

Run Tests

Test the process before you start pulling data on a larger scale so you can keep on top of any issues that occur and find solutions before the problem is too big to fix. You need to ensure that before you begin the transfer, the expected response occurs.

Transfer the data

Some companies like to transfer large amounts of data over weekends or bank holidays to minimise disruption. However, this means if anything goes wrong, it is a big job to fix and there might be more delays in the long run. Working over a period of time in small parts may increase the chance of the process running smoothly along with your ability to spot any problems.

Overall, if done properly, data migration can be a smooth but lengthy and intricate process. At Aura Technology we offer a data migration service and can take the burden off your business while working with you to create a strategy. Contact us today to find out how we can help.