Why is Data Migration Important?

By
IntelligentHQ
Why is Data Migration Important?

Proper Data Migration is Crucial for Transferring Information and Protecting Your Company

No matter what industry you work in, there’s a high chance that your company will need to transfer large sets of data from one platform to another at some point. Known as data migration, this process can help your company store a larger amount of data at a time, maintain the integrity of said data, and boost productivity. 

When it comes to strategizing data migration, you will probably need to hire some external help. Some companies might be tempted to handle it by themselves, but this can lead to decreased efficiency and increased costs down the road. If your company is preparing to migrate large sets of data, it’s imperative that you research best practices for successfully completing the process. 

To help you out, we’re reviewing some key factors to consider when planning the data migration process. In this blog post, we will cover:

  • The basics of data migration
  • Data migration tools that your company might use
  • Info on strategizing data migration

Even with the right data migration tools, the migration process can be long and arduous. By educating yourself on the why and how of the process, you can prepare your team of employees and external consultants for success when it’s time to start.

Understanding the Basics of Data Migration

Let’s start with the basics of data migration

The concept of data migration is pretty simple. It’s a process that involves the transfer of data from one location to another. Nonetheless, it requires strategic planning to ensure its success.

So, what are people talking about when they mention data migration? Simply put, data migration refers to the movement of data from one application to another.

Whether your organization is switching over to a new cloud-based storage place or transitioning data between different applications, data migration typically plays a key role in these projects. During this process, your company will need to prepare and extract the data for its transfer. 

Importance of Data Migration

Why is Data Migration Important?Data migration offers a number of benefits to companies. Businesses who successfully migrated their data enjoy benefits such as:

  • A boost in productivity and efficiency
  • Upgraded applications and services
  • Reduced storage costs
  • Improved ability to scale resources
  • A decrease in unnecessary interruptions 

Different Types of Data Migration

Why is Data Migration Important?There are four different types of data migration a company might perform:

  1. Database Migration
  2. Application Migration
  3. Storage Migration
  4. Business Process Migration

Database Migration

Database migration is a common process for companies to undergo. Because companies rely so much on databases nowadays, they might end up changing vendors, upgrading their software, or even moving their data to a cloud-based platform at some point. 

Application Migration

Application migrations are necessary when a company switches platforms or hires a new vendor. Your company might switch to a new HR database or project management software. When this happens, they will need to ensure the data can successfully be transferred between both the new application and the existing one. 

Storage Migration

Storage migration involves the transfer of data from a disk to the cloud. Companies are starting to transfer their data to the cloud for a number of reasons such as security, cost, and accessibility. 

Business Process Migration

Companies need to perform a business process migration when transferring applications and databases that contain information about their customers, services, and operations. When a company merges with another one or wants to reorganize its structure, it will need to go through a business process migration. 

Data Migration Tools 

Educate yourself about all of the data migration tools you have at your disposal

There are several types of data migration tools you can use: self-scripted, on-premises, and cloud-based. Make sure you read up on all three of these before deciding on one.

Deciding what type of data migration your company needs to undergo is only part of the battle. You also need to research different data migration tools your company might employ for the move. The three common types of data migration tools are:

  • On-premise tools — tend to cost less than the other two types, but require some coding skills
  • Open source tools — publicly available data migration tool best for smaller projects
  • Cloud-based tools — newest data migration solution that offers flexibility and increased security

Strategizing Your Data Migration Project

Learn all of the essential steps for pulling off a successful data migration

Data migration is crucial for ensuring the safety and privacy of your company’s data. Building the right strategy will help ensure its success.

There are typically seven steps involved in migrating data:

  1. Identifying the format of the data you’re planning to transfer
  2. Review the size of your project to determine what resources it will require and how much you need to budget for
  3. Backup data in case an issue occurs during the migration process
  4. Ensure you are using the right software for your data migration
  5. Upload the data to start the migration process
  6. To make sure the data has been successfully transferred, perform some final testing on the target system
  7. Invest in follow-up maintenance to make sure the data’s integrity has been maintained

Having a reliable team of experienced employees and consultants can help you ensure this process goes smoothly. As you move through each step, make sure you are following all of the necessary procedures involved in the migration. 

When it comes to strategizing data migration, you need to have the right set of tools and the right team members to help you see it through. Educating yourself on the essentials of data migration and researching the right tools and consultants for seeing this process through can help set you up for success. 

This is an article provided by our partners’ network. It does not reflect the views or opinions of our editorial team and management.

 

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