Flawless Data Migration and Data Migration Plan
Is your business growing? If so, that’s wonderful news! The not so wonderful part? The realization that you’ve outgrown your old data system–and need to migrate to a new one. Exactly what is data migration? It involves moving data from one type of storage system to another. It seems like an easy enough process, but the reality is anything but simple. The last thing you want to do is make a costly mistake while moving data. What you need is a solid data migration plan to ensure you don’t lose any precious data. In this post, we’ll outline the four key steps to successful data migration. Read on to learn more!
1. Plan
Before you even think of moving any data, you need to devise a solid plan. What type of storage will you be moving your data to? Are you migrating to the cloud or another application? Depending on your answer, you need a clear understanding of:
Design requirements
Replication requirements
Hardware requirements
Data value
Data volume
If all of this sounds like too much work for you, consider reaching out for professional help with your data migration steps. Once all the pieces of your plan are in place, it’s time for step two.
2. Extract
In this step, you’ll sort your data into the categories and order you want it to migrate. The way you organize your data will depend on the amount, the file type, the age of each file, or other relevant criteria. You may also need to do some advanced data extraction at this stage. This might include listing names of suppliers from invoices or categorizing entities in legal documents.
3. Validate
By now, all your data is organized exactly how you want it. At this stage, you need to assess how your process is working (and if you need to change anything). Work with your hosting provider to ensure all correct data has been identified and captured. Much of the process will be automated, which minimizes downtime and improves migration speed. Still, take the time to double-check everything is accurate. This could save you a lot of time and money down the road.
4. Export
Help with Data Migration and More
Now that you know the key steps of data migration, you’re one step closer to bringing your business up to date.
Whether you intend to migrate company data now or in the near future, we’re here to help. We invite you to contact us to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!