Data Migration Best Practices Used by Top Organisations

Do you remember the 2024 incident? Where CrowdStrike? faced a nightmarish scenario due to an update push that disrupted Microsoft’s data operations? Evidently, what was meant to be a security-data update turned into a monumental crisis, impacting their critical data systems. However, CrowdStrike’s swift recovery was a result of their adherence to Data Migration Best Practices.

Now, imagine if your company faces a similar crisis — Will your data migration be as resilient?

The reality is, over 83% of data migration projects either exceed budget or timeline, or fail outright. Also, such failures aren’t just about the immediate costs; they ripple through your entire company leading to operational disruptions and damaged reputations. Apparently, the risks are high, but the question is: How can you make your company navigate through such a challenge seamlessly?

The answer lies in mastering the art of data migration! Likewise, TheCodeWork? specializes in helping companies design and execute data migrations that are robust, secure, and future-proof.

Common Challenges in Data Migration

Now, before delving deeper into best practices, it is important to address some of the key issues! Let’s walk through the most common pitfalls we’ve faced and helped our clients overcome.

• Data Accuracy and Integrity Issues

Firstly, a key challenge in data migration is ensuring the transferred data remains accurate and intact in the new system. After all, migrated data is only valuable if it is correct and reliable.

Moreover, duplicate entries, missing values, or outdated information can severely compromise the integrity of the system.

• Downtime and Disruptions

Even a short period of downtime can have far-reaching consequences, leading to operational bottlenecks, financial setbacks, and dissatisfied customers.

Thus, minimizing disruptions during the migration process is a key challenge that requires careful and precise planning.

• Legacy Systems and Compatibility Concerns

Migrating from legacy systems is often comparable to translating an ancient script into a modern language. Because legacy systems are typically built on outdated technologies and may not seamlessly integrate with newer platforms.

So, without a well-thought-out strategy, companies face the risk of losing critical data or experiencing functionality issues in the new environment.

• Security Risks

Evidently, the entire process of transferring data opens up the scope of certain critical vulnerabilities. Without strong encryption, access control, and compliance, sensitive data is vulnerable to breaches, risking financial and reputational damage.

With all that said, it’s clear that each step must be carefully coordinated to ensure smooth business operations during migration. That’s why, feel free to reach out to our experts for a free consultation if you’re planning to start.

Data Migration Best Practices Followed by Top Companies

So, how do leading businesses overcome the challenges of data migration? The answer lies in adopting these tried-and-true data migration best practices:

1. Developing a Robust Migration Strategy

In one instance, a client came to us facing a major challenge: A fintech company based in Europe was migrating from an outdated on-premise system to a more modern cloud-based infrastructure. The task was apparently daunting, as it involved transferring vast amounts of sensitive data without disrupting daily operations.

One of the first steps that we took was to develop a robust migration strategy, following a structured and methodical approach. With these objectives in mind, we:

• Defined Success Metrics: By setting clear goals, like improved performance and minimized downtime, it allowed us to measure progress and adjust accordingly.
• Created Realistic Timelines: Given the scale of the project, we devised a phased migration plan with clear milestones, ensuring minimal disruption.
• Allocated Resources Effectively: We evaluated available resources and ensured the right expertise was in place to support each phase of the migration. Additionally, our team worked hand-in-hand with the client’s IT staff to ensure a collaborative effort.

We also develop customized migration roadmaps tailored to a business’s specific needs across industries — As one size doesn’t fit all — Book a Free Demo to experience it firsthand!

2. Conduct a Comprehensive Data Audit

Early in the project, we discovered that much of the data in the existing system was either outdated or redundant. Now, this is where the importance of conducting a comprehensive data audit came into play.

This is because, transferring irrelevant or inaccurate data to the new system can negatively impact system performance and user experiences. Our common audit practices include -

• Identify Redundancies: We use advanced data analysis tools to scan for duplicate entries, unnecessary repetitions, and outdated records that clutter the existing system. Additionally, eliminating redundancies ensures that only unique, relevant data is transferred, saving time and reducing storage requirements.
• Spot Inconsistencies: Inconsistencies in data formats, naming conventions, or record structures can hinder integration into the new system. Our team performs an in-depth analysis to identify these inconsistencies and works to standardize data before migration.
• Eliminate Irrelevant Data: Also, not all historical data is needed for future operations! For instance, old marketing campaign data, discontinued product information, or past employee records may no longer be necessary.

Furthermore, businesses performing comprehensive data audits before migration report a 25%-40%reduction in migration time and up to 50% cost savings.

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