While the hassle that can come with data center migration is undesirable in pretty much any situation, and it can even seem like there’s never a right time to do it, companies do actually benefit from choosing to go for it in almost all cases. First and foremost, a data center migration can result in significant cost savings, but it can also make things much more efficient and agile, which brings other benefits like better productivity down the line. However, companies should approach migration with caution and a good plan to avoid falling victim to some of the most common data migration mistakes that can make things go in the wrong direction fast.
This article will be about the most common data migration mistakes organizations should know about to avoid falling into traps that could’ve otherwise been easily avoided. Here we go.
Simple, But Common Data Migration Mistakes
While migrating your on-premises data center can have many benefits, the process itself can be a source of errors. Some of those mistakes will almost sound banal, however, these are the ones that most frequently lead to a series of other mistakes, which in the end, result in an unsuccessful migration.
Bad Timing
Timing is always important, but it’s even more important when it comes to data migration. One of the most common data migration mistakes organizations often make is not calculating with the fact that the migration can sometimes take more time than initially expected. This affects customer experiences and the bottom line as well. Unplanned downtime can affect an organization’s activity; therefore, it’s crucial to choose a good time when business operations permit it to remain idle for the time of migration.
To choose the optimal time for the migration, companies must pay close attention to their activity patterns. These can reveal which are the busiest periods, and indicate the timeframes when scheduling the migration will likely result in more issues. This can mean anything from months to weeks or days of the week. For a successful migration with the smallest inconveniences for both the company and its clients, choose the least busy period possible. Avoid business hours,
and aim for the weekends and slow periods of the year when data volumes are lower.
This strategy can decrease the risk of data migration mistakes and help your company handle the already stressful situation under less pressure and in a calmer and more collected manner.
Starting the Migration Without a Detailed Plan
It might sound silly, but sometimes, companies can overlook the complexity of the data migration process, underestimate the difficulty and the risks, and commence without actually being prepared to meet the possible challenges of the procedure. Very often, not having a plan means that whenever an issue arises during the migration process, you’ll have to come up with a solution right then and there. Soon enough, panic breaks out, and even small mistakes can escalate into disastrous issues if there’s no plan to outline how to contain problems before they turn into trouble.
A thorough migration plan includes all the small actions that need to happen, and it has to include a plan of action for unexpected situations as well. Developing a plan like this can be lengthy, but considering the chaos than can result from jumping over this crucial initial step, it’s advised to allocate sufficient time for this phase of preparing.
Skipping Testing
The next most frequently encountered data migration mistake is completely or even partially skipping the testing phase. Yes, testing can be tiresome and boring, however, not testing can lead to fatal errors in the migration process or lengthy, unplanned downtime due to unanticipated events. Like most IT projects, testing should be considered a critical activity, and not merely at the end: testing is recommended at every phase of the migration process. Poor or inadequate testing can have severe consequences, some of which are the following:
- Incomplete and faulty transfers
- Corrupted data in critical business operations
- Compromised data reliability
- Data loss
- Data breaches
- Business application disruptions
- Extended downtime
- Reputational damage
Another frequently encountered issue related to testing is when the departments of the business are only partially involved in the testing process. Organizations often tend to leave all the testing to developers. However, many application-related errors reveal themselves faster when employees from different departments are included in the testing. As a rule, two heads are better than one, and putting them together can help unravel potential errors more quickly.
Tips to Reduce and Avoid Data Migration Errors
There’s probably no migration without at least a few smaller mistakes or errors. However, the number and severity of errors can have a much smaller impact if the organization does everything to reduce them to the minimum. There are a few tips and best practices that can help keep the entire migration process controlled and with the fewest possible errors.
Assign a Migration Team
Selecting the individuals who will oversee the migration is one of the first and most important actions at the beginning of the process. You can subdivide your team and assign responsibilities depending on your migration goals and needs.
Define What You Want to Move and Prepare Your Data
Migrating every bit of data is among the common data migration mistakes organizations make. In most cases, a bit of decluttering can make a big difference and lower the risk of errors. Moving everything makes the entire process take longer, increasing downtime. The migration team is responsible for determining which data should or should not be migrated to the new infrastructure. Migration is a great opportunity to get rid of legacy data sets that no longer serve your company. Cleaning your data before the migration makes things much smoother, including the migration process itself.
Defining and scanning your source data thoroughly can help identify gaps, misspellings, duplicates, and other errors that can become dangerous and lead to failures at configuring. To make the transition to the new parameters easier and less infused with potential errors, do everything you can to cleanse your source data and prepare it for the migration.
Anticipate Delays
Migration can often take longer than initially expected due to unanticipated impediments that can appear along the process. Some steps can take longer than initially planned, while others can demand more thorough testing. You can run out of resources, which, again, can cause delays in finishing the procedure. Anticipating unforeseen delays can prepare your team to handle emerging situations efficiently and estimate the required timeframe more accurately.
Ask For Professional Advice
Data migration can be a complex endeavor, and in order to avoid the pitfalls of common data migration mistakes, sometimes asking the advice of experts is the safest way to go. Third-party experts can make an assessment for you and offer valuable advice tailored to your case. With the help of professionals, it’s easier to estimate the length of the migration more accurately and shed light on any potential issues that could make the procedure more challenging.
Need more certainty about the details of your migration? Consider getting advice from our team of experts with extensive experience at Volico Data Centers. We offer our clients knowledgeable advice tailored to their specific case, as well as answers to any questions that may arise. Moreover, our certified support technicians and professional team can help you migrate your assets to any environment. Rest assured, we offer complete, fast, and efficient migration services so you can concentrate your energies on your business’s core objectives.
If you need advice on your migration plans or just want to learn more about data migration, call (305) 735-8098 or send a message in chat to have someone on our team contact you.
