DialogWorks 353 Bartlett Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415.824.8890 www.dialogworks.com
Data Migration
Overview
Data migration is the process of transferring data between storage types, formats, or computer systems. In many situations this is complicated process, involving data in different formats, multiple databases and other data sources, and active applications that rely on the data.
This document summarizes DialogWorks process for data migration.
5 Step Data Migration Process:
1. Kickoff 4. Develop
Covers: • Target data schema and database • Scope of work configuration. • People involved, their roles and • Create data mapping templates. responsibilities • Create any necessary software • Preliminary schedule and key dates tools/templates. • Important issues and concerns such • Test the various tools and processes that as system downtime. will be used. • If data migration will happen on an ongoing basis then create applications, 2. Discovery and processes, to automate the data transfer. Consider history logging, data Investigate and document the current data validation, error handling, rolling back to situation: prior state, notifications. • Databases • Fields, data types, values, relationships 5. Execute • Size/volume of data • Data sources • Data exports • Security • Populate data mapping templates, • Validity, data cleanliness • Data processing/transformation (e.g., • Data related processes, manual and dedupping and data cleanup, calculated automated. fields) • Applications and users • Data import into new database • Business impacts of the migration. • Post import data processing • Provide history logs and error alerts and appropriately handle any issues. 3. Detailed Migration Plan • Validation: • Compare general statistics for source Specification detailing exactly what the data and target data. record counts, range migration will involve: of values, min/max/average values. • Systems involved • Manually check all values in a random • Key activities, transition steps, sample of records, plus check records schedule with unusual origins or boundary • Dependencies conditions. • Identify equipment and tools: • Test applications that rely on the data computers and storage devices, databases, software applications and utilities, custom software utilities and application extensions. • Testing plan, verification procedures • Completion criteria.