ST Nov-Dec 2023
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Syniti 30.qxd 01-<strong>Dec</strong>-23 11:06 AM Page 3<br />
MANAGEMENT: DATA MIGRATION<br />
"Single source to single target migration has its share of challenges. But it's rare to find<br />
a large-scale transformation that is a straightforward, single source to single target<br />
affair. Instead you're more likely to find multiple source systems or multiple targets,<br />
which exponentially increases the complexity. Often, data exists in different formats,<br />
meets different standards or, sometimes, may not exist at all. But although it is true that<br />
each migration is different, the solution is universal. A successful migration relies on<br />
preparation and putting in the groundwork."<br />
preparation and cleansing: a crucial part<br />
of any migration.<br />
Many customers tell me that their data<br />
only needs light-touch cleansing and<br />
preparation. My experience says<br />
otherwise. Often-times, these statements<br />
are based on gut feeling or blind faith<br />
rather than solid fact. Would you be<br />
willing to bet millions of dollars on that?<br />
That is often what is at stake when<br />
migrations fail.<br />
I understand that no company has<br />
unlimited time and resources, so it's<br />
important to think carefully about how you<br />
prepare and focus on the activities that<br />
will have the most impact.<br />
UNDER<strong>ST</strong>AND YOUR DATA -<br />
OBJECTIVELY<br />
Poke your data, prod it, manipulate it.<br />
Whatever you do, make sure you are<br />
walking into your transformation with eyes<br />
open.<br />
Armed with this understanding, identify<br />
the gaps and put a plan in place to<br />
address them. Most gaps can be<br />
addressed during the migration process<br />
but the trickier ones will require time and<br />
expertise. Identifying these gaps in<br />
advance means you can plan<br />
appropriately and make sure activity is<br />
completed ahead of the migration - so<br />
you don't run out of time and have to<br />
compromise on quality.<br />
ROBU<strong>ST</strong> REPORTING<br />
Establish a reporting process to track how<br />
preparation activities are progressing and,<br />
more importantly, identify potential delays<br />
as early as possible. Everybody gets side<br />
tracked at some point and most of the<br />
business people involved in the process<br />
will also have a day job running at the<br />
same time.<br />
So take time at the start of the project to<br />
put in place performance indicators and<br />
alerts to identify potential delays before<br />
they snowball into substantial issues. If it<br />
looks like progress is stalling, have a<br />
contingency plan to make sure data<br />
quality remains a priority in the lead up to<br />
the migration.<br />
JU<strong>ST</strong> ONE THING<br />
With every migration, priorities compete<br />
and it can be difficult to give everything<br />
the focus it needs. But preparation is key,<br />
and this is amplified as you start to layer<br />
in the additional complexity of multiple<br />
systems, large data volumes, or complex<br />
processes. So if you do just one thing<br />
differently ahead of your next migration,<br />
spend time on preparation for a<br />
successful, less stressful process.<br />
More info: www.syniti.com<br />
www.storagemagazine.co.uk<br />
@<strong>ST</strong>MagAndAwards <strong>Nov</strong>/<strong>Dec</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
<strong>ST</strong>ORAGE<br />
MAGAZINE<br />
31
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