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One of the biggest challenges that businesses face is database migration. There is a lot of work involved and a great share of risk. Even so, this has to be done if you wish to improve the customer experience on your systems. From time to time, you will need to advance your hosting package or simply move to a better one. When this time comes, what you need to do is to migrate to a larger package or to a whole different server. This post focuses on the key steps you need to take when migrating.
Clean Up the Old Database
The last thing you want to do when migrating is carry the clutter from your old database to the new one. This will only succeed in clogging the new system. Therefore, before you start the transfer, it is very important that you start by cleaning the existing database. There are obviously some entries that you will not need or ones that you no longer use in every day operations. These need to go. To save time when transferring data to a new database, you need to make sure that you are only transferring the things that you need and not junk.
Appoint Project Managers
The migration process is hard. There are so many moving parts. Appointing a manager to help with the process will definitely streamline the process. The purpose of the project manager is to create and implement a project plan and to design materials to update your departments on what is happening. This is a great way to maintain a healthy employee and customer relationship during the transition. A project manager is essential whether you plan on doing everything manually or using one of the many advanced tools available on the market.
Keep All Departments in the Loop
Your database is the platform on which most of your systems run on. During transition, the system might be a bit sluggish. It is important to keep your departments in the loop. You need to inform them of the number of days the database will be down, whether training will be needed to access records on the new system, how data entry will happen in the new system, as well as how the staff will be interacting with the new software. A clear plan that employees understand will help smooth the process.
Prioritize the Data
There are certain entries that are more important to the smooth running of your business. These are the entries you should give priority to during migration. This is why any experienced DBA will always start by ranking the priority of data on the scale from must have to would be nice to have to we no longer need. The must have need to be transferred first.
Needless to say, during the migration, it is always important to migrate in stages. Always start by prioritizing the data then make a backup before you start the transfer. You will also need to set a timeline for the migration. Taking too long in the migration will hurt your business.