Data Migration Services
Modern businesses rely on flexible, scalable data systems to stay competitive and efficient. Successful data migration is key to unlocking that potential while avoiding costly disruptions.
As your business evolves so do your data storage and management needs. Migrating your data to new systems is often necessary to overcome size constraints and technology limitations. Modern companies are increasingly developing smart data strategies to get the most benefit from their valuable data. This is driving migration to the cloud and other dynamic data solutions.
Moving your data to more suitable, efficient environments can yield benefits and competitive advantages, but the process is not without risks. Data loss, corruption, integration issues, and business disruption are common challenges.
We provide a fully managed service designed to mitigate these risks. Our expert team oversees all aspects of data migration – from initial evaluation to secure transfer to support and performance checks following the move.
What is a data migration service?
A database migration service guides and manages the transfer of your data to a new system or cloud platform. The service ensures an efficient, smooth migration, minimising downtime and avoiding data loss or corruption. The migration service typically extends from an initial assessment to actioning the migration to follow-up and maintenance.
Why choose Zenzero's data migration services?
We aim to provide our clients with added value through affordable pricing, future-fit solutions, and comprehensive data strategies. Aware of the financial pressures faced by small and medium-sized enterprises, we offer cost-effective plans, with even lower costs for migrations within the same database engine (e.g., SQL Server to SQL Server). By leveraging advanced technology and monitoring tools, we ensure migrations address current capacity while anticipating future requirements, enabling proactive planning. As a future-focused scale-up company, we also offer valuable insights on scalability and preparedness. Furthermore, our data strategy experts go beyond basic customer analysis to help businesses harness data science, driving critical decisions that boost revenue and profitability.
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When is data migration necessary?
Data migration may be necessary to scale or upgrade your operations – or for several other reasons, including:
Cloud adoption
You are moving some of your IT operations – like data storage – to the cloud. It’s expected that by 2025, 85% of businesses will prioritise cloud adoption. Managing your databases on the cloud offers the benefits of flexibility and scalability, and it reduces hardware costs.
New server
You are installing a new server or relocating and restructuring your server in a different data centre.
Modernising legacy systems
You are upgrading your systems and need to migrate your data to the new one.
Consolidation
You are consolidating data from different systems – perhaps after a merger or acquisition.
Regulatory compliance
You may need to change your database setup to meet industry-specific compliance standards.
Types of data migration
The following projects are among the most common types of data migration:
Storage migration
This is required when you upgrade to a larger or more flexible storage solution. It can include moving data functions (eg. storage, processing, backup) from an on-site location to a cloud platform.
Database migration
Moving data from one database to another may involve modifying data structures and schema to ensure compatibility. Databases often have different formats and organising structures.
Application migration
Application migration applies when you transition data as part of upgrading or changing business applications or vendors.
Data centre migration
Moving your data centre to a new location might not necessarily require migration. However, if the relocation involves new hardware or systems, a migration exercise becomes necessary.
Cloud migration
A cloud migration transfers your data to cloud environments. Companies typically do this to take advantage of quick and easy access to computer resources that may otherwise be too expensive.
What are the challenges of data migration?
Data loss, file corruption, unexpected expenses, and security breaches are all possible consequences of poorly handled migrations. Avoiding these worst-case scenarios requires knowledge and experience. It’s essential to address the following challenges proactively.
Security vulnerabilities
Data may be exposed to security threats during the migration process. Threats can occur because of inadequate encryption, risky temporary storage, or exposure to bad actors during transit. In addition, misconfiguration of new systems can lead to vulnerabilities that criminals can exploit down the road.
Data structure issues
We’ve mentioned that there are often formatting differences between source systems and target (destination) systems. If the data being moved doesn’t align with the new system, it can be placed in incorrect fields or lose essential relationships. This misalignment can result in poor performance. It also complicates retrieval and analysis.
Data corruption
Data can become corrupted if not properly handled during the transfer. This can occur due to software bugs, hardware failures, or interruptions in the migration process. Corruption can manifest as missing, altered, or unreadable data. Corrupted files may be difficult to recover or restore.
Data integrity issues
Errors in data mapping or transformation processes can severely affect data quality after migration. The newly situated data might be inconsistent or inaccurate – lacking integrity. Integrity issues can lead to “dirty data” entering the system, causing unreliable information.
Budget overruns
Poorly handled data migration projects sometimes go over budget and/or exceed their timelines. This is costly in terms of unbudgeted expenses, unexpected downtime, and disrupted business operations.
Integration challenges
Integration challenges arise when the migrated data doesn’t perform properly with existing systems, applications, or workflows. Here again, differences in data formats and compatibility issues are common causes.
How Zenzero helps you migration your data
Zenzero offers expert-led data migration services to ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime. Our approach guarantees that your data is secure, intact, compatible, and fully operational in the new system.
Our migration process includes:
- Assessment: We understand your business needs, IT setup, and data environment.
- Audit: We identify errors and remove unnecessary data.
- Backup: Critical backup ensures data restoration if needed.
- New Environment Preparation: We ensure the target system is ready for seamless integration.
- Testing: We test small samples to resolve potential issues before full migration.
- Execution: Migration is carried out in phases or all at once.
The process includes:
- Extraction: Retrieving data from its current sources.
- Cleansing: Correcting errors and ensuring data quality.
- Loading: Transferring data to the new system.
- Validation: Verifying the accuracy of the migration.
- Monitoring: Ongoing checks to ensure success.
By carefully planning and executing each step, we ensure your migration and data integration is smooth and successful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be any downtime during my data migration?
A professional database migration service should minimise downtime by planning the migration process carefully. Phased and incremental techniques can be used to limit disruption. A parallel migration allows both systems to operate during the switchover so that the transition takes place without significant downtime.
Who performs data migration?
Data migration is performed by a team of professional data technicians. Depending on the scope of the migration, the team can include a system analyst familiar with the source and target systems and a business analyst who understands the migrated data’s business value. An ETL (Extracting, Transforming, and Loading) Developer may also be involved.
How do I do data migration?
Follow these seven steps to manage a data migration:
- Assess and understand the data formats and new and old systems.
- Plan the size and scope of the project.
- Be sure to back up your databases before proceeding.
- Assemble your migration tools.
- Carry out the data migration plan.
- Test the data in the new system.
- Monitor the data migration plan to ensure everything is performing as intended.
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Our expertise in secure managed support services and cost-effective IT transformation projects makes us your ideal long-term IT partner.