Data-Centric vs. Application-Centric Approaches to Application Migration
With the introduction of cloud computing, data-driven analysis, and other technologies, some IT staff might believe that the only constant thing about their profession is that it never stops changing. Because new technologies keep emerging at a blinding rate, most companies have been through many different application migrations. No matter how well technical people plan these migrations, they often find themselves delayed because the new system can’t absorb the old data smoothly.
Benefits of a Data-Driven Approach to Migrations
Taking a data-driven approach to migrations ensures that vital data and data integration don’t cause problems because they had been only included as an afterthought. Questions about data storage, the way that existing data integrates with other systems, how users enter and retrieve information, and data volume should all get addressed in the planning stage.
These are some of the kinds of questions that migration planners might consider before developing plans and maybe even buying or developing a new computer system:
- What kinds of data from the old system needs to migrate to the new system?
- How will that information integrate with other systems?
- What is the volume of data, and how will that volume impact storage needs and processing time?
- What data is missing from either the old system or the plans for the new one?
- How does information enter the system and get reported upon?
Since today’s businesses rely upon their information to work efficiently and to gain a competitive advantage, it’s important that the new system actually improves data accessibility and doesn’t make it worse. A new application might offer a more intuitive interface, more secure storage, or any number of other advantages; however, it won’t work well if some of the data is missing or incompatible.
We Can Help Plan, Implement, and Test Application Migrations
At iTech, our experienced consultants and technicians have plenty of experience performing application and data migrations the right way. If you need us to help you conduct a smooth software or hardware upgrade, just call or email us right away. We want to help you plan and implement a successful migration, but we can also step in to solve problems with an existing project.