Key Questions to Consider When Migrating Data to the Cloud

There’s a lot to think through when planning your cloud migration, including many aspects that are easy to overlook. Data is too obvious to be missed, and because it’s so important, you should expect to spend a significant amount of time thinking about the best migration strategy.

There are a number of questions you should ask yourself before migrating any data set to the cloud:

Do we need this data set?

Much data in any business is duplicate data that’s no longer needed, such as copies of data created for development projects that are complete. You may have multiple datasets housing customer information that could be combined. Some data may be old and rarely needed; consider migrating it to an archival storage tier instead of expensive, fast storage.

Do we need this database?

Distinct from the data itself is the database it’s housed in. Some data is stored in conventional SQL databases and you may want to migrate directly to that vendor’s cloud version. Other data is stored in homegrown systems and cloud migration may present an opportunity to transition to a supported platform. For some data, this might be the time to try out a NoSQL database.

Do we need this data model?

You may need the data and the database, but you may not need it in its current format. The data model may no longer serve your purposes, or the data may be incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrect. Depending on how well it fits your needs and the time you have available before migrating, you may want to invest in a database clean-up or redesign project.

How big is the data?

The size of your data determines how practical various data transfer methods are. For truly large databases, copying the data to another drive and physically shipping the device may be the only way to complete the transfer within reasonable time.

How do we validate the migration?

Once you’ve transferred the data, you’ll need to verify that it transferred completely and without any corruption. In addition, you may need a way to sync the migrated data with any changes that were made after the transfer process started. You’ll need to validate that process as well.

How do we protect the data?

Cloud increases the potential for third parties to access your data, whether by the cloud provider’s employees, hackers who access the malware, or accidental exposure of data to other users of the shared resources. All data should be protected both at rest and in transit to reduce the risks. Investigate how to implement this and whether you or the cloud provider will have control of the encryption keys. Learn about ways to keep your cloud secure.

Get help getting your data to cloud with cloud services from CCS Technology Group. Contact us to learn how to think through the important data migration questions and develop a strategy that succeeds.