Gartner® Report: How to Succeed at Database and DBMS Migration

Business transformation, the shift to digital and databases in the cloud are increasing demand for DBMS migrations. These migrations present challenges and traps for the unwary. Data and analytics leaders should ensure their organizations understand how to execute successful DBMS migrations.

Knowledge is power, though, and in their recent report, Gartner researched and shared the best practices organizations are following to enable migration success. Along with what to do to migrate, Gartner highlighted what not to do, so you have a strategic and detailed map for migration success.

Here are a few of the takeaways from the report:

• Data and analytics leaders choosing DBMS migrations as a data management solution should:
• Prepare for the project by securing management support, establishing a core team with key skills and defining clear commitments and goals. Ensure the team becomes familiar with migration issues. If this firm foundation is not laid, then subsequent steps cannot be executed correctly.
• Make a short, initial, high-level assessment to determine the feasibility and approximate size and scope of the project. Do not mix high- and low-level planning; keep them separate.
• Deliver a fully detailed and budgeted migration plan by accomplishing a comprehensive migration study. Identify risk factors and put mitigations in place.
• Carry out the migration, which includes the full cycle of development and testing, by following the firm specifications and plan produced in the detailed migration plan.
• Execute a clear cutover to production by provisioning the new databases and bulk loading historical data from the old system; include parallel running if needed. Plan for and execute follow-up activities, such as decommissioning the old system after fully validating the new one.

Want more tips for database and DBMS migration success? Read the Gartner full report here.

Gartner, How to Succeed at Database and DBMS Migration, 25 April 2023, By Henry Cook Et Al.

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