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Published October 10, 2024

Alex Kirpichny

Alexander Kirpichny

Product Owner, Ispirer Systems

Data migration is one of the most vital, if not the most difficult, tasks for any organization. You may be modernizing a database, going to cloud computing, or combining multiple systems. Whatever the case, the objective remains the same: to transfer the data from one point to another without hiccups and in a safe manner. Nevertheless, keeping your data intact and safe within such processes can be tricky: this is what we call data integrity.

This article will focus on data integrity during migration and its significance and give five key recommendations that will assist you in safeguarding your data.

Why is Database Migration Critical?

In today's world, where technology is evolving fast, organizations make everything possible to stay competitive and relevant. It includes migrating databases from legacy to modern ones, going to the cloud, and incorporating new software. Migration of databases is an integral part of these transitions. But with such an increase in power, which a company is searching for, also comes the problem of moving a considerable amount of data – most of which is sensitive and of paramount importance to the organization.

Although this may not be the case during this stage, data integrity becomes an overwhelming factor in the transition. It ensures the preservation of data's accuracy, reliability, and consistency even in the face of system migrations, which prevents interruptions in businesses' day-to-day operations. Bad data integrity causes users to reach wrong conclusions, waste resources, and eventually lead to clients or associates losing confidence in the enterprise.

Database migration is not just a matter of implementing new technology. It is a decision that shapes an organization's future. Without addressing the proper data migration, there is a huge risk of financial loss and compliance breaches.

What is Data Migration?

Data migration refers to transferring data between different systems, applications, or storage environments. It might involve moving from an on-premise setup to a cloud-based infrastructure, upgrading to a more advanced database, or consolidating various systems into a unified platform. While migration offers many benefits—like better efficiency, minor costs, and access to new features—it also introduces challenges, especially regarding maintaining data integrity and security.

Migration is always about risks. For example, errors can occur when data is moved to another format, and compatibility issues can occur. When moving data across environments, it is especially crucial to take strict security measures.

Defining Data Integrity

Data integrity

Data integrity refers to data consistency, accuracy, and trustworthiness. Simply, it ensures that the data you transfer is identical to the data you started with—nothing gets lost, changed, or corrupted during migration. If data is compromised, it can lead to erroneous business insights, incorrect financial calculations, or customer dissatisfaction. In the worst cases, sensitive data could fall into the wrong hands, leading to breaches and compliance violations.

What does it mean to maintain data integrity:

  • First, data must be protected so that no unauthorized access would occur, whether accidental or intentional.
  • Second, data should remain readable. It is necessary, especially when replicated or moved to another database.

The Role of Data Integrity in Database Migration

Database migration is an integral part of a digital transformation journey. As long as organizations move their legacy and low-performing database solutions to modern and fast alternatives, preserving data integrity becomes crucial.

Why is data integrity so important during database migration? The answer is simple. Imagine that you are migrating a database with critical customers' data, and it gets corrupted during the transition. Boom! You may lose your data and suffer serious reputational damage to your organization.

When data integrity isn't maintained, it introduces serious risks:

  • Operational Disruptions. Compromised data can halt workflows, leading to downtime and revenue loss.
  • Bad Decision-Making. Executives might make misguided decisions if key metrics are based on corrupted data.
  • Regulatory Issues. Every industry is heavily regulated with judicial documents. This is the case for healthcare and banking. If data is poorly managed in such spheres, it could result in hefty fines for non-compliance.

These four reasons indicate an exceptional need for maintaining data integrity and prioritizing security measures during migration.

Best Practices for Maintaining Data Integrity During Migration

Preserving data integrity

Here are five essential practices to ensure data integrity during any migration process:

  • Data Profiling. Before starting a migration project, companies should closely examine the quality of their data. This step ensures that there are no duplicates, missing values or inconsistencies that may cause issues later.
  • Backup and Recovery Plan. Before beginning the migration, you should always have a backup strategy. It provides a safety net in case things go wrong. Organizations may also create a recovery plan, which means that if any issues occur during migration, the company can roll back to the previous version without disputing operations.
  • Data Validation. It's important to conduct validation checks at every migration stage—before, during, and after. The checks help identify mismatches with the original data and catch discrepancies. Implementing checks like data type validation and checksum verification can save you from troubleshooting larger issues later.
  • Incremental Migration. Consider using an incremental approach rather than migrating all data in one go. It allows you to move data in smaller, more manageable batches, reducing the risk of large-scale errors. It also gives you more time to identify and fix issues before they affect the entire dataset. SQLWays Wizard, which is a part of Ispirer Toolkit, is an optimal example of the tool that supports incremental data migration.

Data Integrity vs. Data Security: What's the Difference?

While data integrity and security often work together, they are different. Data security protects your data from unauthorized access, corruption, or loss—essentially, keeping the bad guys out. Data integrity, however, is about ensuring that your data remains accurate, consistent, and reliable throughout its lifecycle.

In many ways, data security is a key part of maintaining data integrity. Without proper security measures, your data is vulnerable to breaches and tampering, compromising its accuracy and reliability. Therefore, both integrity and security are crucial for a successful data migration.

Conclusion

Data migration is vital beyond simply transferring information from one system to another. It involves careful planning and execution to ensure that data remains intact, accurate, and secure throughout the process. Focusing on critical practices like data profiling, validation, incremental migration, and robust security measures can safeguard your organization's data integrity and ensure a smooth transition.

Data integrity prevents error and disruptions, protects your organization's reputation, and helps you comply with data regulations. Apparently migrating data is not just moving data, it is about transferring data safely with confidence.

If you're planning a database modernization journey, consider the Ispirer Toolkit. It offers up to 100% automated migration of your entire database schema and data to modern technologies. Interested in learning more or purchasing a migration solution? Check out the Ispirer Toolkit pricing to find the perfect plan for your needs.

Not sure which plan is the right fit? Book a demo with our Ispirer experts and get all your questions answered in a quick 30-minute call.