Data migration checklist

Points to check before any data migration.

1. Process constraints:
   • optimal and maximum allowed time to perform all operations (e.g. weekend, 48 hours)
   • rollback case: partial, full?
   • resume migration from the last failed operation or restart all?
   • monitoring: logs, UI, console output, technical data...
2. Source data:
   • formats and descriptions
   • data volume estimation (bytes, rows, tables, tuples...)
   • who is responsible to explain data logic in terms of business logic?
   • data access:
     • directly to DBMS - how to connect?
     • exported files - consider the time to export fresh data to file, file access permissions
     • is data cleanup required?
3. Destination data:
   • database access (how to, and what is minimal permissions level required e.g. DB owner)
   • database model (schema) with description
   • who is responsible to explain data logic in terms of business logic?
   • any constraints that may affect data import: storage limits, triggers, replication...
4. ETL/ELT:
   • allowed/recommended software (e.g. SQL Server Integration Services, custom .NET or Python application...)
   • running environment, required access and authorizations, data connections (CLI components)
   • transformations: rules to validate expected data integrity and consistency
5. Dev environment:
   • almost same software configurations as for production environment: software versions, OS, CPU architecture
   • infrastructure may be different
6. Test environments:
   • same configuration/infrastructure as for production environment
   • performance testing is "the must"