Data migration: Difference between revisions

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The list below is used with gratitude from the Dartford Grammar School <ref>http://ib.compscihub.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1.1.6.pdf</ref>. The list represent '''types''' of problems we can encounter when we migrate data:
There are several problems that may arise as part of data migration:


* Incompatible file formats
# Data Loss: There is a risk of data loss during the migration process. This can occur due to various reasons such as network issues, hardware failures, or data corruption.
* Data structure differences
# Data Incompatibility: The source and destination systems may use different data formats or structures, leading to data incompatibility issues.
* Validation rules
# Data Integrity: Data integrity problems can arise if the migrated data is not consistent with the original data. For example, if there are foreign key constraints in the destination system, the migrated data must satisfy these constraints.
* Incomplete data transfers
# Performance Issues: The migrated data may not be optimized for the destination system, leading to performance issues.
* International conventions on dates
# Security Risks: There is a risk of unauthorized access to the data during the migration process.
* Currencies & character set
# Dependencies: There may be dependencies between different data elements that are not taken into account during the migration process, leading to issues.
# Complexity: Migrating large volumes of data can be a complex process, requiring specialized tools and resources.


Overall, it is important to plan and test the data migration process carefully to minimize the risks and ensure a smooth transition.


== Real-world practical advice ==


== Do you understand this material? ==
A small business has a computer kiosk inside the store which allows customers to sign up for a email newsletter. If a customer signs up for a newsletter inside the store, they will get a 10% discount on their first purchase at the store. The owner hopes this 10% discount will be an incentive for customers to sign up for the email newsletter.  The business will then regularly  email the customers special offers and savings. The business owner expects to benefit from this system by having increased sales. The customers expect to benefit from this system by having access to special offers, to save money, and to see what is new and trendy at their store.
The business owner is planning on migrating their customer data from Microsoft Excel to a relational database in the kiosk system. Outline two problems which might arise as they migrate the data:
Problem 1:
Problem 2:
== Do you have an advanced understanding of this material? ==
A school of 900 students has a secure web-based application which manages attendance data. The school administrators carefully track attendance for the students so it can identify when students have been absent for a customizable threshold. For example, the school might set a threshold of 5 absences within 30 days, which then automatically notifies the student, parent, and teacher there is a problem with attendance. The threshold might be 3 times within 10 days, or something like that. The system keeps track of attendance and tardies. The system has customizable attendance codes. For example, "absence for school trip", "excused absence", "medical absence" are all allowed absence codes.
School administrators expect to benefit by having data about attendance so they can support students and parents to be in school. School administrators also expect to benefit by giving parents and students information about attendance (so parents can support their children to be in school). Finally, school administrators expect to benefit by using attendance data to apply for government funding (as they can prove how many students were in class on a specific day).
Parents expect to benefit by knowing when their children are in school or miss school. This way parents can support their children to be in school. Being in school is a '''shared value''' between the school and the parent.
Students expect to benefit by understanding how many days of school of they have missed. The school expects students to have a strong "ownership of learning" and manage their attendance.
The school is migrating from an old system using a totally different database. Outline two problems the school might encounter when migrating the data from the old system to the new system:
* Problem 1:
* Problem 2:


== Standards ==
== Standards ==

Latest revision as of 11:42, 2 January 2023

System Fundamentals[1]

When we move data from one system to another we transfer it. However, when you aim to permanently move data (most commonly when you are building a new system), we can say you are migrating data. Please know this is almost always a deliberate process.


There are several problems that may arise as part of data migration:

  1. Data Loss: There is a risk of data loss during the migration process. This can occur due to various reasons such as network issues, hardware failures, or data corruption.
  2. Data Incompatibility: The source and destination systems may use different data formats or structures, leading to data incompatibility issues.
  3. Data Integrity: Data integrity problems can arise if the migrated data is not consistent with the original data. For example, if there are foreign key constraints in the destination system, the migrated data must satisfy these constraints.
  4. Performance Issues: The migrated data may not be optimized for the destination system, leading to performance issues.
  5. Security Risks: There is a risk of unauthorized access to the data during the migration process.
  6. Dependencies: There may be dependencies between different data elements that are not taken into account during the migration process, leading to issues.
  7. Complexity: Migrating large volumes of data can be a complex process, requiring specialized tools and resources.

Overall, it is important to plan and test the data migration process carefully to minimize the risks and ensure a smooth transition.


Standards[edit]

  • Discuss problems that may arise as a part of data migration.

References[edit]