For today’s businesses, there are plenty of reasons to think about managing server migration. Before we discuss things further, let us take a moment and explain—what is server migration? Server migration is the process of moving all data and applications from one server to another server.
While one organization might want to upgrade its servers to accommodate the increasing pressure and requirements, another might be looking to downgrade to cut unnecessary management server expenses and costs. No matter what reason you have behind your decision to migrate servers, you need to understand one thing.
Successful server migration is no coincidence because it involves huge commitment, intelligent planning, and preparation to tackle any setback during the process.
If your server migration process is managed poorly, it can do more harm than good because of unnecessary downtime, possible data breaches, and data loss. Besides, vendor lock-in, lack of in-house expertise, and data duplication can add to the pile of problems.
So, this raises the question: how can businesses avoid possible data loss and vulnerabilities during server migration?
Most Common Mistakes Made During Server Migration and How to Solve Them
Let’s start with identifying the common mistakes businesses make during server migration and finding solutions to overcome them.
1. Missing the Big Picture by Focusing on Servers Only
Many businesses fail to grasp the integrated applications that need migration. They often focus solely on servers and begin moving data without checking dependencies between applications and servers. This oversight frequently leads to problems.
Different applications use various communication paths, making dependencies complex.
Solution: When applications have strong dependencies, modify them to ensure loose coupling. Checking application dependencies is crucial, especially for large organizations with tightly coupled applications and extensive database servers.
- Not Having a Proper Plan to Mitigate Possible Risks
Many businesses struggle to identify potential risks when planning server migration. Without a clear understanding of risks, they find it challenging to prevent or address issues promptly. Identifying what could go wrong during migration can feel overwhelming, especially without internal expertise.
Smart technology becomes redundant without proper planning and a capable team.
Solution: Involve key stakeholders and teams managing servers, networks, and applications in your migration plan. Communicate the reasons for migration, the processes involved, and alternative plans if things don’t go as expected.
If you lack the expertise to identify potential risks, collaborate with a reputable service provider. Their experience can guide you in recognizing risks and formulating a response.
Both internal and third-party teams should work together to identify potential problems and vulnerabilities during server migration. They need to develop a unified plan to address any challenges efficiently.
- Not Conducting End-to-End Performance Testing to Gauge Risk
Businesses often rush through processes like testing to save time. Most organizations have a mix of low-risk and high-risk applications. In new environments, servers may behave unpredictably, which can result in downtime, data loss, and cyber threats.
Solution: Conducting end-to-end performance testing is crucial to assessing risk. Start by testing low-risk applications in the new environment. After thorough testing, gradually introduce high-risk applications. This careful approach reduces the likelihood of issues.
Maintain close monitoring of servers and applications even after migration to quickly identify and resolve any emerging problems.
- Not Taking Full Data Backup Before Server Migration
Hiccups often occur during server migrations. Many businesses overlook full backups, believing they only need to back up essential data. Migrating data from one server to another can be daunting, and data loss can occur at various points in the manage server process. A lack of complete backups can lead to disaster.
Solution: To ensure a smooth server migration, businesses that manage servers should back up all data at different checkpoints. This practice guarantees that data remains available if issues arise. Protecting your data also safeguards customer experience, reputation, and revenue.
Wrapping Up
Even simple server migrations can run into major complications. So, before you start server migration, make sure that you have the right expertise, process, planning, and technology to make this shift process successful.
If you need help with finding the best servers for migration or have queries related to server migration for your business
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