Truth be told, selecting the right way to migrate a CMS requires plenty time and torturing considerations. When many hours and effort have been spent, not always there would be a guarantee that the undertaken CMS choice is the most optimal and apt to go.
Notwithstanding that data conversion is quite a common operation, there still uprise frequent questions and countless misconceptions. Extremity turns out to be the dominant pitfall of a flawless convert. The most probable scenario site owners are to face is either extra intimidation for numerous possible traps, or too careless perception of this task, with no required preparation.
Normally, to meet the evolving needs of web industry – it is sometimes required to convert the existing data from the current CMS to a better one. Not to create bigger problems than to solve, but to reduce the potential risks while ensuring the success of CMS switch – a slight groundwork and planning would be very endorsable to take.
WordPress Migration Process
For you not to be ignorant and mislead, we’ve made up a comprehensive data migration checklist, so you could have a basic plan of actions for your personal access.
Pre-Migration Arrangements
The first thing to bear in my mind before migration is not to gamble with the fate of the project you possess. As practice shows, avoiding careful planning and setup with the hope to figure things out along the way, is a huge mistake that could be taken on this stage. Here are some tricks on how to spot the potential risks and establish the necessary activities ahead of time:
- Carry out pre-migration data assessment (make sure the move is viable, consider the ends and means of the project).
- Identify the available resources (decide what kind of resources you need for each stage of the project and make sure they are available when required).
- Form the migration team and notify all involved parties (verify you have all the necessary professionals, include major stakeholders and make sure everyone is aware of the requirements).
- Define accurate project estimates (establish flexible and realistic timeframes and go on creating schedule).
- Decide on a fitting project delivery structure (choose any of the existing project development approaches or construct a new adaptive enough one).
- Make sure you have agreed on security regulations (carefully review all the regulations and make sure you stick on them).
- Prepare the necessary tools/services (prepare/purchase/order the required tools for each part of the project).
- Carefully analyze all the data (learn where your data resides, how it’s structured and what parts of it require special attention).
- Revise the plan and finalize the deadlines (based on the information you have gathered, refine your plan and work out the final estimates).
Data Transfer Tips
Once the preparation phase is completed, transferring the content to a new system would be the right move to the core of the task. Here are couple steps recommended to take when proceeding with a transfer:
- Map the data (consider the data architecture on the source and target systems, identify the deviations and decide how to approach those differences).
- Set up a target system (think of what has to be done on a new system before transferring the content onto it).
- Prepare supporting migration technology (review any migration software or custom scripts that can be implemented for the task, make sure they are ready and at your disposal when required).
- Test your migration (select a large enough data sample and perform a trial convert to spot any possible errors or defects).
- Make the necessary adjustments in your data and the target system (based on the results of the test migration, make any required changes to your system configuration).
- Create a rollback plan (plan in advance how you are going to deal with the worst case scenario, backup all the essential data and retain the complete copy of it).
- Transfer the content (the stage of data relocation can be approached in a number of ways – using a custom script, manually copy pasting all the content, using the automated migration service – make sure to test out the method you choose).
Post-Migration Suggestions
Now, when all of your content has been transferred to a new CMS solution…think it’s the right time to relax? You’ve guessed it wrong. To make sure the target platform functions properly and none piece of your web content is lost, there still rests a few more steps essential to accomplish:
- Test the migration results (check whether all the migration data is accurate and in the appropriate format).
- Perform data and system optimization (no matter how thorough your preparation was there will surely be a few things you will have to adjust after the data transfer).
- Build an ongoing data quality control solution (it is recommended to establish the ongoing quality monitoring strategy).
- Terminate your old system (if you have checked the new system and confirmed that everything works smoothly, feel free to terminate the old one).
- Update the workflow processes connected with the data migration (keep in mind that there may be significant difference between the source and the target systems, therefore, you need to adjust the business processes to the peculiarities of the new tool).
Automated Way Migration
To simplify the conversion process and to make the switch of CMS websites serene and safe, it is suggestible and recommended to utilize the assistance of automated migration services. The most classic scenario when switching across various СMS platforms requires a set of coding skills or programming expertise and background.
At this point, an automated convert is an optimal way to go without having specialized tech proficiency or knowledge. The same services allow to migrate an already functioning website from one CMS option to a more appealing alternative system.
In the course of the convert, it is of high significance to deliver the existing data with no damages and losses. One of the most favorable and a reliable ways for mitigating risks might be a turn to CMS2CMS conversion tool.
With its assistance each has the ability to secure the data move when utilizing the option to insure any type of switch. Commonly, the procedure of an automated convert is passing on one joint scenario. On the instance of CMS2CMS, the procedure starts with a bridge dumping the database and sending it to the chief server.
To pursue the further convert step, it is required to dump and send the bridge with both: the target and the source websites. Once, the databases are ready, the convert would be initiated automatically.
Then, the service initiates the process of content updating on the target website database. After that, within the installed bridge at the source website, the target website data is restored. An additional preference of the service is that each can test the switch for a free trial and only then decide with the migration.
Closing Remarks
Surely, to successfully proceed with the data conversion between CMS solutions – immense time and effort are required. Not less valuable fact to bear in mind is that this procedure is also a necessary step on the road of each project’s development and growth.
In case you have the feeling that your project would better benefit from a tech refresh, don’t be terrified by the possible dilemmas. Hopefully, our resource and tool have helped you out along the way.