SHI(f)T Happens! What to consider when moving (your content)

It is Moving Season! 

With the Labor Day weekend behind us, summer days are drawing to an end - and bringing with them a return to the realities of work life. For some of us, this will mean a pivot from working remotely in the past year to returning to the office for at least a few days each week. And while working at the office can be a welcome relief from the stress of managing work-home balance, it brings a series of new challenges. 

Making the move back to the office, it occurs to me that the same is happening for many companies - data-wise. With the extensive efforts that many companies have invested in remote working capacities at the start of the pandemic, many are forced now to reassess their strategy and resources. It also provides a valuable opportunity to reexamine current policies and optimize user experiences.  

The Big Shift

For all Chief Technology and Information Officers (CTO/CIO's), there comes a time when they have to plan and deliver a major migration project that includes moving content from a legacy architecture to a new one. There are many variables to consider when planning a successful data migration that also minimizes operational impact.

We have all heard the horror stories of how data got lost during a transition between servers or when moving to a cloud environment. With so many crucial factors to consider, how can a company best manage risk and effectively deliver a successful migration? 

My (Many) Moves

It is hard to believe that in the five years that I have lived in California, I have moved FOUR times. Up until my last move, I had always packed up my own things, rented a truck and painstakingly, made the move...ugh!!! Finally, I decided to minimize the stress and effort of a DIY move and hired a professional moving company. The outcome? A stress-free experience - and the realization that I should have done this much earlier!

I do not want this article to be about moving and my amazing experience, but I do want it to be around MIGRATING(content)! The first thing I did when I was planning my move was to assess what I had today and to determine what I needed in my new environment. This required an inventory of my contents, a decision process (and a final list!) to determine what I would move to my new home and what I was throwing away or sending to storage.  

Considerations for a successful move

• What data do you have and where is it currently stored?
• What is the value and purpose of the content once it is migrated? Who will use it? 
• What should your new information architecture look like?
• What do you need to consider in terms of data security and information governance? 

Now that you have thought about all of those must-haves when it comes to your migration, the harder question next is "who". Who is needed to pull off this migration successfully? Can you do it by yourself, or do you set up a special task force within your company? Or do you bring in an external team with migration expertise and fit-for-purpose software? 

Where Xillio comes in as an expert in data migration

When I describe what I do for a living, I equate it to moving (THERE is the tie-in!!). When your company has what is known as a "lift and shift" of data and content, think of this as moving yourself. For "lift and shift" migrations, Xillio has out-of-the-box connectors as a DIY service for less complex migrations that can be managed directly by a project team. Flip a switch, get a coffee, migrate your data.

When your company wants 'white glove' service to minimize risk AND when it comes to migrating content and data, call Team Xillio. Simply put, complex migrations require considerable oversight to be successful, including managing an end-to-end project to be delivered on time and within budget. This should not be a strictly IT-driven mandate.

What benefits does a white-glove migration have

Migration is about making workforces more productive and achieving important business goals by giving business stakeholders the information they need, when and where they need it. What is "white glove service"? For example, when you need a content inventory or a migration strategy for your active and inactive content. Or when you have legal, regulatory or other compliance requirements for information governance.

So enjoy a coffee on a sunny terrace, and let Xillio be your migration sherpa to guide your company through this transition, whether you are moving to Microsoft 365 - or virtually any platform.

Let's stay connected, IT IS MOVING SEASON after all!