DataLiberator

DataLiberatorTM is the tool for automated migration of legacy schema and data. This tool uses the metadata created by KnowledgeLiberator.

Database migration is a complex task of multiple steps that involves customers on many levels from decision making to database administration.

Legacy database migration

Data migration word cloud concept with abstract background

Database migration is an iterative process:

1. Gathering information

Analysis and data discovery should be the first step of every database modernization process. In this step, we map the existing legacy technology of the client and assess their requirements. We gather information about the database, to reach a state where consistent database definition and test data are available.

2. Optimization

Before delivering the tool to our client, we finetune the conversion tool with test data samples. Therefore, we can configure the tool according to the requirements of the client, including input and output database specialties. We run the conversion on the test data samples and validate the same way the customer will do it. Sensitive data never leaves the premises of our customer.

3. Conversion

This is the step where the automated conversion takes place. The tool is delivered to the customer, and it is run by database administrators.

4. Validation, testing, and reconciliation

The goal of the migration validation is to prove that the data content is identical in the old and the new database. To prove this, we dump both the legacy database and the target database and compare the dumped data. There are two approaches we apply; quick compare and byte-by-byte compare.

In many cases this validation process strictly tests data only. At this point we do not have facilities and information for performance checks, also validating language specific issues remain for later stage of the application migration process.

5. Support

In case of a failed validation, we start to repeat the process starting from the second “Optimization” step, to make sure it achieves the expected result the next time. This may require additional pieces of test data and more information from the customer.

Though it is always carefully planned, analyzed, scrutinized, and modelled, the actual database migration – and the application migration switch over per se – is a time critical venture, it takes place usually on a longer public holiday. Moving and converting terabytes of data requires time. We designed our DataLiberator engine to be performant and use all resources a computer can provide, both CPU and memory capacity. We advise to use the fastest available hardware for this feat – with no compromise.

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