A Step-by-Step Data Migration Plan of Legacy Apps

Dinesh Thakur

07 Feb 2025

As businesses come to know the limitations of their systems and applications, the need for creation of effective data migration strategies becomes undeniable. You might have seen your systems and applications overloaded with data and looking for a suitable solution. One suitable solution for this is to transfer that data to other systems that are more advanced and efficient for data management.

However, transferring data from years old legacy systems is not easy. You might face multiple challenges in migrating your data from outdated systems to new ones or a cloud platform. One such challenge is the complexity of the data migration process. It requires a team to consider several factors and follow the right steps. But what are those factors and steps to follow?

In this blog, we will discuss everything about legacy data, things you need to consider for a smooth migration and also the steps to make the process simple and convenient. 

What is Database Migration from Legacy Applications?

Legacy database migration is moving data from an outdated storage to an updated, new environment. The value and dependencies of the data remains unchanged. Now you might be wondering what exactly is legacy data! 

Legacy Data: Legacy data is the information accumulated during the past business activities in an organization. The data might be segmented, but stored on outdated software, or poorly structured and out of date formats. 

Obsolete or Outdated Storage: Obsolete storage is a database that relies on past technologies or third party infrastructure from a vendor that no longer offers support. 

Up-to-date environment: This is a new and updated environment based on a new technology that meets the present needs of today's business. For example, it can be a cloud based platform that supports data storage in new formats. 

Reasons to Conduct Legacy Data Migration 

Here are some common reasons why organizations consider legacy data migration.

• To upgrade or replace outdated applications.
• Introduction of a new system parallel to the existing one.
• Expansion of storage capacity of a system.
• Transfer of infrastructure to a cloud platform.
• Mergers and Acquisitions with another organization. 

Challenges in Data Migration of Legacy Apps

To be successful, you must be aware of the obstacles that can be faced at the beginning of the data transition. Here are some key challenges you might encounter while migrating data from legacy applications. 

Low Quality of Legacy Data

If you decide to migrate from an outdated database to a new one, the low quality of the old data will probably be the first problem you have to deal with. The given legacy data are usually not up to the current standards. Thus, you have to evaluate the state of the data stored in the old systems, study the relationships behind them and decide if any changes or improvements are required before  migration.

Lack of Commitment from the Management

For most managers, the idea of ??moving a large amount of data from one application to another seems daunting. But if business decisions are made under the fear of unknown results, the business runs the risk of failing to compete in the present environment. Therefore, it is essential to make everyone agree and understand the importance of the process before starting the data migration.

Lack of Experience

To complete a migration project successfully (or without data loss or corruption) it is necessary to have people with relevant experience in it. Of course, not every organization has an in-house expert who knows how to migrate these legacy systems, but this should not be a problem, as you can always find a verified migration partner who will guide you through the entire process.

Step-by-Step Data Migration Plan for Legacy Applications

The legacy data migration when done following the right steps leads to secure and efficient transfer of data to a new system or platform. Let us dive into each step in detail. 

Plan the Migration Process

Planning is an essential step for any process, and legacy data migration is no exception. It lays a foundation for data migration and ensures that the process goes well. 

Set Clear Goals

Before beginning with the process, you must know what you want to achieve, like updating an outdated application or transferring data to a more secure and efficient platform. In addition, what are your goals such as better performance, enhanced security, additional storage capacity or something else. 

In data migration, you need to evaluate the present system to understand its data structure, the volume of data and dependencies. Also, identify any quality issues related to data. 

Setting clear goals will help you in every action and decision-making during the migration process. For example, if your primary goal is to improve performance, your plan will be focussed on tools and processes that enhance performance of the applications using that data. 

Create a Strategy

Data migration is a separate project, even if it is a part of your business objective. Here is the list of things you must include in your strategy for a data migration plan for legacy applications.

Scope of the Project 

This is an overview of what needs to be done, which systems or applications you should cover, and which processes will be affected by the data transfer. 

Approach to Follow

It is important to consider the approach you will follow for migrating the database. You will either move the data in one go or follow various steps gradually. Everything depends on the requirements, timeline and business case specifics. 

Tools to Use

It's also necessary to choose a dedicated development team and tools you are going to use in the documentation of the project. 

Create a Data Backup

Creating a data backup ensures that your team can restore the original database, in case some issues occur during the migration. Even if the process fails due to any reason, you will be able to restore your database. Also, even if your legacy application migration team has done various data transfer projects successfully in the past, skipping this step may lead to loss of data. So, you should always practice processes on the safe side. 

Prepare the Target Environment

Before migration, your team should prepare the new environment to accommodate the data. The specific aspects of this process vary with the storage type. In other words, you need to ensure that the target environment is set up, and ready to accept the data you want to migrate. 

Test the Data Migration

Once you have set up everything, you will need to test all the steps involved in the process with small sets of data. This will help you to see whether the data is transferred as it was supposed to and identify if anything is missed. Also, you will be able to detect and correct any errors that might occur during the process of migration. 

Migrating the Data

Once you have tested the migration process with small data sets, you can proceed with the remaining data. If you plan to move data from a system essential for some business process, you may be required to suspend that process till the time transition gets completed. However, migration can also be done without disrupting the workflow. It is best to discuss all the possible scenarios with the migration partner. 

Monitoring After Migration

Once the data transition is done, you should continue to monitor the new environment. This will allow you to check, if everything runs properly. Also, your team will be able to detect and fix any errors or issues in time.

Benefits of Migrating Legacy Data

There are several benefits of legacy data migration that you can reap over time. From cost optimization to enhanced data accessibility and improved quality, there is no limit. However, we are listing the most common benefits of legacy data migration for apps. 

Improved Data Quality

If the data is precise, consistent, timely and organized in proper formats, it is considered as high quality data. When stored in outdated systems, it is often poorly structured and scattered. Duplication is another issue, and inaccessibility is common. Migrating the data to a more modernized environment eliminates all such issues and makes it more accessible, consistent and organized. Legacy data migration, when done with an experienced team that is aware of the modernization trends, you can improve the data quality significantly. 

Improved Data Security

In the present digital world, data security is more crucial than ever. Legacy apps lack the security features that make their data prone to cyber threats. Moreover, these apps are not compliant with the latest data security regulations. Modern platforms and environments are equipped with advanced security protocols that make an organization’s data more secure against cyberthreats.

Cost Optimization

Maintaining outdated apps with legacy data is challenging and expensive due to several reasons. 

Applications become more complicated and vulnerable to crashes over time. Moreover, fixing the crashes requires additional manpower which adds to the total cost of the project. 

When an application is outdated and less used in modern environments, it becomes challenging to find IT professionals with expertise in the technology used in that application. Even if you find a professional, they may demand a high price to work on it. 

Even if legacy applications are up and running, they will be less capable as compared to modern software. It may not be automated or integrated with the present day apps. So, transferring data to more updated versions can help control the overall costs of maintenance of apps. 

Enhanced Data Accessibility

Outdated applications were not designed to meet the present demand for data accessibility. In the present era, we expect the data to be accessible with the touch of a finger or voice command, which is not possible with outdated apps. 

Moreover, it's not possible to access the data on multiple devices. So, it can be challenging to find the information required for a specific task. This can significantly affect the business operations and resilience. 

Migrating the data to a more modern version of applications makes it more accessible and useful for present day operations. 

Easy Decision-Making 

The data present in legacy apps is usually present in outdated formats. Moreover, as mentioned above, it is less accessible and inconsistent which means the data cannot be used for day-to-day operations. Once the data is migrated to new applications, it can be made more organized in updated formats and more accessible. When the data is easily accessible, it can be used for business operations and helps in accurate decision-making. This further helps to improve your services, minimize costs and offer an enhanced customer experience. 

Better Compliance

Legacy databases often lack security features and fail to comply with industry standards. When you migrate it to a new environment, it benefits from enhanced security, improved access controls, and functionality. These improvements are crucial for protecting sensitive business information and complying with the present industry standards and regulations. 

How We can Help you with Data Migration of Legacy Apps?

Now, as you understand the importance of data migration of legacy apps, you might be looking for a partner who can help you in the process. We, at DITS, have a team of talented custom software developers with years of experience working with data migration. We can help you migrate all your data from your legacy apps to new versions or applications. 

Furthermore, we use robust security measures to ensure your data is secure during the transition and at every step of the migration process. In addition, we test the accessibility and quality of data in the new environment to ensure it is easily accessible, relevant and useful for your business. 

With us your data is safe, secure and compliant with the present industry standards and regulations. Contact us now for more information on data migration of legacy apps and take the next step to future-proof your business. 

FAQs

What Is Legacy Database Migration?

A legacy database migration is the process of transferring data from an outdated database to a new or more modern platform. This is done in order for several benefits including optimizing the cost, making data more accessible, making data drive decisions, scaling the business and complying with regulations. 

Why Do You Need a Data Migration Plan for Legacy apps?

You need a data migration plan of legacy applications to upgrade or replace outdated apps, improve data quality, integrity and accessibility. It also helps minimize disruptions to operations, and fix  data inconsistencies and security vulnerabilities to improve performance and overall efficiency of business operations. 

How can I Mitigate Risks Associated with a Legacy Database Migration? 

To mitigate risks, conduct thorough planning, including data assessment and mapping. Ensure data integrity with rigorous testing, back up existing data, and use a phased approach for migration. Involve experienced personnel and monitor performance post-migration to address issues promptly.

What are the Key Challenges of Legacy Data Migration?

Data compatibility problems, data corruption threats, preserving data integrity, and guaranteeing low downtime are some of the key obstacles. Handling antiquated technology, integrating with contemporary systems, and managing the intricacies of big datasets while abiding by security and compliance regulations present additional difficulties.

How Much Does a Data Migration Project Typically Cost? What Factors Influence the Cost?

Data migration costs vary significantly, from a few thousand to millions of dollars.  Key factors include data volume and complexity, the number of systems involved, required data transformations, chosen migration methods (e.g., "lift and shift" vs. phased approach), project timeline, and the expertise of the migration team.  Unexpected data quality issues or integration challenges can also inflate costs.

What are the benefits of having a well-defined data migration plan?

A clear data migration plan of legacy apps reduces risks and guarantees a seamless transition. It lowers the possibility of delays and cost overruns by making project scope, schedules, and resource allocation more clear.  Better business decisions are eventually supported by more accurate, dependable, and secure migrated data, which is the result of a well-thought-out plan that also tackles data quality, security, and testing.

How does data migration impact business operations?

Business activities may be momentarily disrupted by data migration.  During the actual migration procedure, there could need to be some downtime.  Post-migration problems with data quality may impact analytics, reporting, and other data-dependent procedures.  However, by giving access to more accessible and well-organized data, a successful move eventually increases operational efficiency.