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What happens when an enterprise delays a critical data migration? Performance declines, costs spiral, security vulnerabilities emerge – and then, a system failure forces an emergency transition. This is the reality many organisations face when they don’t proactively modernise their infrastructure.
Businesses today generate more data than ever, yet many continue to operate on ageing storage platforms, waiting until the last possible moment to upgrade.
Whether you’re moving to a cloud-based architecture or replacing outdated systems, selecting the right migration strategy is a must-have to ensure security, efficiency, and cost control, especially considering that over two-thirds of IT budgets go toward maintaining existing infrastructure.
The good news? Emerging technologies like virtualisation offer a smoother, more cost-effective approach, reducing downtime and mitigating risks. However, successful migration still requires expert planning and strategic collaboration.
Alex Budnik, Chief Technology Officer at Altamira, shares insights into how AI-driven solutions, security considerations, and best practices can transform data migration from a looming risk into success with zero headaches along the way.
We would like to share our success stories and explain the challenges we’ve faced during the projects.
Enterprise data migration process from Oracle to Azure SQL
Recently, Altamira successfully completed a six-month migration project from Oracle to Azure SQL Database. From the onset, the challenge was clear: migrate over 10 TB of business-critical data without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Any misstep could lead to data loss, downtime, or inconsistencies – outcomes that were simply not an option.
Altamira’s engineering team worked to ensure a smooth, risk-free transition. The key? A carefully orchestrated migration strategy that kept both the legacy and new systems running in parallel, ensuring continuous data consistency.
Building a bridge between old and new
At the heart of the solution was a message bus architecture, designed to capture and synchronise real-time data changes. Instead of a risky “big bang” migration, Altamira implemented a phased approach, ensuring that updates happened simultaneously in both the old and new environments.
To maintain uninterrupted operations, the data was partitioned by years and branches, while asynchronous processing helped prevent system slowdowns.
A custom-built automated migration framework managed the entire process, integrating directly with a message broker that transformed data between platforms in real-time.
Anticipating challenges before they happen
In large-scale migrations, data inconsistencies and errors are inevitable. But instead of reacting to them as they popped up, Altamira designed an intelligent pattern-based error detection mechanism.
This system flagged potential issues, automatically routing only 1.5% of the data for manual review—a massive efficiency boost that reduced the burden on the team.
The migration framework continuously learned from errors, updating scripts in real time to prevent similar issues from recurring. Every anomaly was documented, creating a knowledge base that would streamline future migrations.
A migration without disruptions
Despite the complexity of the migration, Altamira’s approach ensured zero downtime and complete data integrity. By using a message-driven architecture, the team successfully transitioned critical business data without interrupting daily operations.
This project wasn’t just about moving data, it was about transforming how enterprise migrations are executed.
With the right architecture, automation, and strategic foresight, Altamira turned a high-risk operation into a smooth transition, setting a new standard for large-scale enterprise migrations.
What are the results?
- Over 10 TB of data was migrated in just 6 months
- The entire process was completed with zero system downtime
- Data consistency was maintained across both the legacy and new systems
- Automated processes handled 98.5% of data issues, with only 1.5% requiring manual intervention
- Established reusable migration patterns, providing a foundation for future projects.
Healthcare data migration
For the next project, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. Migrating 700 GB of sensitive medical data while maintaining full HIPAA compliance was a challenge that left no room for error.
The deadline? A 28-hour window over the weekend—a race against time to ensure uninterrupted business operations. The migration facilitated the implementation of a new Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) system, all within a 28-hour window over a weekend to minimise business disruption.
The project’s scope required meticulous planning to meet strict regulatory requirements and ensure data security.
A mission of precision and compliance
Healthcare data migrations are complex, but the added layer of strict regulatory requirements meant every step had to be meticulously planned. Over 300 sequential scripts were developed, each undergoing step-by-step validation.
To guarantee the integrity of the migration, our team conducted over 10 full-scale test runs using anonymised data. The final two test cycles delivered zero errors, providing absolute confidence in the execution.
Eliminating human error through automation
From start to finish, the migration process was fully automated. No manual intervention was required, minimising risks and ensuring precision.
A layered validation system was embedded into the architecture, continuously checking for data consistency and compliance at every stage.
To uphold HIPAA standards, our development team never interacted with real patient data. All testing and preparation were conducted using anonymised records, preventing exposure while still allowing for rigorous testing.
Executing a high-stakes migration
When the migration weekend arrived, every step had been rehearsed, and every potential risk was accounted for. The scripts executed flawlessly, validating and transferring data with zero business disruption.
A final round of post-migration checks confirmed that the new Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) system was fully operational, with data integrity intact.
What are the success factors?
- Thorough testing using anonymised data ensured a flawless execution process
- A sequential validation approach maintained data consistency
- Adherence to HIPAA compliance upheld the highest standards of data security
- Comprehensive automation eliminated the risk of human error
- Detailed execution planning minimised risks and ensured timely completion
The final words
Data migration is a continuous activity in most IT data centres, often consuming significant resources and carrying notable risks.
However, there are several best practices and technologies available to organisations that can help reduce both costs and risks associated with data migrations.
First of all, IT management should consider evaluating new storage platform vendors alongside migration solutions to lower data centre operating expenses.
The data modelling and migration expertise offered by Altamira can significantly reduce risks and costs for organisations now and in the future.
Altamira team aligns with a structured approach for migrating your company’s data to the cloud, breaking it down into three primary stages: strategy, architecture, and operationalization.
These stages serve as the foundation for your cloud migration journey, guiding you through defining your strategic goals, designing a target architecture, and then implementing and managing your plan.
Contact us to learn more about your low-stress data migration project. We align with your business needs and goals every step of the way.
We focus on scalability, data strategy, compliance, and security to address specific pain points and make informed decisions regarding your data migration strategy.
