FIVE BIG RISK AREAS OF TECHNOLOGY MIGRATION

Technologies migration isn’t enjoyable. It occurs when adjustments call for the organization switch to a distinct technology. This occurs when it has outgrown its existing systems or wants capabilities they can’t deliver. You do it when you have no option, but it entails substantial risk.

Last October wiredFINANCE started to address some of the costs of changing technologies, here. All the large technologies vendors—IBM, HP, Oracle, others—zero in on the migration concern as portion of their efforts to get organizations like yours to switch to their products.

IBM has gone so far as to bundle its program migration tools and services into a package it calls the Migration Factory. The IBM method recognizes the risks from the start and addresses the five primary concerns executives have when faced with a technologies migration.

According to IBM, the five greatest migration risks are:

1. Technical risks—Is this the correct method or technologies? Will it function with the applications and information we already have? Do we want unique tools and can we get them?

2. Unpredictable costs—Can we do this inside the existing spending budget? How are we funding this? Have we correctly identified all the associated costs? Does it deliver a positive ROI?

3. Scheduling concerns—When will we make this alter? How much will it disrupt operations? What is the very best time to undertake this? What are the risks of waiting?

4. Skills and culture issues—Can our folks operate and maintain this program? Have we lined up the essential outside experts? Have we planned for additional training? Are we ready to manage this alter?

5. Operations risks—Do we have a contingency plan? Do we have a test technique? How do we make sure it will deliver the expected performance and reliability levels? What are we forgetting?

Beyond the risks, IBM identifies 4 key considerations when attempting any IT program migration. Very first, you will need to assess the readiness of the existing IT infrastructure, which consists of the servers, storage networks, and security technologies. Then, you need to look at your primary databases and determine if they are sufficient or need to be upgraded or migrated too. Right after that, check any custom applications you may well be running. They might have to be revamped or replaced or otherwise modernized. Lastly, check with your packaged software providers to make sure their applications will run with your new program.

Most key technologies vendors offer packages consisting of some combination of tools, testing and assessment methodologies, and professional services to assist you migrate to their technologies. IBM, as noted above, has its Migration Factory. HP offers HP Migration Services. Oracle, too, offers migration services. Big ERP systems like SAP present a high risk migration challenge all their own, so a lot so that SAP has its own migration offering.

Businesses grow and change, and details systems get obsolete or become unsuitable. At some point technology migration is unavoidable.