June 9, 2023
Upgrading from one enterprise solution to another is often necessary in order to secure new functionalities. A central element here is to migrate data from the previous system to the new one. Frequently, the digital transformation journey also entails moving to the cloud. This is where businesses are liable to encounter some serious data migration challenges—even those that threaten to disrupt operations. However, with the right SAP support, any organization can tackle these issues with confidence.
The best SAP service provider does extensive planning and testing to ensure that the data migration process goes without a hitch. They employ knowledgeable experts who have demonstrated the ability to manage enterprise migration from start to finish.
Approyo has performed over a hundred successful SAP data migrations—so if you’re looking for a competent technical consultant, look no further. By working with the professionals at Approyo you can look forward to seamless data migration. Moreover, you’ll be able to access global support 24/7/365 from a certified SAP partner. Rendering of cloud SAP support.
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Although any data migration presents challenges, here we’ll be focusing on some of the biggest. In other words, challenges that could derail the entire migration if not handled correctly. As such, it’s crucial to get the process right—which is exactly why you need an expert technology partner.
Keeping the data accurate, complete, secure, and private is essential to a smooth data migration. That said, these four conditions are also among the most difficult to get right. System downtime should, of course, be minimal during the migration. Additionally, it’s important to do enough testing to make sure that every aspect of the new system functions as it should. Finally, be sure not to overlook the expectations of stakeholders throughout the process.
Arguably the most critical of all the data migration challenges is data integrity. This broad term encompasses the accuracy of the data transmission as well as its thoroughness. If one preserves data integrity, the resultant system works the same as before. However, failing to do so endangers the organization’s ability to maintain normal operations.
Examples of data integrity problems include corrupt records and lost information. Say that an organization failed to migrate all the sales and payment data, the result would be gaps that expose the company to fines and inaccurate accounting. Furthermore, as data tends to clump into complex constructs, it becomes increasingly difficult to migrate accurately over time.
Two related concerns are the security and privacy of data. Security covers protection against unauthorized use or modification of the data. Privacy pertains to limiting data access to those who should have it.
Failures in data security or privacy during migration also open up the organization to risk, such as loss of reputation or sales, not to mention fines or other legal problems. For instance, if data is not adequately protected and gets stolen during migration, the company could lose customers or even violate privacy legislation.
Software systems usually have several defenses in place to protect data security and privacy, such as encryption and chain of custody. During migration, these safeguards may not fully cover the data in transit.
It’s therefore vital to manage the data carefully during this vulnerable period. An expert consultant will know how to do this. However, organizations that attempt migrations on their own often fail to take the necessary precautions.
Downtime is a worry at any time, but it poses special hazards in the course of data migration. During the cut-over to the new system, there’s some risk of downtime. This could be compounded should any other issues arise at this point.
Also consider that there may be downtime or reduced resource availability at various stages in the migration. To illustrate, moving large volumes of data from the source system to the target system requires a huge amount of bandwidth and strains the hardware too. This will limit system availability for users.
Any downtime or service restriction can disrupt business operations. What if, for example, customers are unable to engage with the company? Beyond the lost sales there’s a reputation hit—as well as the potential for a slump in future sales. It’s therefore imperative to cut any downtime to a minimum.
Testing is not only a central challenge for data migration but also a complex one. There are multiple different tests that should be run throughout the course of the migration. Each of these serves a different yet related purpose.
First, test the data before the migration starts to establish a baseline. Tested data should, at the very least, cover a large sample, including any important or suspect data. It’s necessary to test the migration process too. This can be accomplished through simulation, and prevents unexpected mishaps from occurring when the system goes live.
During the migration, testing verifies that procedures are working as they should. After migration, it’s critical to retest the data to check that it’s functioning properly. This ties in with data integrity. Does the data post-migration exactly match the data pre-migration? Any shortcomings will affect business, which makes testing a key aspect of the migration.
As with many things in life, it’s not only the technical process itself that matters but the context too. This includes the reaction of stakeholders. It’s only natural for the people who rely on the system to have certain expectations. After all, it’s their interests that are being directly affected.
Stakeholders generally comprise the data owners whose information is transitioning, as well as managers and executives who have to make decisions based on this data. Simply migrating data without keeping these individuals abreast of the procedure is a recipe for trouble.
Ideally, stakeholders should be considered and kept in the loop at every stage of the migration. Thankfully, those who specialize in providing SAP support know just how to manage stakeholder expectations.
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The most efficient way to solve the challenges accompanying data migration? Work with a proven expert. They will have routinely handled the same types of challenges—and have developed the most appropriate solutions. Collaboration brings their knowledge and tools to address your organization’s needs.
Engaging in data migration without the advantages of a professional risks creating problems that push back schedules and affect the company’s bottom line. And why would you try migrating the high-risk way when there are ready-made solutions available?
As a case in point, consider what would happen if you migrated data without conducting all the tests that a veteran consultant would run. You could wind up with only partial data in the new system—and no quick way to fix the situation. Then you’d be hard-pressed to balance using the new system versus the older one (with complete data), while precious time slips away.
On the other hand, an expert solutions provider would already have encountered such problems and taken preventive measures. Further, an array of tests would likely have found the issue prior to the live migration. In either case, the consultant would have the tools and know-how to recover and complete the migration.
Partnering with an SAP support specialist streamlines the data migration process. No more worries and hassles, just peace of mind in knowing the new system will work—and that’s worth the investment.
Approyo is the leading SAP support provider, with more than 25 years’ experience and over a thousand deployments under management. Global leaders trust Approyo to deliver satisfaction for data migrations, fresh installs, upgrades, and more.
Approyo offers SAP support for multiple cloud hosting options. With a managed enterprise service, your organization’s data and applications remain available at any place and time.
Cloud solutions from Approyo include application hosting, where your features run from scalable infrastructure. You can start as small or big as you wish, as cloud application hosting doesn’t have the typical upfront costs of conventional application hosting.
Moreover, applications in the cloud can be managed and upgraded easily. The hardware and software infrastructure are handled invisibly, eliminating a major source of frustration. The newest SAP S/4HANA is designed for the cloud, and Approyo is a certified partner who makes sure your applications are running as they should.
Migrating existing applications to the cloud has challenged some organizations, but with SAP support you can easily move enterprise resource planning (ERP) central component (ECC), Business Suite, and non-SAP software to the cloud. The applications will run faster and you’ll receive professional assistance in adapting to any modifications or upgrades.
There are several options you can choose to run applications. These include public cloud, private cloud, and multi-cloud options, as well as managed infrastructure. Each has its advantages, and a technology partner can help you decide which would work best for your organization.
Let’s learn a bit more about those options:
Public cloud is a popular choice—it’s what most people associate with the idea of the “cloud.” The public cloud is built on large, publicly available infrastructure services, such as those from Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.
These established offerings simplify access to practically unlimited IT resources at affordable rates. Global footprints make it feasible to deliver fast local performance for specific clienteles with excellent reliability. Efficient hardware adjusts to any situation and the systems are easy to maintain. With the right partner, your cloud setup can achieve unparalleled security and regulatory compliance.
Approyo provides comprehensive solutions for the leading public cloud hosts. Whether you have a question or want managed services, consultants deliver the solution. Naturally, Approyo’s SAP support specialists will be there to manage the environment for your enterprise software.
Whether you’d like to migrate on-premise applications to the cloud or start fresh installs, managed services ensure you get the best out of this impressive platform.
With a private cloud deployment, you have greater control than you would with the public cloud. As the private cloud environment is isolated from other systems, only you can access its resources. However, similar to the public cloud, you’ll still benefit from having managed services to simplify and improve operations.
Approyo manages private cloud systems that run either on your hardware or on external hardware, depending on your needs. Professional design and implementation will customize the setup for your unique situation, no matter how complex.
Why choose private cloud? If your organization has particular security needs or legacy applications, the private cloud will deliver speed and reliability—as well as supporting greater customization. Because your own private cloud setup can cost more, this option usually only makes sense when there’s a specific rationale.
Working with a solutions partner cuts maintenance costs. Approyo helps companies automate workloads, utilizing the same rock-solid security for both private and public clouds. Besides SAP support, managed enterprise systems can include products from Red Hat, Dell, Oracle, and others, depending on your requirements.
Multi-cloud or hybrid cloud solutions combine the advantages of different cloud resources for the best of both worlds. It’s an approach that lets you determine which applications to host at each location. Then, controlling security for sensitive data in the private cloud becomes a simple matter—as does improving speed and cost for your less-sensitive data in the public cloud.
Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud configurations are more complicated than single cloud configurations, increasing the need for proper management. The fundamental differences are that:
It follows that a solution involving multiple cloud services should combine these configurations seamlessly. Here, applications running in different environments can still communicate with each other. You can also incorporate on-premise infrastructure if necessary.
Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud solutions represent the ultimate in freedom. Businesses can scale up or down—or even across—in response to evolving organizational necessities. Start new applications in no time, yet expand as fast as the market demands. Moreover, you’ll sidestep any vendor lock-in and exploit the advantages of each different provider.
The managed infrastructure solution gives you the infrastructure you require—but without the costs and risks of handling it yourself. Instead of struggling with security problems and staffing issues, the service takes on these challenges. It’s where they excel, so you’re optimizing business by having a reliable tech partner.
Approyo designs and assembles hosting solutions. Managed infrastructure can work with any combination of public, private, hybrid, or multi-cloud hosting you need. And with certified SAP support, the infrastructure will consistently deliver the sort of enterprise functionality that drives results.
The managed infrastructure route is a cost-effective way to secure precisely the right amount of technology. Further, confidence in a fully functional network underpins the ability to innovate and serve customers. Instead of the headaches of conventional IT, you’ll have a team of experts monitoring the infrastructure for security and stability.
Companies using professional SAP support see many benefits. Data security and regulatory compliance increase dramatically when you’re working with experienced consultants who have the right tools.
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Security and regulatory compliance rank among the most difficult areas to handle, making them prime targets for SAP support.
Approyo’s managed security protects your data against crime. The total security package employs modern tools to thwart attacks, which have only increased in severity in recent years. It’s tough to stay ahead of threat actors—that’s why organizations are increasingly turning to managed security services.
The constant monitoring afforded by Approyo’s unique Overwatch supplies the visibility necessary to protect IT assets. This type of preventive measure is key to minimizing the prospect of online attacks. Even if you have hundreds of thousands of physical and virtual assets in a complex hybrid cloud environment, Overwatch consolidates the security information into a single powerful dashboard.
Added Approyo security features include the ability to find and fix weaknesses in your applications. Observations over time can also reveal trends to predict and prevent future vulnerabilities. In addition, you’ll have access to the full security information necessary to manage the network and data.
Approyo’s cloud hosting features also ensure data governance and compliance with international regulations. Today, these considerations are every bit as important as basic security. Laws are being changed and updated all the time—and adherence is essential for your business’s survival.
Cloud hosting services are accompanied by new risks to data, which require added compliance tools. Approyo’s platforms factor in relevant functionality to bolster compliance within the cloud. A rigorous compliance framework also brings any managed infrastructure up to spec.
As an SAP support specialist, Approyo provides software licensing plus maintenance. You only pay for what you use, and the comprehensive service includes everything you need to succeed. Along with training and project management accelerators, the solution is fast at resolving compliance and risk challenges.
Approyo’s solution analyzes and negates attacks on endpoints—the individual laptops and phones and other devices connected to your network. Although these might have stymied traditional security methods, as the most common source of data breaches, you can’t afford to overlook them.
Recent attacks have only grown in sophistication and damage inflicted, and the trend looks set to continue. New types of ransomware and other malware are unleashed regularly. These frequently target weak points that are the hardest to secure—for example, employee devices. Moreover, in some cases, endpoints are deliberately subverted by a company’s own users.
Adequate endpoint protection goes beyond mere virus detection, yet lets the devices work with full speed and functionality. It’s a difficult line to walk, and it benefits from the guidance of an experienced security consultant.
Approyo secures the devices themselves and also gives you in-depth visibility. The same quality of monitoring that covers your infrastructure extends to defending endpoints. By employing constant monitoring with artificial intelligence (AI) and a team of experts, you can keep your data where it belongs.
Although your aim is to deal with problems before they become a major issue, no one’s completely immune. Disaster recovery involves restoring functionality after complications have impacted your data. These glitches include not only criminal attacks but also accidents, equipment failure, and natural disasters.
At worst, a disaster could quickly wipe out years of work—and business-critical data. Customer-facing services may go down, interfering with revenues. If not handled correctly, a disaster can cause an organization to collapse.
Disaster recovery planning manages the losses while rectifying regulatory compliance. A solutions provider such as Approyo helps establish and verify the disaster recovery strategy. They employ the expertise of cloud technologies to mitigate the risk of a catastrophe. This preparation is crucial to ensure long-term continuity in the face of potential turmoil.
Comprehensive SAP support from Approyo covers the entire life cycle—from discovery and assessment to IT upgrading and cloud transformation.
An initial consulting service with Approyo involves determining what’s necessary to achieve your desired outcomes. During the discovery and assessment processes, they gather information about your current situation, along with potential improvements.
The sequence leads from discovery and assessment on to specific plans for transformation and ongoing maintenance. After identifying and enacting the best ways to modernize, there’s room for continuous improvement and optimization to stay ahead of the competition.
A roadmap for the various types—and timings—of services will give you a clearer picture of what to expect. For SAP support as well as security monitoring and cloud infrastructure, you can confidently plan for whichever goals serve your core interests.
The transformation of IT and cloud systems is an inevitable part of adjusting to the demands of the digital age. These new procedures convert legacy tech to more responsive and agile systems that operate with strength and speed, while advancing a host of previously unavailable features.
IT transformation applies digital methods to automate business processes for different departments. This maneuver enables analytics for insights and more efficient decision-making. It also creates a space for real-time personalization to satisfy current customer expectations.
By moving IT to flexible online depots, cloud transformation multiplies the availability, security, efficiency, and other advantages of enterprise software. But it’s even broader than that, encompassing the overall management of cloud operations. Organizations rely on technology experts to flesh out a complete modernization plan that maximizes the value of migrating to the cloud.
Data migration is often seen as a dreaded task that brings with it difficult-to-solve challenges. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With SAP support from Approyo, you’re in capable hands that can handle the intricacies of migration with ease.
The main complications of data migration include preserving data integrity and security while minimizing downtime. Approyo’s years in the trenches mean that they can deploy fast and reliable techniques to resolve all these challenges and more. Planning to migrate your data to the cloud? Looking for a partner who knows what’s best for your business? Call Approyo and get a free consultation regarding data migration matters now.
