Computerized Systems Validation (CSV) Part 9
Quality Assurance - CSV - Software Validation - SDLC
Data migration, the transfer of data from one system to another, is a crucial step in computer systems validation. Its importance lies in the ability to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the transferred data and its consistency towards the original data. It is also essential for regulatory compliance.
Migration Plan / Report
Data migration starts with the creation of a plan and ends with the approval of a report. The plan should include
- purpose and scope
- system description
- roles and responsibilities
- deliverables
- risk-based approach e.g. use of tools, involvement of third parties
- migration activities e.g. mapping, transformation, verification
- cutover plan
- rollback strategy
The report should summarize the results of the data migration activities including an analysis of all issues that happened.
Areas of concern
Data migration typically involves the use of software tools to automate various migration activities. Depending on the risks (see earlier blog posts), one should put an appropriate level of effort in demonstrating its fitness for purpose.
An important part of data migration is confirming that all of the required data has been migrated accurately, completely and consistently. Verification techniques and tools can be used to corroborate complete data transmission.
Reliability of source data must be considered as part of the data migration process. If this is unknown then data cannot be verified after migration and will mix with reliable data in the target system.
Conclusion
A controlled data migration process is essential for assuring data integrity and regulatory compliance. Without the use of techniques and tools, this process can get very laborious. A risk-based approach should be adopted when including these in your migration plan. Contact us for a free first consultation session.