BACKUP AND MIGRATION
Backup and migration are two important processes in data management.
- Backup: This is the process of creating a copy of data that can be recovered in the event of a primary data failure. Primary data failures can be the result of hardware or software failure, data corruption, or a human-caused event, such as a malicious attack (virus or malware), or accidental deletion of data.
- Migration: This refers to the process of moving data from one location to another, one format to another, or one application to another. Generally, this is the result of introducing a new system or location for the data. The data migration process includes a number of steps including extraction, cleansing, deduplication, validation, uploading and verification.
- In the context of websites, tools like Backup and Migrate for Drupal and Backup Bliss for WordPress are often used. These tools simplify the task of backing up and restoring databases or copying databases from one site to another23. They support various features like gzip, bzip and zip compression, automatic scheduled backups, and more.
- Before starting the migration process, it’s crucial to backup data to guard against data loss1. The old system should only be switched off after confirmation of the success of the migration process1. Remember, the success of backup and migration largely depends on careful planning, consistent monitoring, and rigorous testing.