Data Migration Testing

What is Migration Testing?

Migration Testing is a confirmation procedure for Migration of the legacy system into the system using nominal disruption/downtime, Data integrity, and no lack of data while still ensuring that the program’s specified operational and non-functional facets are fulfilled post-migration.

Why Migration Test?

As we all know, the program migration to a different system may be for various reasons, system integration, obsolete technologies, optimization, or some other explanations.

Hence while the System in Use needs to be migrated to a new system, it is essential to ensure the below points:

1. Any disruption/inconvenience caused by the consumer because of Migration has to be avoided/minimized. E.g., downtime, loss of data.
2. We need to ensure whether the consumer may continue to utilize all the program features by inducing minimal or no harm during Migration. E.g., change from the operation, elimination of a Specific performance.
3. It’s likewise essential to expect and rule all of the probable glitches/hindrances that could occur during their live system’s actual Migration.

Hence to guarantee a smooth migration of their live system by removing these flaws, it’s crucial to execute Data Migration Testing from the Laboratory.

This testing includes its significance, and it plays a vital role once the data enters the picture.

Technically, it is also required to be executed for the below purposes:

To guarantee this new/upgraded program’s compatibility with potential hardware and software, the legacy program supports. Additionally, new compatibility ought to be analyzed for new hardware, applications platform also.

To make sure all of the present functionalities function like from the legacy program. There ought not to be a change in how the program works in comparison to the legacy you.

The chance of a high number of flaws because of Migration is highly significant. A number of the spots will ordinarily be associated with data, and consequently, these flaws have to be fixed & identified through testing.

To ensure whether the System reaction time of this new/upgraded program is precisely the same or not, it can take to the legacy program.

To make sure whether the link between hardware, servers, applications, etc., are intact and don’t break while studying. Data flow between distinct components shouldn’t split under any given condition.

When is This Testing Required?

Testing needs to be done before and after Migration.

The various stages of Migration evaluation to be performed in the testing Laboratory could be categorized as under.

1. Pre-Migration Testing
2. Migration Testing
3. Post Migration Testing

These tests will also be implemented as a member of the complete Migration action along with those above.

1. Backward Compatibility Verification
2. Rollback Testing

Before performing this Testing, it is essential for any Tester to clearly understand the below points:

1. The changes occurring as part of this system (host, leading end, DB, schema( data flow, performance, etc. ),)
2. To know the accurate migration approach set out by the group. The Migration occurs, step-by-step changes in the back end of this machine, and the scripts are accountable for these modifications.

Thus it’s crucial to perform comprehensive research on the older and the new procedure. Accordingly, design and plan the test cases and test scenarios must be covered as a member of the testing stages and then prepare the testing procedure.

Data Migration Testing Strategy

Designing Migration’s evaluation strategy involves a set of actions to be achieved and few facets to be considered. This is to decrease the mistakes and dangers that happen due to Migration and execute the migration testing efficiently.

Tasks in this Testing:

#1) Specialized team formation:

Form the testing staff together with the members using the essential knowledge & expertise and supply training linked to the system that’s being migrated.

#2) Business risk analysis, possible errors analysis:

Present business shouldn’t be emptied after Migration and thus execute ‘Business Risk Analysis‘ meetings between the ideal stakeholders (Evaluation Manager, Business Analyst, Architects, Product Owners, Business Owner, etc.) and establish the dangers and also the implementable mitigations. The testing must consist of situations to discover those dangers and confirm if appropriate mitigations are implemented.

Conduct ‘Possible Error Evaluation‘ using proper ‘error Guessing Approaches‘ then design evaluations around these mistakes to unearth them through testing.

#3) Migration scope analysis and identification:

Assess the apparent crystal scope of this migration evaluation as if and what has to be examined.

#4) Identify the appropriate Tool for Migration:

While defining the testing plan, manual or automated, identify the resources that are likely to be utilized. E.g., Automated instrument to compare origin and destination info.

#5) Identify the appropriate Test Environment for Migration:

Identify different Pre and Post Migration surroundings’ surroundings to execute any verification required as a member of testing. Learn and document the technical facets of this Legacy and New Migration method to ensure the evaluation environment is installed according to that.

#6) Migration Test Specification Document and review:

Prepare Migration Test Specification document that clearly defines the evaluation approach, regions of testing, analyzing methods (automatic documentation ), researching procedure (black box, white box testing procedure ), the number of cycles of analyzing, calendar of studying, the strategy of producing data and using live data (sensitive data has to be concealed ), examine environment specification, hierarchical eligibility, etc., and conduct a review session together with all the stakeholders.

#7) Production launch of the migrated system:

Assess and record the to-do listing for creation migration and print it well Beforehand

Different Phases of Migration

Offered below are the numerous stages of Migration.

Phase #1: Pre-Migration Testing

Before assessing the data, place of testing tasks are done as part of the Pre-Migration evaluation period. This can be ignored or not contemplated in more straightforward applications. However, when complicated programs must be booted, Pre-Migration actions are essential.

Below is the listing of activities that are consumed during this stage:

• Decide on a precise range of this data — what data needs to be contained, what data needs to be flashed, which data demands transformations/conversions etc.
• Perform data mapping between heritage and the new program — for every kind of data from the legacy program, compare its usable form from the new program and map them Higher grade mapping.
• When the new program has the required area inside, and yet it isn’t true in heritage, then ensure that the gift doesn’t have that area as null. — Reduced level mapping.
• Study the new program’s data schema –domain names, types, minimum and maximum values, duration, compulsory fields, area-level validations, etc., obviously
• A variety of tables at the legacy system should be noted, and when any tables have been dropped and another post-migration has to be verified.
• Numerous documents in each table, perspectives ought to be said from the legacy program.
• Study the vents from the new program and their relations. Data flowing into the port needs to be highly secured and never broken.
• Prepare test cases, test scenarios, and use cases for new states in the latest software.
• Submit an assortment of test instances, situations with a group of customers and maintain the outcomes, logs saved. The very exact has to be confirmed after Migration to make sure legacy functionality and data are undamaged.
• Count of these records and data should be mentioned down; obviously, it should be confirmed after Migration for no more data .

Phase #2: Migration Testing

‘Migration Guide‘ ready by the Migration group must be rigorously followed to execute the migration action. The migration action starts with the data back upon the cassette, and so that, whenever that the legacy system could be restored.

Verifying the documentation component ‘migration Guide’ can also be part of data Migration Testing. Confirm whether the record is crystal, evident and simple to follow. Each of the scripts and measures has to be recorded correctly with no ambiguity. Any documentation mistakes, miss games in the sequence of implementation of measures also have to be considered significant so they may be documented and fixed.

Migration scripts, direct, and other details linked to accurate Migration has to be picked up in the version control repository for implementation.

To note down the real-time required for Migration by the beginning of Migration until successful recovery of this machine is among those test instances to be implemented. Thus the ‘time needed to migrate into the system‘ must be listed in the last evaluation report delivered as a member of the Migration evaluation outcome. This info will be helpful through the manufacturing launch. The downtime listed in the evaluation environment is extrapolated to figure out the approximate rest from the live system.

It’s on the heritage system in which the Migration action is going to be completed.

In this testing, each of the surroundings will ordinarily be drawn down and taken out of the system to execute the Migration actions. Thus it’s crucial to be aware that the downtime necessary for Migration evaluation. Ideally, it is going to be just like that of those Migration times.

Typically, Migration action defined at the ‘migration Guide’ record comprises:

• Actual Migration of this program
• Firewalls, interface, hosts, hardware, and software configurations are all altered According to the new system where the heritage has been migrated.
• Data flows, safety checks are conducted.
• The connection between each of the components of the program is assessed.

It’s a good idea for the anglers to confirm those mentioned above from the back part of the machine or by running white box testing.

When the Migration action specified in the manual is finished, all of the servers have been brought up along with fundamental evaluations associated with confirmation of Migration is going to be completed, which implies that all of the limits to finish systems are suitably connected and each of the elements are speaking about each other, DB is ready to go front end is communication with the rear end efficiently. These evaluations will need to be identified before and listed in the Migration Test Specification document.

There are chances that the computer program supports multiple distinct platforms. In this scenario, Migration has to be confirmed on every one of those platforms individually.

Verification of sitemap programs are going to be part of this Migration test. Occasionally individual migration scripts can be confirmed using white box testing at a standalone testing atmosphere.

Hence Data Migration testing is going to be a combo of white box along with Black box testing.

After this Migration connected confirmation is completed and corresponding tests have been passed, the staff can move further with Post-Migration testing.

Phase #3: Post-Migration Testing

When the program is uninstalled successfully, then Post-Migration testing enters the picture.

Here complete system testing is done at the testing atmosphere. Testers perform recognized test cases, test cases, use cases with heritage data in addition to a brand new set of data.

Along with those, there are specific things to be confirmed from the migrated environments That Are recorded below:

All these are recorded as a test instance and contained in the exam Simulator document.

1. Assess whether all of the data in the heritage is migrated into the new program inside the downtime which was proposed. To guarantee that, compare the number of documents between origin and the new program for every single table and opinions from the database. Additionally, report the time required to proceed, say 10000 documents.
2. According to the system, assess whether all of the schema changes (tables and fields removed or added ) are upgraded.
3. Data gleaned from the new program’s heritage should maintain its format and value unless specified to achieve it. To guarantee that, compare data values between new and legacy program’s database.
4. Examine the migrated data from the new program. This pays a maximum number of potential instances. To guarantee 100% protection concerning data migration confirmation, use the automatic testing tool.
5. Assess for database protection.
6. Assess for data integrity for all potential sample documents.
7. Assess and make sure that the sooner supported performance in the legacy program functions as anticipated in the system.
8. Examine the data flow within the program, which covers the majority of the elements.
9. The interface between the elements ought to be extensively analyzed, as the data shouldn’t be altered, missing, and corrupted once it’s going through details. Integration test instances may be employed to confirm this.
10. Assess for legacy data’s redundancy. No heritage data must be replicated through Migration.
11. Check for data mismatch instances like data type altered, keeping format is changed, etc.,
12. Each of the field level tests from the legacy program Ought to Be covered from the new program.
13. Any data included in the new program shouldn’t reflect the heritage.
14. Updating legacy program’s data via the new program ought to be supported. Once upgraded in the new program, it ought not to reflect the heritage.
15. Assessing the legacy program’s data in the new program ought to be supported. After deleted from the new program, it ought not to delete data in the legacy too.
16. Confirm that the heritage system’s modifications support that the new performance is delivered as part of their new system.
17. Confirm the legacy system users may continue to work with the old performance and new performance, particularly those in which the modifications are included. Submit the test cases as well as the evaluation results saved throughout the Pre-migration testing process.
18. Create new customers on the machine and execute tests to ensure that the heritage and the new program’s performance supports both the recently established users and functions suitable.
19. Carry out performance-related evaluations with an assortment of data samples (distinct age category, users from the various area, etc. ),)
20. It’s also necessary to confirm whether feature Flags’ are allowed for the newest attributes, and shifting enables the characteristics to turn off and on.
21. Performance testing is crucial to making sure that Migration into a new system/software hasn’t degraded its functioning.
22. It’s also necessary to perform Load and pressure tests to make sure the system equilibrium.
23. Confirm that the software update hasn’t opened any safety vulnerabilities and thus execute safety testing, particularly in the region where changes are made to the machine through Migration.
24. Usability is just another aspect that’s to be confirmed. If GUI layout/front-end program has shifted or some other operation has changed, the simplicity of Use the end consumer is feeling compared to the legacy method.

Considering that the extent of Post-Migration testing gets quite huge, it’s best to segregate the necessary tests, which have to get accomplished first to be eligible that Migration is robust and to execute the rest later.

It’s likewise a good idea to automate the limit to finish operational test cases and other potential test cases so the testing period can be lowered. The outcomes will be available immediately.

Few Methods for testers for composing the test instances for post-migration implementation:

• After the program is booted, it doesn’t signify that the test instances need to be written to the entire new program. Evaluation cases already intended for the heritage still ought to hold great for your new program. So, so much as you can use the previous test instances and convert the heritage test instances to some other program’s models wherever necessary.
• When there’s a feature alter in the new program, examining cases linked to the character should be changed.
• When there’s any new feature included in the new program, new test cases should be made for that specific feature.
• Whenever there’s a featured fall in the new program, related heritage application test instances shouldn’t be considered for article migration implementation. They should be marked as valid and stored aside.
• Test cases designed ought to remain dependable and consistent concerning usage. Verification of Critical data must be dealt with in test cases when it isn’t missed while implementing.
• After this new program’s look differs from that of their heritage (UI), the UI-related test cases must be altered to accommodate the new layout. The choice to update or compose new ones, in this circumstance, may be obtained from the tester, dependent on the quantity of change that occurred.

Backward Compatibility Testing

Migration of the machine calls for the testers to validate that the backward Compatibility. In contrast, the new system released is harmonious with the older platform (at least two previous variants ) and guarantees that it works perfectly with these variants.

Backward compatibility would be to make sure:

1. Whether the new platform supports the operation supported in the previous two variants and the brand new one.
2. The machine could be migrated successfully in the previous two variants with no hassles.

Thus, it is crucial to ensure this system’s backward compatibility by especially executing the evaluations associated with encouraging backward compatibility. The assessments related to backward compatibility have to be made and included in the Evaluation Specification file for implementation.

Rollback Testing

In the event of any problems while taking out the intrusion or when there’s a migration collapse at any period through Migration, then it needs to be feasible for the machine to roll back into the legacy system and then restart its purpose quickly without affecting the users as well as the operation supported sooner.

Thus, to confirm this, Migration failure evaluation situations have to be made as a member of adverse testing, and the rollback mechanism has to be examined. The overall time necessary to restart back into the legacy program also must be documented and recorded in the evaluation outcomes.

Following rollback, the principal operation and regression testing (automatic ) should be conducted to ensure that Migration has never influenced anything and rollback effectively brings the legacy system set up.

Migration Test Summary Report

The evaluation summary report ought to be created after finishing the testing and ought to pay the record on the overview of the various tests/scenarios completed within different Migration stages together using the outcome standing (pass/fail) along with the evaluation logs.

The time listed for These actions should be recorded:

1. Total time for Migration
2. Downtime of the applications
3. Time spent to migrate 10000 records.
4. Time spent for rollback.

Besides the info above, some observations /recommendations may likewise be mentioned.

Challenges in Data Migration Testing

Challenges faced within this testing are considerable with Data. Below are several from the listing:

#1) Data Quality:

We might discover the data legacy program’s data is of inferior quality from the new/upgraded program. In these scenarios, data quality needs to be enhanced to meet standards.

Factors such as premises, data conversions following migrations, data input from the legacy program itself are invalid, inadequate data evaluation, etc., contribute to poor data quality. This causes high operational costs, improved data integration dangers, and deviation from the company’s aim.

#2) Data Mismatch:

Data gleaned from the legacy to the new/upgraded software might be seen mismatching from the fresh brand one. This could be because of the shift in data form, the format of data storage, the intent of which the data used could be deciphered.

This effect changes the crucial changes to correct the mismatched data or take it and tweak it into this objective.

#3) Data Loss:

Data may be missing while glancing from the heritage to the new/upgraded program. This could be with compulsory fields or non-mandatory areas. If the data lost is to get non-mandatory regions, then the document will continue to be valid and could be upgraded.

However, if the critical area’s data is missing, then the document itself becomes empty, and it can’t be retracted. This will bring about huge data reduction and ought to be recovered either in the backup audit or database logs when appropriately recorded.

#4) Data Volume:

Enormous data demands a whole good deal of time to migrate inside the downtime window of their migration action. E.g., Scratch cards from the Telecom business, users on an Intelligent network stage, etc. This challenge is when the heritage data is drained; enormous new data will be generated, merging back again. Automation is your solution for massive data migration.

#5) Simulation of a real-time environment (with the actual data):

Simulation of real-time surroundings in the testing laboratory is just another true challenge. Individuals get into various types of problems with the actual data and the proper system, which isn’t confronted during testing.

Therefore, data preservation, replication of natural surroundings, and the identification of the quantity of data involved with Migration are essential while carrying out Data Migration Testing.

#6) Simulation of the volume of data:

Teams will need to carefully examine the data in the live platform and think of the regular evaluation and sampling of their data.

E.g., consumers with age classes under ten decades, 10-30 years As much as possible, data in life has to be accessed. If not, data generation has to be carried out in the testing atmosphere. Automated tools will need to be utilized to make a massive volume of data . Extrapolation was related, can be used if the quantity cannot be simulated.

Tips to Smoothen the Data Migration Risks

Here are several hints to be completed to smoothen the data migration dangers:

• Standardize data utilized in heritage system and so that if migrated, regular data will soon be accessible in the brand new system
• Boost the quality of this data so that if migrated, There’s qualitative data to check to give the sense of analyzing as an outcome
• Wash out the data before multiplying so that if migrated, replicate data Won’t be within the new method, which retains the Whole system clean.
• Recheck the limitations, stored procedures, complicated inquiries that yield precise results to ensure that if migrated, proper data is returned from the system Also
• Identify proper automation instruments to do data checks /document checks from the system in contrast with the heritage.

Conclusion

Hence thinking about the complexity involved in executing info Migration Testing, remember a little overlook in any facet of confirmation throughout testing will cause the collapse of Migration in the creation. It’s essential to perform careful and comprehensive analysis & study of this machine before and after Migration. Plan and layout the successful Migration approach together with the vital tools together with trained and skilled testers.

As we all know that Migration has a massive influence on the quality of this program, a fantastic quantity of effort has to be set up from the whole team to confirm the entire system in most facets like performance, performance, safety, usability, accessibility, and reliability, compatibility, etc., and which then will guarantee successful migration Testing.