g g py g g y

important data.

Jump to:

What is data migration?

What is data integration?
What’s the difference between data migration and data integration?

How do data migration and data integration work together?

What is data migration?

Moving data from one location to another is the simple concept behind data migration. It is
described as a shift of data from one system to another, characterized by a change in
database, application or storage. Data migration may result from a need to modernize
databases, build new data warehouses and/or merge new data from sources, among other
reasons.

Key features for data migration

Some of the most important features of data migration tools include:

Functionality: The functionality of a tool should involve plans, scheduling jobs,

organizing workflows, data mapping and profiling, ETL tools and post-migration audits.
Handling of data sources and target systems: A data migration tool should be
compatible with a user’s desired data source or data type.
Performance and flexibility: A good data migration tool can transfer data in a short
time frame without compromising data quality. Cloud tools offer greater flexibility and
scalability than on-premises tools in this area, as on-premises tools are subject to
hardware parameters.
Intuitiveness and ease of use: Intuitive and easy-to-use solutions save time for users.
Users should consider solutions that are not only intuitive and easy to use but also
backed up with exceptional technical support.

Key tools for data migration

Popular data migration tools include:

CloverDX
Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant
 IBM Informix
IRI NextForm
AWS Cloud Data Migration
Amazon DocumentDB
Talend Open Studio
IBM Cloud Migration Services

What is data integration?

Data integration refers to the process of merging data from heterogeneous sources into a
single data warehouse or database. Data integration is usually implemented to support
decision-making and better data quality and data analysis.

SEE: Top cloud and application migration tools (TechRepublic)

Large enterprises often use data integration to create data warehouses, which offer users
more powerful reporting, querying and analytics capabilities. They also present data in a
uniform format.

Key features for data integration

The standard feature set of data integration tools includes:

Writing data to target systems: This feature copies data from the source and saves
the transformed version to target applications, services and systems.
Accessing data from a mix of sources: Data integration enables enterprises to collect
data from diverse sources and deliver it to target systems in a standardized version.
Interaction with sources and targets: Source and target systems can communicate
with each other through data integration.
Data transformation: Data integration is characterized by the ability to transform data
to be consumed by a target system.
Designing dataflows: Data integration tools can create data pipelines using various
targets, transformations and sources.

Key tools for data integration

Examples of data integration tools include:

Hevo Data
 Integrate.io
Dataddo
Informatica
Azure Data Factory
Talend
Oracle Data Integrator

What is the difference between data migration and data integration?

Frequency

When implementing a new application, data migration happens once. As a one-off activity,
the initial load contains massive data volumes. This makes it expensive to fix data issues
after the migration, which is why it’s crucial to ensure migration is fully prepared for in
advance and handled correctly.

Must-read big data coverage

Why the Database Market Keeps Growing Bigger and Stronger

Top 7 Power BI Alternatives and Competitors in 2023
What Is Data Literacy, and Why Is It Important?
GDPR Data Breach Notification Letter

On the other hand, data integration is a continuous process that supports the daily
operations of the business. It involves managing incremental changes to data. As a
continuous process, data integration is easier to put in place and change over time as
compared to data migration.

Usage

Data integration enables teams to consolidate applications within an organization or

combine applications from multiple organizations. It simplifies reporting, analytics and
business intelligence, and it contributes to new organizational efficiencies.

Data migration is key when organizations seek to upgrade their current systems or replace
them altogether. It is often performed when there is a need to expand system and storage
capacity, move IT services to the cloud or adopt a centralized database to tear down data
silos.
Purpose

Data migration involves selecting, priming, extracting, transforming and transferring data
from one system to another. In contrast, data integration combines data from different
sources to deliver a unified view to users. In the case of data integration, these sources are

not always from other systems but are typically from varied sources that store data
differently.

How do data migration and data integration work together?

Data migration and data integration serve different yet vital functions in the management
and utility of today’s business applications. They both center around the transference of
data, but they transfer data for entirely different purposes.

Data migration may be used as the foundation for successful subsequent data integration
initiatives, as data migration is key to defining and executing a data quality strategy. It is
also characterized by the transfer of existing historical data to a new storage system.

Data migration and data integration also work hand in hand in contexts such as cloud data
migration. The correct cloud integration tools can assist users in expediting cloud data
migration initiatives, as the integration process gives data professionals greater visibility,
organization and overall understanding when it comes to the data they need to migrate.

Combining data integration and data migration yields benefits such as the conversion of
business information into actionable insights. The combination also optimizes business
processes as a result of increased information exchange between multiple systems. Finally,
using data integration and data migration together can increase productivity across an
organization, since all data resources are more readily available and the flow of information
between various systems is enhanced.