Data migration is a crucial process in the realm of e-discovery platforms. Seamless transitions and operational continuity require knowledge, experience managing workflows, and optimized procedures. Meticulous planning and execution also play a critical role.
These factors impact every aspect of data migration—from assessing data integrity to developing robust migration strategies to everything else. Smooth transitions with minimal disruptions and preservation of data fidelity depend on getting all of them right.
The best approaches to data migration leverage industry best practices and advanced tools to streamline the migration process, ensure adherence to timelines and regulatory requirements, and deliver efficient outcomes. Whether transferring within platforms or migrating from one platform to another, an efficient approach must prioritize accuracy, reliability, and safeguarding data integrity and work product throughout every stage of the migration journey.
In my team’s experience at Elevate, the following three-phase approach works best.
Phase I: Prerequisites for the Migration
Phase I involves conducting internal and external meetings to coordinate and plan the migration process. In our work, my Elevate colleagues and I circulate a proprietary migration tracker and migration checklist with the customer for either the customer or us to populate. The checklist includes, but is not limited to, document counts, native counts, productions, saved searches, document coding, work product, search term reports, and numerous other facets of e-discovery platforms.
Once complete, we meticulously review both documents to incorporate necessary feedback and revisions. We also create a workspace template tailored to the customer’s specifications, which can be customized to align with their existing database practices. Another step is discussing and then organizing single sign-on login methods for customers who require them (multi-factor authentication is a best practice).
Expert Advice to Guide Your Strategy: Don’t skip that kickoff call. To ensure a smooth transition, we strongly recommend scheduling a kickoff call. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of how each platform operates can significantly reduce time spent and alleviate challenges during migration, whether switching between different platforms or within the same type.
Engaging with experts in their respective fields can streamline the process and identify opportunities for automation, transforming tasks that typically require manual intervention into more efficient solutions. This proactive approach not only enhances productivity but also minimizes potential obstacles.
Phase II: Migration Execution
Phase II is the execution phase. It starts with systematically exporting all data from the previous e-discovery platform, ensuring the export includes all necessary fields. Many times, one of the first orders of business is to begin exporting all files—but sometimes it is better to start with produced files, given that, in some e-discovery platforms, creating a new full workspace production for export can result in changes to production values. My colleagues and I always export a cross-reference file for field mapping purposes, documenting all restrictions and limitations for reference.
When conducting a migration to RelativityOne, we develop an import profile for standardized data loading. This is beneficial when repeated importing is needed. Next comes integrating production values and images, generating search term reports, aligning fields in layouts, establishing persistent highlighting sets, and preparing pertinent saved searches.
Expert Advice to Guide Your Strategy: Track all work product with cross-reference reports and checklists. During the migration phase, it is crucial to utilize a cross-reference report and a detailed checklist to ensure that all exports and imports are executed correctly and can be effectively quality-checked later.
A cross-reference report is especially valuable in cases where data may be deleted or altered during the process, serving as a guide to verify the original data. Maintaining data integrity is paramount; the goal of migrations is to retain all essential information from the older platform while leveraging the improved efficiency of a new system. This meticulous approach ensures a successful transition and preserves the quality of your data throughout the process.
Phase III: Migration Quality Assurance
In the final phase, we conduct comprehensive quality checks across the entire workspace: verifying documents, metadata field values, family relationships, production images, search term reports (STRs), highlighting, and saved searches, and ensuring consistency with original values. Using a detailed checklist, we meticulously document all checks performed and hand them off to the customer’s team to conduct their own quality control and confirm accuracy.
Once quality control checks are confirmed, the source data is securely transferred onto a hard drive and shipped to the client for safekeeping or deleted upon request.
Expert Advice to Guide Your Strategy: Check your work product and then double check! Quality control is imperative in any migration process. If data has been migrated, it must undergo thorough QC to confirm accuracy; if certain data has not been migrated, detailed notes should be made to explain the reasons for its exclusion.
Given that the previous platform will no longer be available, it is critical to verify that all data and work product have been accurately transferred. The migration encompasses numerous components, including documents, coding, productions, searches, search terms, and highlighting, just to name a few—all of which must seamlessly transition to the new environment. To achieve this, a comprehensive check of every aspect of the e-discovery platform from the previous system is necessary. The client should have access to all functionalities they had previously, along with enhanced capabilities in the new system.
Remember the Power of Three
Getting data migrations right is simultaneously complex and simple.
On the one hand, success depends on multiple critical factors: above all, knowledge, experience, workflows, planning, and meticulousness.
On the other hand, conceptualizing migrations as a series of three phases provides a straightforward and uncomplicated framework to ensure a seamless, complete, and smooth migration.
Sara Anwar is e-discovery consultant at Elevate and focuses on helping customers with complex workflows. Her two decades of experience as a litigation support professional includes law firms, legal service providers, and government. She holds certifications as a Brainspace Analyst and multiple Relativity certifications, including its advanced certification for Administrator and those for Review Management Specialist, Sales Professional, and RelativityOne Professional. Sara is a graduate of California State University, from which she received her Bachelor of Science in criminal justice administration.
