Switching to a New IPMS: What Does the Data Migration Process Involve?

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Migrating data is one of the key elements of moving to a new IP management system; naturally, you will want to be confident it's conducted efficiently and securely. Sam Boote, Head of Data Services for our Equinox IP management software, answers some common questions about how we handle data migration for our Equinox IPMS and breaks down the main steps involved.

When you’re considering switching to a new IP management system (IPMS), you’ll likely have some big questions about the data migration process: How does it work? How long will it take? How secure is it?

Our Equinox IP management software is supported by a team of expert data engineers with vast experience migrating, securing, and managing our clients' IP data. Read on to discover the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about how we handle the migration of your data across to our Equinox platform.

Everything You Need to Know About Data Migration

Q: What is data migration?

Simply put, data migration means taking all the case and contact information on your current system and moving it to your new Equinox IPMS.

Q: Can you explain the data migration process?

Typically, the data migration process involves four key steps:

1. Data assessment

First, we need to understand the scope of your migration project by assessing the data you would be moving across to your Equinox IPMS. Once we have a clear understanding of the work involved, we will create your migration plan.

2. Preparation and data mapping

Before the migration, we will start preparing your data ready for migration. This includes mapping and formatting your data for import into your new system. Not only do we match your current data values, such as case categories and statuses, to your new Equinox configuration, but this step also offers a great opportunity for you to clear out any values that you no longer need or use.

3. Practice migration & data validation

Once the preparation work is complete, we run a test migration on a small dataset for peace of mind. This allows you to review the results and provide any adjustments you would like before the live migration. For systems with more than one user, we typically run two practice migrations to ensure everything works just as you would like.

4. Final migration

We will undertake the final migration over the weekend before your go-live date. To action this, we will need an up-to-date copy of your data set to account for any data added to your old system since we carried out the practice migration. Once we have this, we will perform the live migration. This is usually the last step in the onboarding process.

Q: Who will handle my data migration?

Questel has a dedicated Equinox Data Services team specializing in data engineering, and you will have a project manager in that team to lead the project. They are experts in assessing, formatting, mapping, and validating data and have helped hundreds of organizations move to our Equinox IP management software, from newly established firms to multi-national organizations with significant client portfolios and corporate enterprises looking to protect their assets in-house.

Our Data Services team works closely with our onboarding team so they will be familiar with your unique needs and priorities.

“We carry out a wide variety of services that help our clients manage their data in their chosen Equinox IPMS. Data migration is one of our primary functions, and we’ve worked with firms and organizations of every shape and size to deliver secure, well-managed data within the system.

"We hold a diverse skillset within the team, which combines to deliver highly effective services to subscribers.”

Felix Tam

Equinox, a Questel company

Senior Data Engineer

Q: Is data migration secure?

Keeping your data safe is our top priority. We ensure the transfer is secure using a dedicated Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), meaning you can upload your data safely and efficiently. We are currently working towards ISO 27001 certification and are fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Q: How long does it take—and how much will it cost?

Each data migration project is unique and requires a bespoke approach. An independent attorney firm has vastly different needs from in-house counsel at a corporation, so there’s no catch-all figure.

We will assess and include the cost and timeline of your migration in your overall onboarding quote and schedule. For a small organization, the whole process could be completed in as little as a month, but a detailed breakdown of your cost and timings will be agreed upon at the start of the project so that you can plan accordingly.

Ready to Take Your Next Step?

We’ve helped hundreds of businesses and law firms get started with our Equinox IP management software, so we know how to get you onto your chosen system efficiently and hassle-free.

To find out more about choosing and transitioning to a new IPMS, read our articles ‘How to Choose an IP Management System’ and ‘How to Transition Your Organization to New IP Management Software’ or contact our Subject Matter Experts for further information.

Sam Boote is Head of Data Services at Equinox, a Questel company.