What is Database Migration? — UK Software Development Guide
Direct Answer
Database migration is the process of moving data from one database system to another, or upgrading to a newer version of the same database. This can involve: changing database vendor (e.g., Oracle to PostgreSQL), upgrading major versions (e.g., PostgreSQL 13 to 16), restructuring schema (changing table structure without switching vendor), or migrating to a cloud-managed database service.
Database-migration in the UK
Database migration has specific UK GDPR implications. Migration is one of the highest-risk moments for data protection compliance: personal data in transit must be encrypted, intermediate staging environments should not retain personal data longer than necessary, the migration must preserve all data subject rights (your new database must implement erasure, access, and portability), and a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) may be required if the migration changes the nature or location of processing. Zero-downtime migrations require careful planning — ClickMasters uses expand/contract patterns and blue-green deployments.
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