FOR A SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT AND A SMOOTH MIGRATION PROCESS
No matter how well you are secured, there will come a time when (parts of) your security systems are outdated or end-of-life. Even if they still seem to be functioning well, it is important to replace them before things go wrong. End-of-life systems, for example, are no longer compatible with the latest (management) software.
And there is a real chance that the system (component) that is end-of-life or outdated will soon fail.
That’s where the real problems come in.
Are you reluctant to replace your systems?
Thanks to the 6 pieces of advice from this article, you don’t have to worry about the migration process. Manufacturers of security systems and components are not standing still.
They are constantly developing new, even better or faster products, based on the latest technology.
They have to, if they want to survive.
When introducing a new version of a product, the old version is usually end-of-life.
The latter has consequences for the users of those systems and/or components.
- There is no more support even if the system goes down;
- The end-of-life system and its components are no longer compatible with the latest (management) software;
- System extensions are no longer possible.
Fortunately, most suppliers or system integrators inform their customers in good time about the end-of-life of the system.
If your security system is outdated or about to end its life, you have to make choices.
What are you going to do?
To leave the outdated system in place with all the risks that entails? Or are the risks too great and you decide to replace? Fortunately, most organizations are sufficiently aware of the risks of leaving old systems in place. They rightly choose to replace the outdated systems. By a newer system from the same supplier or by a system from an entirely different brand. Such system migration – depending on the role of the systems in an organization and their complexity – involves quite a bit. Mactwin has a lot of experience in replacing end-of-life systems. We analyzed these experiences and determined the critical success factors in migration projects. We have translated this into 6 pieces of advice for you, so that your migration process will run smoothly and you are assured of a sustainable investment.
1. Risk assessment
Now that you are going to replace your system, take a closer look at your risks and desired level of security. Perhaps new risks have emerged over time or previously identified risks are no longer likely. And is your security still at a sufficient level or does it need to be adjusted to the new risk profile?
2. Inventory and reuse of existing components and cabling
Determine the exact size of the existing installation, so that the scope of the migration project is clear.
Together with your system integrator, also assess which existing components and cabling can be reused. If necessary after they have been refurbished. By reusing these parts that are still working properly in the new system, you can save costs. Of course, these components must be compatible with the new systems (and software) and still meet the current standards.
3. Selection of future-proof system
Select a new system that meets current needs and requirements, is compatible with the latest technology and complies with applicable laws and regulations.
Also assess whether the system is sufficiently future-proof. This means that it is a flexible system that can be adapted to new wishes, requirements and circumstances in the future.
4. Risks in the migration process
Make an inventory of any risks in the migration process and consider how you can minimize them.
Think of the risk that (part of) your organization is temporarily insufficiently secured.
You can solve this, for example, with the deployment of (extra) security personnel, (additional) camera surveillance or other temporary security facilities.
At Mactwin, we often choose to keep the outdated or end-of-life system up and running during the implementation of the new system.
We will do this until all databases have been transferred and any teething problems have been ironed out.
This allows us to quickly switch back to the old system in case of emergency.
And during long-term (phased) projects, we keep the removed but still working system parts in stock. If a component of the old system fails during the migration process, we can still replace it (temporarily). New parts are usually no longer available for obsolete systems.
In this way, we create our own stock of spare parts, so that your business continuity is guaranteed almost immediately.
Even if you haven’t completely switched to the new system yet.
5. Migration plan
Have the security system integrator draw up a good migration plan that answers the following questions, among others:
- Which phases can the project be divided into?
- What are the milestones and what is the total lead time?
- What measures are being taken to minimise the risks (see advice 4)?
- What is being done to minimise any inconvenience caused by the work?
For large projects with multiple locations, it is inevitable that the migration project is divided into phases.
One by one, the locations are converted to the new system, while the old system is still running at the other locations.
6. Internal communication
Communicate with the employees of the organization and others involved about the (planning of the) work, the possible unavailability of systems or the possible inconvenience.
Don’t forget to mention the importance of the migration and the benefits of the new system for the users.
Need advice?
Are you dealing with a system that is outdated or becoming end-of-life?
Please feel free to contact us to discuss how we can set up the migration process for you.