14 Best Data Migration Software of 2024 (Plus Free Options)

Updated Dec 6, 2022.
Best Data Migration Software (Plus Free Options)

Do you want to manage data migration across different systems easily, regardless of whether it's on-premise or in-cloud?

Whether it is shrinking hard drives into more compact SSD drives, cloning and transferring whole operating systems, you will find software in this article suitable for the scale of your operations and your security demands.

While relieving you of the tedious re-installation of applications onto the new device, data migration software will help you replace your storage device, migrate data to another disk for backup, clone your operating system, and provide foolproof security.

Read on, and discover your perfect match for data migration software.

What are the Best Data Migration Software Tools?

1. EaseUS Todo PCTrans

Best Data Migration Software for Novices Migrating from Older Windows Versions.

EaseUS's is the Best Data Migration Software for Novices Migrating from Older Windows Versions

EaseUS's Todo PCTRans free data migration software will provide you with a one-click solution to migrate your files from one computer to another without any data loss.

The software allows you to transfer data, applications, and accounts between Windows computers, supporting common applications like Microsoft Office, Adobe, Google Chrome, Firefox, Photoshop, AutoCAD, Dropbox, and more for Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP.

When you start up your new system after having used the software, all the applications will be pre-installed and ready to use, which is convenient for first-time users as you don't have to worry about reinstallation.

Not only can you migrate your old PC files to your Windows 10 and the new Windows 11, but you can recover programs and files from a dead computer.

EaseUS's Todo PCTRans Features
Source: En.softonic

Todo Backup is an additional feature offered by the company which comes with a Migrate OS to SSD/HDD tool that allows you to copy a system drive to an SSD or an HDD.

The free 24/7 transfer guidance ensures that you have expert support throughout the whole data migration process.

Pricing

EaseUS Todo PCTrans is free.

Pros

  • One-click solution
  • Automatic file migration without data loss
  • All applications are pre-installed and ready to use
  • Transfer via a network connection, locally, or with image files
  • Recover data from a dead or non-bootable computer
  • Copy a system drive to an SSD or HDD
  • Clone an HDD to an SSD without Windows
  • Free 24/7 transfer guidance

An all-around data transfer software that comes as a one-click solution, supports all the common applications, and allows you to backup, transfer, and clone is also free.

So, what are you waiting to give EaseUS a try?

2. Acronis True Image

#1 Data Migration Software with Useful Security Extras.

Acronis True Image is a Data Migration Software with Useful Security Extras

True Image by Acronis is a data backup software that will help you protect, clone, and migrate OS, boot information, programs, photos, and more.

With its end-to-end encryption protecting your files, the company has zero knowledge about the content of your backups, while the data gets saved in the cloud for protection and easy access.

The built-in anti-malware features come with the full backup software, and the tool is available on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

True Image's active disk learning feature allows you to create an exact Windows or Mac system replica while the operating system is in use, enabling you to continue with your operations without the need to reboot the machine and stop what you are doing.

Acronis Active disk learning Feature
Source: Acronis

Pricing

Acronis's Essential tier is $49.99 per year for one device.

Acronis Pricing Plan

Pros

  • Change the computer's drive from HDD to SSD, and migrate between each other
  • Transfer data between iOS and Android
  • Disk cloning and partition resizing
  • Retain 20 versions of files for up to 6 months
  • Back up an entire disk image, and copy, format, partition, delete a hard drive image
  • Monitor suspicious behavior with all your files
  • Automatic mobile and event-based backups
  • Backup validation, anti-ransomware, and crypto-jacking protection
  • Resumable replications

Protecting your device from disk failure, stolen devices, cyberattacks, and more, Acronis True Image will let you create a replica of your system even if it's in use, along with a ton of other functionalities like full-disc backups, versioning, file sharing, folder syncing, and so on.

3. MiniTool Partition Wizard

Best Data Migration Software for Beginners and Personal Use.

MiniTool Partition Wizard is the Best Data Migration Software for Beginners and Personal Use

While MiniTool Partition Wizard is primarily known for its partition-related support, its software can equip you with a robust migrate OS to SSD/HDD functionality that migrates a system from a hard disk to an SSD and optimizes Windows performance.

Supporting all Windows systems from the XP onwards, Partition Wizard allows you to take backups or upgrade hard drives without reinstalling other applications or operating systems.

Along with disk cloning, Partition Wizard can perform data recovery and disk diagnosis with the partition recovery wizard that covers lost partitions and data recovery that covers deleted or lost files from damaged, inaccessible, formatted folders.

MiniTool Partition Wizard Software
Source: 4download.net

Pricing

Partition Wizard offers both free and Pro editions of its program.

MiniTool Partition Wizard Pricing Plan

Pros

  • Migrate OS to SSD/HDD and vice versa
  • Create, delete, format partition
  • Convert RAW to NTFS
  • Move/resize partition
  • Enlarge C drive to remove the low disk space warning on Windows 10
  • Erase data on a partition completely and ensure it can't be recovered
  • Measure disk read/write speed, examine disk usage, verify the file system, detect errors
  • Combine two partitions into one or split a hard drive into two partitions
  • Copy the non-system disk and partition for instant usage

If you are a novice looking for software to provide you with partition migration, wide disk format support, and a safety net for disk cloning and partitioning, MiniTool Partition Wizard has the free version to get you started and the Pro plan once your requirements grow.

4. Paragon Drive Copy Professional

#1 Advanced Data Migration Software for Disk Cloning & Partitioning.

Paragon is an Advanced Data Migration Software for Disk Cloning & Partitioning

Paragon's data migration software will help you transfer your data or home OS from any source to any disk while enabling you to clone disks of entire drives, clone partitions, resize partitions while copying them, copy or restore data to hard disks of different sector sizes, or even clone your OS to a USB flash drive.

Drive Copy Professional will let you copy or restore the contents of 512-byte hard disks to 4K hard disks and migrate any Windows OS from the 7 version onwards from HDD to high-end SSD.

You can load an existing backup, secure important data, or fix booting errors when your OS fails to boot up through the bootable Paragon recovery environment.

Paragon provides unique functionality that allows you to create a virtual clone of your PC to a USB drive, which can then run portably from another PC.

The recovery media builder 3.0 tool helps you prepare a WinPE-based recovery environment that will enable you to start your computer for maintenance or recovery purposes when the OS is corrupted.

Pricing

Paragon Drive Copy Professional will cost you $79,95 per license which covers up to three computers.

Paragon License Plan

Pros

  • Clone your hard disk to a larger drive and migrate your laptop to a new hard drive
  • Copy or restore data to a new hard disk with a different sector size
  • Copy a hard disk entirely or a partition separately
  • Copy or restore 512-byte hard disk content to a 4K hard disk
  • Split or merge partitions and redistribute free space
  • Restore all types of backup images
  • Run your computer for maintenance when the OS is corrupted through the recovery media builder
  • Restore all types of backup images with the built-in wizard

Paragon Drive Copy Professional will secure your data during migration from all sides, allowing you to run your PC from another computer portably through a USB drive cloning, boot a non-bootable PC for maintenance with the recovery media builder while letting you partition, resize, copy, and clone in all drive shapes and sizes.

5. NovaBACKUP PC

Best Data Migration Software for Windows PC Users.

NovaBACKUP is the Best Data Migration Software for Windows PC Users

Coming with local and cloud backup storage, NovaBACKUP PC enables you to safely backup and migrate disk, OS, and individual files.

NovaBACKUP allows you to construct a schedule, through which you can set up full or incremental backup jobs or differential backups to run automatically.

The backup and disaster recovery plan keeps your PC protected from data loss and predisposes automatic backup and data recovery in case of a security breach.

NovaBACKUP Software Interface
Source: Colormango

After generating a system image backup of your entire system, you will be able to stay one step ahead of ransomware, hardware failure, while reducing downtime and aligning with the HIPAA, FERPA, GLBA protocols.

File and image backup jobs have the flexibility of changing between the full, differential, and incremental modes, with the file copy jobs being able to keep the current version of your files at your chosen location through a one-way copy when run manually or on a schedule.

Pricing

The Single PC plan is $49,95 per year.

NovaBACKUP Pricing Plan

Pros

  • Individual PC file backups and PC image backups
  • All PC licenses include 5GB of free cloud storage
  • Restore a single file from your PC backup, and restore data to an alternate location
  • Schedule a backup job and adjust the frequency
  • File & image backups are compressed by default
  • Set up automatic full or incremental backup jobs and differential backups on a schedule
  • Keep your PC secure from data loss and ensure automatic backup and recovery
  • Keep a current version of your files at a chosen location through file copy jobs
  • Blind and deaf accessible

The NovaBACKUP PC software allows you to securely back up your files locally and online with a wide range of backup and encryption options and full-on disaster recovery.

6. DriveImage XML

Most Simplistic and Reliable Data Migration Software for Partition & Drives Imaging and Backup.

DriveImage XML is the Most Simplistic and Reliable Data Migration Software

Part of Runtime's Data Recovery Software products, DriveImage XML allows you to clone, backup, or restore a drive easily.

DriveImage doesn't require a reboot and the backup files will get saved as XML documents so that they can get read by almost every PC cloning tool.

The company offers two versions of the software, with the Private Edition being for home users free of charge while the Commercial Edition supports up to 100 user licenses and can be customized to show your name, address, support numbers, and so on.

Users of the Commercial Edition are treated to support for one year and provided with free updates from the time of purchase.

Pricing

Apart from the free Private Edition, you can purchase the Commercial Edition starting at $100.

Pros

  • Free for personal use
  • No reboot required
  • Back up, image, or restore drives formatted with FAT and NTFS
  • Back up any drive on your computer to an XML image file or restore existing images to any connected drives
  • Clone an HDD to an SSD or a hard disk to an external drive easier through a direct copy
  • Browse images, view, and extract files
  • Create “hot” images with VSS technology
  • Schedule backups through the Task Scheduler app

DriveImage XML offers both licenses for personal and commercial use, allowing you to back up logical drives and partitions, copy “hot” images of your drives, copy one drive to another without a reboot required for free.

7. DAEMON Tools Pro 8

Best Emulation and Imaging Tool for Disc Images and Virtual Drives.

DAEMON Tools Pro 8 is the Best Emulation and Imaging Tool for Disc Images and Virtual Drives

As a robust emulation and imaging tool, DAEMON Tools Pro 8 will allow you to handle disc images and virtual drives, along with cloning and migrating all types of security technologies like StarForce, Securom, Safedisc, Protect CD, and so on.

You can mount all popular types of images from applications or Explorer, create dynamic and fixed virtual hard disks, store sensitive data in TrueCrypt containers.

DAEMON lets you emulate up to 32 DT, HD, SCSI drives together with 4 IDE devices, attach virtual devices to physical ones, emulate the disc burning process with Virtual Burner, and customize any emulation adjustments manually.

The software allows you to create new and edit the existing Audio CD and Data images, convert, compress, and protect image files with passwords, create raw disk images from USB device content, restore the factory state of a USB stick, and more.

Just like EaseUS Todo and Acronis True Image, DAEMON stands among the best disk imaging software, allowing you to create replicas of a storage device with a cheap and powerful solution.

DAEMON Tools Functions
Source: Softonline.net

Pricing

DAEMON's 1-month plan will cost you $6.

DAEMON Tools Pricing Plan

Pros

  • Mount all popular image types from an application or Explorer
  • Create dynamic and fixed virtual hard disks
  • Grab images from physical discs with advanced parameters
  • Mount with double-click or customize the emulation process manually
  • Transfer, compress and secure your files with passwords
  • Burn data with RMPS, make Audio CDs and copy discs
  • Store your image files in image catalogs
  • Create a RAW disk image from USB device content

DAEMON Tools Pro 8 is a powerful emulation software that will migrate and emulate while keeping media in a precise order so the program or the game can operate smoothly, enabling you to mount all types of image formats, collect images from disks, and store sensitive data securely.

8. Clonezilla

Best Data Migration Software for restoring Images to Multiple Devices.

Clonezilla is the Best Data Migration Software for restoring Images to Multiple Devices

The free and open-source data migration platform Clonezilla is a reliable cloning and disk imaging solution that helps you with data migration and recovery, as well as system deployment and bare metal backup, supporting Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, and macOS.

Available as a Live CD or USB for single-machine backup and restore, or as a server for multi-machine cloning, Clonezilla comes in three different versions – Clonezilla Live, Clonezilla Lite server, and Clonezilla SE.

Running independently from the operating system of the computer being restored, Clonezilla will be accessible to those with basic experience of command-line operations with a lot of advanced options for tweaking many elements.

Clonezilla Free Software Lab
Source: Github

You can store disk images locally, onto a separate partition or an external hard drive, or even an FTP or WebDAV server, along with a large selection of compression algorithms to reduce total storage volume.

Clonezilla allows you to restore a single image to multiple local devices, and you can clone to an image or directly to another physical disk, being used as a reliable and rapid solution for mass cloning via multicasting and a backup, cloning, and restoring solution for multiple computers in a single session.

Pricing

Clonezilla doesn't dispose of any pricing information on their website.

Pros

  • System development and bare metal backups
  • 19 file systems supported
  • Available as a Live CD or USB for single-machine backup and restore or as a server for multi-machine cloning
  • Runs independently from the operating system being restored, rebooted, or backed up
  • Users with basic experience with command-line operations can use it
  • Store disk images onto a separate partition, external hard drive, FTP, or WebDAV server
  • Large selection of compression algorithms

The perfect solution for storing images onto multiple local devices, and often used by IT technicians and system administrators for multi-machine cloning, Clonezilla is a feature-rich and highly customizable backup, restoring, imaging, and cloning solution for mass deployment.

Laplink PCmover is Only Data Migration Software recommended by Microsoft and Intel

Laplink PCmover makes it easy for you to transfer apps, files, and settings between different computers while restoring data without leaving anything behind.

After you have installed the software and pressed a few buttons, all you need to do is to wait a couple of hours for everything to transfer.

Often regarded as the best data migration software for assisting you in handling complications, Laplink PCmover allows you to opt for a physical copy to be shipped with a high-speed transfer cable and free SafeErase software.

Alternatively, you can connect with one of Laplink's PC migration experts who are available 24 hours a day.

Laplink PCmover File Transfer Summary
Source: Web.laplink

Pricing

Laplink's software will cost you $59,95.

Laplink PCmover Pricing Plan

Pros

  • Transfer apps, files, and settings between computers
  • Restore data without leaving anything behind
  • Download the software, press a few buttons, and walk away while the program does everything
  • Improved application processing
  • USB 3.0 support
  • User profile selectivity
  • Undo feature
  • Opt for a physical copy with a high-speed transfer cable and free SafeErase software in complications
  • Connect with migration experts available 24/7

Laplink's PCmover data migration software will move your files, applications, and settings without you having to do anything while providing you with the most expert and attentive support during the process.

10. Macrium Reflect 7

Best Free-of-Charge Disk Cloning Solution.

Macrium Reflect 7 is the Best Free of Charge Disk Cloning Solution

The image-based Macrium Reflect 7 data migration software will provide backup solutions for a full range of personal and business users, while also offering advanced features for IT professionals.

Apart from allowing you to create exact replicas of a hard disk or partitions you can use during disk restorations, Macrium Reflect 7 will allow you to take images of your computer's hard drive or another storage device, save them, and view them later.

This allows you to go back to a disk image later without having to do a full system restore, but this is not all, as Macrium supports full-system backups and disk imaging, copying of specific files and folders for MS Exchange and SQL Server backups, and server-class OS backups.

All backups are fully encrypted and protected from hackers and data breaches.

Macrium Reflect 7 Free Edition Software
Source: Ghacks.net

Pricing

Macrium's Reflect 7 is free in both the Commercial and regular versions.

Pros

  • Advanced features for IT professionals with the simplicity for personal users
  • Creating a disk clone or data backup to an external storage device is super fast
  • Restore non-booting systems
  • Restore backups in Hyper-V virtual machine
  • Differential imaging
  • Take images of your computer's storage device and visit them later
  • Copy specific files and folders for MSExchange and SQL Server backups
  • Schedule regular backups at specified times or intervals
  • All backups are fully encrypted and protected from hackers

Perfect for backups and cloning on a smaller scale, Macrium Reflect 7's migration system will support the local, network, and USB drives in both the home and business environment, while helping you virtualize backup images with viBoot 2, providing you with multiple image compression options, minimizing the time to compress images, and much more.

11. IBM Infosphere Data Replication

Best Data Migration Software for Large Enterprises.

IBM Infosphere Data Replication is the Best Data Migration Software for Large Enterprises

IBM Infosphere Data Replication gives you the flexibility to access and integrate data from all platforms while supporting zero-downtime data migrations and upgrades.

The centralized monitoring platform gives you instant visibility into your replication practices, as you move small amounts of changing data continuously, which disburdens the system resources and reduces network traffic, thus cutting down operating costs.

The software allows you to load real-time information into a data warehouse, access the CDC Replication Management Console for access control, configuration, operation, and monitoring, and capture changes by reading the native database log.

IBM Infosphere Data Replication Demo
Source: Youtube

Pricing

To get your pricing, you will have to contact IBM's team.

Pros

  • Handle all data volumes with massively parallel processing (MPP)
  • Application consolidation, dynamic warehousing, and master data management (MDM)
  • Service-oriented architecture (SOA) and extract-transform-load (ETL)
  • Access to CDC Replication Management Console
  • Incremental delivery of transactional relational data captured from database logs
  • Reduce operational costs of capturing VSAM data with the z/OS Remote Source capture engine
  • Reduce mainframe operating costs by offloading the processing to a commodity environment like Linux

Helping you transform raw data into trusted information, IBM Infosphere Data Replication provides log-based change data capture, supporting large-scale data integration and consolidation, warehousing and analytics initiatives at scale.

12. O&O DiskImage

Best Data Management Software for Security Risk Monitoring.

O&O DiskImage is the Best Data Management Software for Security Risk Monitoring

O&O DiskImage 16.5 supports SSD drives and the latest UEFI systems and quickly restores all your personal data in the event of loss even if the Windows isn't able to start.

Not only can you restore a system and duplicate or clone an entire PC or hard drive, but O&O DiskImage allows you to restore this backup onto a computer with different hardware than the original machine, for example, if you have changed the motherboard or bought a new PC.

You can create boot mediums directly from within the program, and the latest version allows you to store data in the preferred location automatically.

As soon as you connect an external hard disk to a computer, O&O DiskImage will automatically back up the selected files and folders through the integrated plug-and-play option, which is great for users who tend to forget to conduct regular backups.

O&O DiskImage Application Menu
ource: Oo-software

Pricing

Professional Edition – 1 PC will cost you $49.95.

O&O DiskImage Pricing Plan

Pros

  • Back up systems and hard drives, clone drives and entire disks
  • Incremental backup
  • Create VHDs directly
  • System restores onto different hardware (M.I.R.)
  • Create Windows Boot system directly from within the program
  • Automatically back up and synchronize selected files and folders when connecting external hard drives
  • Security risks monitoring and alerts
  • Variable pixel density settings

A powerful disc cloning software with configurable compression, file splitting, and encryption tools like O&O DiskImage will help you create bootable media and encrypt your backups while enabling you to image an entire computer in a single click or image one drive onto another with ease.

13. CloverDX

Best Data Migration Software for Visual Data Integration.

CloverDX is the Best Data Migration Software for Visual Data Integration

Part of CloverDX's comprehensive set of tools is the data migration module that provides you with repeatable, iterative templates so you can easily make changes and re-run automated processes.

CloverDX's software allows you to design, automate, operate, and publish large amounts of data while allowing you to debug data on a single platform, hide or show data based on your users, produce data through on-premise and cloud sharing platforms, and monitor your data pipeline regularly.

An ideal platform to design and manage the processes of supplying data warehouses with regular updates and regularly moving data between systems and environments, CloverDX will allow you to run reliable data pipelines on autopilot, regardless of the complexity or volume of systems.

CloverDX Software Interface
Source: Sourceforge

Pricing

To get your personal quote, you will need to book a demo with CloverDX's team.

Pros

  • Design, automate, operate, or publish large volumes of data
  • Design or debug the data on a single platform
  • Repeatable, iterative templates for you to easily make changes and re-run automated processes
  • Hide or show the data based on your users
  • Produce data from on-premise to cloud sharing platforms across all desktops
  • Monitor your data pipeline in real-time
  • Supports data warehouse data supply with regular updates

CloverDX will enable you to connect to any on-premise or in-cloud data source or target, handling everything from simple data transformations to complex data pipelines.

14. Altova MapForce

Best Data Migration Platform for Advanced Data Mapping, Conversion, and Transformation.

Altova MapForce is the Best Data Migration Platform for Advanced Data Mapping Tools

Altova's graphical data mapping, conversion, and integration tool MapForce allows you to map data between combinations of XML, database, EDI, XBRL, flat file, Excel, JSON, or web service, and transform data instantly, or generate execution files or source code for recurring conversions.

Apart from providing GUI for mapping between two different components, Altova MapForce allows you to write custom functions and use the database, debug while doing the mapping, utilize the standard EDI format preloaded within tools, and configure your EDI files.

Allowing you to map for any-to-any conversions and integrations, Altova MapForce converts your data instantly and provides multiple options for automating recurrent transformations, supporting any-to-any mapping and conversion of Excel, Google Protocol Buffers, SOAP Web services, REST Web services among others.

Altova MapForce Software Interface
Source: Altova

Pricing

Altova MapForce 2021 Basic Edition will cost you $219.

Altova MapForce Pricing Plan

Pros

  • Extract data from relational databases, JSDN files, and XML files
  • Cleanse and reformat extracted data according to the required format
  • Load reformatted data into the target database, data warehouse, or other storage location
  • Arrange ETL processes to occur automatically on a set schedule
  • Create a visual map of data from the source to the target database
  • Transform data into varying appropriate formats
  • Move data between different databases
  • Create data maps without using code
  • Merge or execute data before mapping or transforming

Altova MapForce is a graphical data, mapping, conversion, and integration software that provides power and flexibility to convert your data and automate recurrent transformations in a variety of ways.

What is Data Migration Software?

Data migration is the process of moving data from one computer storage to another, which includes the selection, preparation, extraction, transformation, leading to permanent transferring.

Divided into storage, database, application, and business process migration, data migration is most commonly streamlined and improved through data migration software.

With the help of data migration software, organizations can unite a range of data sources into one, replace, maintain, or upgrade server or storage equipment, and recover data from a damaged or compromised source.

Data migration is utilized during a system upgrade process or a maintenance and repair period.

Deployed for storage device replacement, system breakdown, or due to security issues, data migration software will usually provide five vital kinds of migrations:

  • Storage migration – The process of moving data from the current storage facility to a more equipped, modern one
  • Database migration – The process of migrating data from one or more source databases to one or more target databases
  • Cloud migration – The process of transferring data from an on-premise to a cloud location
  • Application migration – The process of moving an application from one facility to another, which can include cloud-to-cloud or on-premise-to-cloud variations
  • Business process migration – The complex transfer of applications and databases that contain information about customers, products, and operations

There are three main choices when selecting data migration tools:

  • On-premise data migration tools – used for moving data between land-based servers or databases without using the cloud
  • Cloud-based data migration tools – used for transferring data to huge data lakes or warehouses in the cloud, such as for legacy data migration to a system that can provide rapid analysis
  • Open-source data migration tools – used for moving data between either land or cloud-based storage, which can reduce costs significantly

What Features to Look for In Data Migration Software

1. Data backup and recovery

The foundation of any effective data migration software lies in its backup and recovery features.

MiniTool Partition Wizard showcases the importance of partition-related support, enabling you to migrate a system from a hard disk to an SSD and optimize your Windows performance.

Apart from relieving you from the reinstallation process while taking backups and upgrading hard drives, a modern data migration software like MiniTool's Partition Wizard will perform data recovery and disk diagnosis.

Particular tools that Partition Wizard uses for these processes are the partition recovery wizard that covers lost partitions and data recovery that covers deleted and lost files from damaged, inaccessible, and formatted folders.

Other software like DAEMON Tools Pro 8 will equip you with its robust emulation and imaging tools, allowing you to clone and migrate all types of security technologies like StarForce and Protect CD, as well as compose your images of selected type with the preferred file system, convert, compress image files, and more.

Apart from cloning and migrating, tools like DAEMON will provide unique contributions such as the capability to create dynamic and fixed virtual hard disks for quicker allocation of space, minimal space usage for VM-level backups, drive expansion without downtime, and more benefits.

2. Job scheduling and orchestration

Miscalculated time frames can lead to staff burnout and costly do-overs, which is why your data migration software needs to provide you with a job scheduling functionality that can define the project scope at a smaller and larger scale, setting your team up for success.

An effective job scheduling feature will ensure that you don't slow down your current business operations, spread out the process with minimized disruptions, and relieve your IT staff from the excessive workload.

NovaBACKUP PC, for example, is one data migration software that allows you to set up full and incremental backup jobs to run automatically on a set schedule, allowing you even to add time for unexpected delays and additional work requirements.

When you select the recurrence period (daily, weekly, etc.), you can choose the time and date to start your incremental/full backups and what days of the week you want the backups to run.

3. Data profiling and ETL

Before it is ready to enter the pipeline, data needs to be meticulously analyzed and processed, with data profiling being performed during the ingestion of data to a data warehouse.

Cloud data warehouses, data management tools, and ETL services come pre-integrated with hundreds of data sources, and one of these tools is the IBM Infosphere Data Replication software.

IBM Infosphere not only supports the extract-transform-load (ETL) data quality process, along with dynamic warehousing, master data management (MDM), service-oriented architecture (SOA), but it delivers capabilities for loading real-time information into a data warehouse or an operational data store, which helps business be more agile flexible in key processes.

With data profiling complementing large-volume data pipelines, you need software to equip you with an automated data warehouse that can handle data profiling and preparation, automatically cleaning, optimizing, and preparing data for analysis which is what CloverDX does.

CloverDX allows you to run reliable data pipelines on autopilot, allowing anyone who deals with supplying data warehouses with regular updates and moving large volumes of data between systems to execute all operations.

4. Debugging, error fixing, and anti-malware

Data migration software's debugging functionality allows you to detect and remove the existing and potential errors in software code that can cause it to behave unexpectedly or crash.

Altova MapForce‘s software allows you to map between different combinations of data, transform data, write custom functions, and debug during the mapping process.

Altova MapForce's mapping debugger helps you view and analyze the values produced by the mapping at each connector level, highlight the set of nodes responsible for producing a particular value, execute mapping step-by-step and check how the software processes each value in real-time, set milestones at which the mapping execution should stop, view a history of values processed by a connector.

In the same manner, CloverDX will allow you to debug Java Code and multiple breakpoints at once.

Providing you vital help when your operating system fails to boot, Paragon Drive Copy Professional steps in and enables you to load an existing backup, secure important data while rectifying the booting errors through the bootable Paragon recovery environment.

Along with the debugging and error-rectifying functionality, Acronis True Image mirrors its contemporaries in creating an all-around safe environment with useful security extras.

If you prefer end-to-end encryption that will protect your files not just from possible hackers but the software providing you protection itself, Acronis True Image's anti-malware features are exactly what you are looking for.

The Acronis active protection feature keeps you safe from malware by constantly monitoring the system and searching for suspicious behaviors like unfamiliar processes trying to rename and encrypt a series of files.

How to Use Data Migration Software

To utilize data migration software to the best of your advantage, you need to deploy a couple of best practices.

1. Set the scope of the project

To avoid the goals exceeding the original plan and causing delays, you can start small by choosing a single database to move as a proof of concept, and then you can expand.

2. Determine reasonable time frames

When you choose a realistic schedule based on your defined project scope, you will ensure that none of your current business operations get slowed down or compromised, minimize incidents of steering away from the set path, and unburden your IT staff.

3. Importance of data analysis

Depending on the size and type of data, source and target systems, operating systems, database types and platforms, data center's location, budget constraints, legacy system complications, and more, data migration projects can range from simple to extremely complex.

Before you activate the transfer, consider how much data you need to move, are there records that you don't use and you can leave behind, do you need another data source to enrich the current data, are there any compatibility issues?

Answering these questions will help you understand what the right migration strategy for you is.

The two most popular options are the “big bang” migrations which work the best when you can designate a downtime window, and the “trickle” migrations that work best for the systems you shouldn't interrupt.

4. Cleaning your data

When planning a large-scale data migration, you have the perfect opportunity to deep clean your data and transfer only the high-quality data to a new place.

If you remove inaccurate, out-of-place, and duplicate data before the project begins, you will drastically improve data quality.

You can use testing and validation checks throughout your migration to identify and correct issues on time.

5. Get approval from key stakeholders

Since it affects the entire organization, it is crucial that you get approval from the key stakeholders so that the IT department can do its job knowing that the process aligns with the business team's objectives.

When the IT department understands the impact of data migration on the overarching business goals of the company, and the business team acquires the basic knowledge of the technical challenges in the data migration process, the whole operation can become more lucrative and stop the damages of data gravity and silos during migration.

6. Choose the right data migration software

If you plan on partnering with a vendor to provide you with data migration software such as the ones on this list, you should evaluate them based on the technology they use and their previous experience with similarly-sized data migration projects to yours.

FAQ

How long does data migration take?

The time necessary for the data migration process to be completed will depend on a couple of factors, including the amount of data that needs to be transferred and how much can it be deducted, the structure of the current and future help desks and the similarities between them.

Other factors include the extent to which the data will be transformed during the transition and the need for additional mapping and the occurrence of errors.

Taking the unpredictability of the process, differences between the source and target locations, and different circumstances that may arise, it is safe to say that the data migration process can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several months or even years in extreme cases.

How much does data migration software cost?

As seen with NovaBACKUP and Acronis True Image, an average data migration software will range between $40 and $50 in its entry-level plan, but there are many deviations like DriveImage XML costing $100, and the Altova MapForce charging $219 for the more advanced data mapping functionalities.

The data migration software industry provides a great deal of flexibility in subscription costs, with many notable tools like EaseUS Todo PCTrans, MiniTool Partition Wizard, Macrium Reflect 7, and more offering free plans.

Which Data Migration Software Should I Choose?

1. Are you running on a constrained budget and have limited knowledge of data migration?

EaseUS Todo PCTrans will not only transfer all your files from one computer to another in one click, but all the applications will be pre-installed and ready to use on your new device, alleviating you from any responsibilities.

What's awesome is that EaseUS Todo PCTrans is free.

2. Are you looking for an advanced data migration solution for disk cloning and partitioning?

Full of unique functionalities like the capability to create a virtual clone of your PC on a USB drive, the recovery media builder 3.0 tool that helps you run your computer for maintenance while the OS is corrupted, Paragon Drive Copy Professional is also the premium data migration tool for transferring data from any source to any disk.

3. Do you want a data migration solution with advanced visual data integration?

If you want to connect to any on-premise or in-cloud data source while designing, automating, operating, and publishing large amounts of data, CloverDX will allow you that with ease, as its comprehensive visual data integration mechanism enables you to make changes and re-run automated processes.

The repeatable, iterative templates will give you the framework to manage large-scale data warehouse supplies with regular updates and running stable data pipelines on autopilot.

Was This Article Helpful?

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5
5.0 out of 5 stars (based on 2 reviews)
Excellent100%
Very good0%
Average0%
Poor0%
Terrible0%

Martin Luenendonk

Editor at FounderJar

Martin loves entrepreneurship and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs by validating the business idea, finding scalable customer acquisition channels, and building a data-driven organization. During his time working in investment banking, tech startups, and industry-leading companies he gained extensive knowledge in using different software tools to optimize business processes.

This insights and his love for researching SaaS products enables him to provide in-depth, fact-based software reviews to enable software buyers make better decisions.