Talking about Computer Services

Posted on: 20 October 2017

Does your business thrive on remote access? Do you share files through collaboration software or online storage systems, or do you use virtual machines to get work done? In many cases, data migration is a simple act of copying one file to another. Unfortunately, some issues such as imaging new virtual machines, converting databases, or confirming security are not so simple. Here are a few of the more complex areas of data migration to understand when you need help instead of relying on the old copy and paste.

Encryption In Transit

The whole point of encryption is to prevent outsiders from seeing the information you have. In the most secure situations, data will be encrypted before it's ever sent anywhere--if it's even sent at all.

If you need to put sensitive business information such as a new product, a new technique, or other trade secrets onto a secure server, you need to be careful about how you send it. The issue with encryption is that any secret is destined to be cracked, and depending on how long you're working on a project, you may be giving thieves enough time to do their job no matter what you do.

Breaking through encryption standards such as AES-256 is supposed to be significantly difficult, but any claims of impossible are unwise. In fact, a research team dedicated to breaking through the security of hackers who lock down other people's files as part of a ransomware scheme were able to break through a basic form of AES-256. Even though newer, more complicated techniques exist, the point is that everything will eventually be cracked.

When migrating files, you need to make sure that the path you use is secure as well. A data migration support professional should be able to explain the type of encryption available for transferring information and how far that encryption goes at certain speeds. Slowing down attempts at cracking through the transfer pipe and the encrypted files can keep your information safe as long as possible--hopefully long enough for you to act on the information so it won't be a necessary secret anymore.

Virtual Machine Stability

Virtual machines are basically apps that run miniature computers inside of them. Just as your normal, physical laptops and desktop computers have a series of operating system (OS) files that make them work the way that do, you can pack files into a digital program "shell" or "wrapper" to double click and open a computer inside a window.

In many cases, virtual machines can be copied and transferred with the click of a button. Unfortunately, corruption can happen in transfer, or the transfer may not be as simple as planned. A data migration expert can help.

One big problem with any file transfer is making sure that the internet connection is stable. Data migration professionals can test the connection and provide fixes if needed--mostly in the form of contacting Internet Service Providers and checking related network settings--and send a few test files to make sure that the transfer moves smoothly.

Not all virtual machine systems are simple. If you're just not comfortable with virtualization programs no matter how allegedly simple the interface is, a data migration support professional can help. They can also help with deeper configuration changes if you need to transfer specific files in a certain format.

Contact a data migration professional, like one from Famsoft, to discuss other aspects in secure, efficient transfer.