Network Migration: Essential Principles for Decision Makers

Migrating a PMR network can be a major headache for network operators. The list of tasks and considerations is overwhelming. Few organizations have the expertise or resources in-house to undertake a large scale migration.

Abstract BackgroundNetwork decision makers must determine their priorities and understand the risks, regulatory requirements, and safety concerns around the new network and the migration. Reducing risk to an acceptable level may result in cost overruns or delays in implementation. What would be the impact of a delay on your business? 

Expert advice and support from a trusted PMR provider will significantly increase the likelihood of a successful migration.

These principles can help minimize the risk of business disruption.

  • Put migration to the forefront of your upgrade planning. Any network migration can negatively impact your radio users and business operations if not sufficiently considered.
  • Seek expert advice from trusted professionals with network migration experience in your chosen technology. A network migration is not an everyday occurrence and few organizations have sufficient resource or expertise to manage it alone.
  • Up front management of user expectations is vital. Ensure network operational goals are well understood and there are no unaddressed expectations. Clearly and accurately communicate what users should expect before, during and after the migration.
  • Understand the advantages, implications and risks associated with each of your choices – for example contrast an overnight switchover, compared with a scenario where both networks operate for a controlled period of time.
  • Leave nothing to chance. Always pre-test or validate every stage before it is rolled out and develop a rollback plan for unforeseen events. The upfront time and effort that should be applied is proportional to the size and complexity of your network.

This is an excerpt from a Tait white paper ‘Upgrading to Trunked DMR: Strategies for Successful Migration’

In it, we discuss the following topics:

  1. Essential principles for migration success
  2. Ten steps to plan a successful migration
  3. Instant or gradual site switchover
  4. Choosing equipment for a simpler, smoother migration
  5. Support for your stakeholders to ensure their positive engagement
  6. A migration sequence to illustrate the key principles

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