The TM Forum (for those who are not familiar with it) is the international industry group focussed on improving business effectiveness for Telco's and their suppliers. Amongst other activities they promote best practice advice. Now obviously Telco's is an area of rapid technical development, not to mention business consolidation and the repeated re-shaping of organisational structures, so data migration is a constant problem.
The TM Forum therefore are working on a white paper shortly to be published on best practices in data migration. I am hoping to be part of that process, although I'm not sure right now how that engagement will work. I'll let you know more when I know!
Now I think this is a really interesting initiative. It is certainly the first I am aware of that is taking a whole industry, on a global scale, and looking at Data Migration as a common problem with, possibly, common solutions. I think that all of us who are interested in Data Migration should want to get involved (at least to the extent of completing the questionnaire). So please fill in the questions. The TM Forum are, obviously, more interested in end user experiences but will take account of the comments of consultants with an interest in the area.
As I say I’ll let you know how it’s all progressing but I think it marks, to some extent, a coming of age in the Data Migration market segment that should be welcomed.
Johny Morris
jmorris@iergo.net
