File Transfer
Science & Technology

The Tricky Journey of Data Migration

Valiance is helping companies move their data to new systems.

It seems as if the life sciences industry is constantly seeing the consolidation of companies in the form of mergers and acquisitions or divestitures of products and sites. It happens with both small and large companies across the globe, and when it does, data and documents likely need to be transferred to a new system one way or another.

This is where Basking Ridge-based Valiance Partners comes in, where it helps to serve its bevy of clients in the life sciences industry, some of which include Merck, Pfizer, Allergan, Teva, Novartis and Sanofi, among other New Jersey organizations as well as others from around the world.

Expanding its presence overseas, Valiance opened a second location in Dublin, Ireland in 2015. The company currently has 50 employees in New Jersey and 15 in Dublin.

“Simply put, we help [companies] move their data and documents from point A to point B,” says Tom Witmer, head of business development at Valiance.

A data migration typically occurs when a company is moving to a new technology, or if it is combining multiple systems into one in an effort to lower costs or make access easier for users. 

“A lot of people who have been involved in these types of migrations will tell you they don’t want to do it again,” says Witmer, alluding to the complexities of each unique data migration.

“Many of the systems a company is migrating from have probably been in place for close to 10 years. The differences between an old system and a new system aren’t readily apparent until you actually go through an exercise of what we do – literally mapping the data and information between the old and the new,” he explains.

In addition to the work that Valiance does directly for its own clients, strong technology partnerships are vital to the success the company has enjoyed over the years, which includes accolades such as being named one of Inc.com’s fastest growing companies in 2018.

For example, one Valiance partner is Hamilton-based Sparta Systems, a quality management company whose TrackWise software is very popular in the life science industry.

The partnership enables Valiance to migrate Sparta’s clients’ data to new systems, and, in turn, fosters new relationships that strengthen both companies.

Witmer points out that people tend to look at a new technology and laud at how cool and efficient it will be, but they often don’t quite understand how challenging the journey to get there can be. The education of people, such as a client company’s employees, is a big part of what Valiance does to ensure everyone is on the same page, and to limit inevitable frustrations when changing systems. 

“We run workshops up front when we are describing what we are going to do, and you often see the ‘aha!’ moments [from a company’s employees] as you’re going through the workshop,” Witmer says.

 

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