Case study · Data platforms
Migration capacity without losing your data team's focus
Data platform migrations need extra hands for months, while the internal team still has to keep reports running. This is how we added data engineers who rebuild pipelines on Azure or Microsoft Fabric alongside the client's team and leave the knowledge behind.
Project overview
Data engineers embedded for a migration programme.
- Industry
- Data platforms
- Client
- Confidential
- Model
- Staff augmentation
- Skills
- Azure Data Factory, Fabric, SQL, Python
- Ramp-up
- 2–4 weeks
- Team size
- 2–5 engineers
- Duration
- Migration period
- Management
- The client's data lead
- Terms
- Monthly
Expected business outcomes
What the client set out to achieve
Migration pace and continuity of existing reporting are the measures.
-
Parallel
Migration and business-as-usual
Extra engineers migrate while the client's team keeps reports running.
Planned in the client's backlog
-
Validated
Every migrated pipeline
Outputs reconciled against the old platform before switch-over.
Reconciliation checks per pipeline
-
Documented
New platform
Pipelines and models documented for the client's team.
Part of the definition of done
Business challenges
Where the client started
A migration on top of the day job.
Platform
On-premises SQL Server and SSIS packages built over years.
Team
Two or three people keeping reports running.
Migration
A cloud migration planned but not resourced.
Risk
Old pipelines nobody fully understands.
Deadline
Server or licence end dates set the timeline.
Proposed solution
How the engagement works
Engineers who migrate systematically and leave knowledge behind.
-
Inventory
Pipelines, reports and dependencies catalogued and prioritised.
-
Pipeline rebuild
SSIS and scripts rebuilt in Data Factory or Fabric.
-
Reconciliation
Outputs compared with the old platform before switching.
-
Report migration
Power BI reports repointed to the new platform.
-
Documentation
Pipelines and models documented as they are built.
-
Pairing
The client's engineers pair on key pipelines to share knowledge.
Project requirements
What the client asked us for
The request was migration capacity. Continuity matters as much: reports must keep working throughout, so every pipeline is reconciled before switch-over.
Knowledge transfer is built in through documentation and pairing, so the internal team owns the new platform.
What the project had to deliver
- 01Extra migration capacity
- 02Reports running throughout
- 03Reconciled outputs
- 04Knowledge left in the team
Key challenges & considerations
What made it harder, and what we did
-
Undocumented legacy pipelines
What we did
Legacy pipelines were catalogued before anything was moved.
-
Data volume and refresh windows
What we did
Loads were designed to fit the refresh windows.
-
Security and network setup
What we did
Network and security setup was agreed with the client's IT team first.
-
Business users' time for validation
What we did
Validation sessions with business users were booked, and every pipeline was reconciled.
What we watched for
- Catalogue before migrating
- Reconcile every pipeline
- Pair on critical pipelines
- Document as you build
Development process
Inventory, migrate, reconcile, hand over
Pipelines move in priority order.
-
Inventory
Pipelines and reports catalogued.
-
Foundation
Azure or Fabric environment and standards agreed.
-
Migration waves
Pipelines rebuilt in priority order.
-
Reconciliation
Outputs validated before switch-over.
-
Handover
Documentation and pairing complete.
Technology stack
Microsoft data platform
Azure and Fabric skills matched to the client's target architecture.
Pipelines
- Azure Data Factory
- Fabric Data Pipelines
Storage
- Azure SQL
- Fabric Lakehouse
Code
- SQL
- Python
- Notebooks
Reporting
- Power BI
Quality assurance & deployment
Held to the client's own standards
Our engineers worked inside the client's team, so quality was measured the client's way: their definition of done, their reviews and their pipelines.
- The client's definition of done on every ticket
- Code review on every change, by the client's team and ours
- Automated tests written with the work, not after it
- The client's security and access policies followed
- Delivery reviewed every sprint with the client's lead
Deployment
- 01ReconciliationOutputs validated before switch-over.
- 02HandoverDocumentation and pairing complete.
- 03Releases through the client's pipelineWork shipped through the client's own CI/CD and release process.
- 04ContinuityThe same engineers kept on the product, with a monthly review of fit and performance.
Final deliverables
Migrated, and still owned by your team
Pipelines and reports move to Azure or Fabric on schedule, validated against the old platform, while business-as-usual reporting continues.
The client's team understands and owns the new platform when the engagement ends.
- On-schedule migration
- Reconciled outputs
- Continuous reporting
- Documented platform
Handed over to the client
- 01Delivered workIn the client's repositories and boards
- 02DocumentationWritten as the work was done
- 03Knowledge transferThrough pairing and review
- 04Monthly reviewsOf delivery and fit
- 05Flexible termsScale up or down monthly
Success metrics
How success is measured
| Measure | Outcome | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|
| Migration and business-as-usual | Parallel | Planned in the client's backlog |
| Every migrated pipeline | Validated | Reconciliation checks per pipeline |
| New platform | Documented | Part of the definition of done |
Verified reviews
What clients say about our staff augmentation work
Verified reviews from our clients on the same kind of work, published on Clutch.
-
Staff Augmentation
Staff Augmentation & Software Development for a Cloud Platform
Their talent and agility as developers are exceptional.
Verified review on Clutch (Hemen Showkati, opens in a new tab)
Hemen Showkati
Co-Founder & CEO, Doprax Oct 2021 – Ongoing
-
Staff Augmentation
Remote Software Development Support
Their responsiveness proved to be extremely valuable for the project.
Verified review on Clutch (Nathaniel Bibler, opens in a new tab)
Nathaniel Bibler
CEO & Development Director, Envy Labs Mar 2022 – Jan 2023
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Staff Augmentation
Staff Augmentation for a Support Company
They worked with us enthusiastically, taking the time to understand our needs and offering helpful solutions.
James Sullivan Founder & CEO, Support Company Mar 2022 – Feb 2023 Verified review on Clutch (James Sullivan, opens in a new tab)
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