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Before Database Migration Checklist

People often search this when they are unsure whether a database migration should proceed, especially under production risk.

Read this before running any irreversible migration.

Applies if

  • You are about to migrate a production database
  • Rollback is unclear, costly, or untested
  • Data loss or downtime is unacceptable

Checklist (Yes/No)

☐ Do you have a verified backup taken after the last write?
☐ Have you tested restore, not just backup creation?
☐ Is the migration reversible without manual data repair?
☐ Are application writes fully stopped or strictly gated?
☐ Is the rollback decision owner explicitly assigned?
☐ Is the downtime window real (not assumed) and communicated?
☐ Do you have a clear success criterion before you start?

Judgment

If you cannot confidently check all items above,
you should NOT proceed with migration.

Boundary

This checklist does not provide step-by-step fixes.
It exists solely to prevent irreversible actions from being taken under incomplete confirmation.