Method
Step 1: Establishing an application inventory
Every migration project needs a clean database detailing the system infrastructure. My first step was to create an application inventory and establish it as a “single point of truth” throughout the company in order to track the status of all applications for the migration and day-to-day operations. This involved the classification of each application. Categories included client/server, desktop, Citrix and SaaS applications, and various evaluation criteria were used. Several important issues had to be clarified for the migration planning step, including dependencies on other applications and/or interfaces and planned life cycle changes (e.g. due to planned updates, functional expansions or compliance findings). In addition, the GAMP category and validation status of GxP-relevant applications had to be reassessed. In total, 400 applications were identified and classified; 150 of them were to be migrated within the scope of the project. Approximately half of the applications are GxP-relevant and needed to be revalidated.
Step 2: Making the program manageable
During a gargantuan undertaking such as this, it is important to keep an eye on the bigger picture rather than focusing excessively on details. I chose a two-step approach and first established a rough plan for the individual application categories. In order to get a better grasp on the complexity, priorities and scheduling requirements of the migration project, I developed a multi-level decision tree. Important criteria included external access, GxP relevance and whether or not the individual applications are core applications. During the second step, a planning project was initiated for each category to plan the migration process for each application in detail. A separate stream was set up for especially critical applications. Besides the structure, communication is a major success factor for programs with more than 100 participating parties. A “migration cookbook” was created to specify the entire program governance – communication, escalation, risk, issue and change management, tracking structures, reporting structures and meeting structures – and to establish platforms for the exchange.
Thanks to the intelligent planning process, the enormous endeavor gained structure. Its hundreds of individual components formed a manageable whole and a clear, comprehensible project path was revealed. This approach was convincing, to such an extent, that the management decided to expand my range of responsibilities. From then on, the program management also included the streams for servers, clients and networks. Ever since, I have been responsible for the entire financial controlling and upstream coordination of the GxP Compliance.
Step 3: Sequential migration, global roll-out
Approximately 150 applications have being migrated and rolled out at more than ten sites. Half of them were GxP-relevant and subject to revalidation. The most complex part of the project was the sequential transfer of the entire infrastructure to the new environment. Once all involved components were migrated, integration testing helped to ensure compliance. It involved user accounts and peripheral devices, such as printers, that interfere with the application. To ensure that no component or interface remained untested, the project team and I developed a watertight traceability matrix that traces all dependencies. During the next and last step of the program, applications that were orphaned or no longer needed had to be disabled.
Results
Not only did the program achieve its objective of a smooth one-to-one migration to the new environment, it also created additional benefits thanks to an intelligent migration strategy. The client continues reaping these benefits even after the end of the program: The new inventory records all applications in a central location. The GxP status of every application has been determined and all gaps have been closed. In order to create synergies, I worked with the application owners to determine the optimal point in time for life cycle changes and migration processes. The applications only had to be validated once. This made it possible to integrate new functions and optimizations into day-to-day operations with minimal disruptions.
The entire application landscape has been tidied up, and orphaned applications have been eliminated:
2 Mio. CHF Budget
4500 User
2000 Clients
150 Applications
100 Validation Documents
10 Sites
30 Team Members
60 Application Manager
20 Vendors
Closing words: the key success factors
For a program of this enormous scope, you need a solid set-up with high-quality data and a powerful scope management, as scope creep has spelt the end of many large projects in the past. The centralized application inventory and clean change management allowed us to trace relevant decisions and keep a firm handle on the scope of the project.
When setting up the program plan, never start at the level of individual applications. You won’t see the forest for the trees. Instead, establish a comprehensive strategy for the various types of software before moving on to the details. And never underestimate your communication strategy. You will need platforms for regular exchange and the management buy-in to ensure participation by all relevant stakeholders. Above all, a holistic approach with a well-coordinated team will yield success where piecemeal strategies fail.