In the April installment of his monthly DBA Corner column for DBTA, Craig S. Mullins looks at the issues DBAs should consider and explore when they find out their organization is about to acquire or consolidate with another firm or division. For example, he says, DBAs should think about whether they are aware of the risks they may be inheriting, what data is going to demand the highest availability, and what IT regulations will they have to address and whether existing controls already address them.
In the article, Mullins lays out 10 "data health" checks that can be conducted to help answer these questions before giving a green light to an M&A or consolidation.
The bottom line, he says, is that getting a handle on all of the data resulting from a merger or acquisition requires time and effort. "But it need not be fraught with risk. With proper planning, tools, and resources, along with realistic expectations and these steps, you can reduce the risk to your valuable business data." Read the article.