Introduction and Comparison of Various Tableau Cloud Migration Methods

By Ramanathan Somasundaram,
Director – Data Analytics Services & Solutions Engineering.

Migrating from Tableau On-Premises to Tableau Cloud is a strategic move that can significantly enhance your organization’s data analytics capabilities. However, the success of this transition depends largely on the migration method chosen. There are three primary approaches to Tableau Cloud migration: using STORM framework, Tableau’s Content Migration Tool (CMT), and the manual migration method. This blog provides an introduction and comparison of these methods, with a focus on prioritizing the STORM solution to help you make an informed decision.

STORM

Overview

STORM is a comprehensive migration framework designed to handle complex migration needs. It offers a robust framework for automating and optimizing the migration process. STORM supports site, project, and folder mappings, planning for live and extract connections, embedded passwords, and security settings. It covers governance planning, including data and BI stewards, certified data sources, and cataloging. The solution automates the migration of workbooks, data sources, custom views, subscriptions, and more, identifying and addressing optimization opportunities during migration.

Strengths

STORM provides a high level of automation for advanced migration tasks, offering greater flexibility in handling complex migration requirements and reducing the risk of errors due to automated processes. It enables incremental, on-demand migration with support for large-scale migrations, including an automated effort assessment engine for better planning and estimation. This makes STORM ideal for organizations with advanced migration needs and a larger volume of content requiring extensive customization and optimization.

Content Migration Tool (CMT)

Overview

Tableau’s CMT is designed to automate the migration of Tableau content from on-premises servers to Tableau Cloud. This tool is ideal for organizations with basic migration needs and a smaller volume of content. CMT handles user authentication automatically, establishes connections to both source and destination servers, and allows for automatic selection of source and destination sites, projects, and workbooks. It automates the migration of workbooks, data sources, extract refresh schedules, and workbook permissions.

Strengths

CMT is highly efficient for basic migration needs, user-friendly, and significantly reduces manual effort. It provides a faster migration process compared to manual methods, making it suitable for organizations with basic migration needs and a smaller volume of content.

Manual Migration Method

Overview

The manual migration method involves manually transferring content from Tableau On-Premises to Tableau Cloud. This method requires significant effort and is labour-intensive. It involves manual handling of all migration tasks, including login, server connections, content selection, and migration.

Strengths

The manual migration method allows for complete control and customization of the migration process without additional costs for licensing or tools. It is highly customizable to fit specific organizational needs.

Limitations

Despite its flexibility, the manual migration method is labour-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors. This makes it less ideal for most scenarios, especially for larger and more complex migrations.