As with migrating the Pega Platform to Pega Cloud, the first phase in migrating Pega Marketing and Pega CDH is assessing what needs to be done and planning how you will do it.

Use each of the tools listed in the Tools and Resources Provided by Pega section of Migrating to Pega Cloud. 

In addition, run the Pre-Update Check for Customer Decision Hub, which is only needed for Pega Marketing and Pega CDH.

Share the output of both the Pega Cloud Readiness Tool and the Pre-Update Check for Customer Decision Hub with your Service Assurance Advisor (SAA) so that the output can be reviewed.

Use the results of the assessment to estimate the project and build a project plan that includes all phases of migration, application remediation, data migration, testing, and so on.  You can use the Sample CDH Migration Project Plan as a starting point to create your own project plan.

The migration process for Pega CDH deployments to Pega Cloud is shown in the diagram below. Each step of the process is numbered.  The next sections include an explanation of the diagram, along with a mapping to the same Phases of migration that are used in migrating the Pega Platform to Pega Cloud.

 

Phase 2: Application Migration, Update, and Remediation  

 

1. Perform pre-requisite tasks

Before starting the update process, perform the following update pre-requisite activities on-premises, as described in the linked documents (depending on the current version of Pega Marketing or CDH on-premises).

Pre-requisite tasks for Pega Marketing 7.4/CDH 7.4 or older

Pre-requisite tasks for Pega Marketing 8.x/CDH 8.x

 

 

2. Migrate all schemas

Migrate all schemas from the on-premises development environment into the Pega Cloud development environment using AWS SCT/DMS. If there are any custom schemas, merge those schemas into the “data” or “CustomerData” schemas.  Pega Cloud does not allow custom schemas or other custom database objects.  Remediate any custom database objects to use standard Pega platform capabilities.  

The only schema names supported on Pega Cloud are:
a.    rules
b.    data
c.    CustomerData

 

3. Update to latest version

Update to the latest Pega Platform version in the development environment using Pega Cloud update automation.  

Next, bring up the nodes. Update the ExternalMktData database rule to point to the CustomerData schema. Test connectivity for the ExternalMktData database rule and ensure that the connection is successful.

After the connection is successful, update to the latest Pega CDH version using Pega Cloud update automation. Pega performs this step.

 

4. Perform app remediation

Make the application and integration configuration changes on the Pega Cloud development environment, so that the application can functionally work end to end.

Remediate the gaps and issues identified during the assessment phase.

 

5. Dev test & fix

Conduct full regression testing on the Pega Cloud development environment and fix all the issues encountered. Certify the application on the development environment when the test results are satisfactory.

 

Phase 3: Validating Applications on Pega Cloud

 

6. Promote to QA

Promote the tested and certified code to the QA environment.  Update the integration end points for the QA environment.  This includes Email, APIs, and so on.  Test connectivity for the ExternalMktData database rule and ensure that the connection is successful.

 

7. Integration test & fix

Perform System Integration Testing (SIT) on the QA environment and fix any issues that are identified.

 

8. Promote to Stage

Promote the tested and certified code from the QA environment to the staging environment. Update the integration end points for the staging environment.  This includes Email, APIs, and so on.  Test connectivity for the ExternalMktData database rule and ensure that the connection is successful.

 

9. Performance test & fix

If there is a production-mirror environment, conduct performance testing on the production-mirror environment.  Otherwise, conduct performance testing in the staging environment.  Follow the security checklist to harden the application prior to security testing.  Refer to the load testing scenarios for CDH article.  Address any issues found.  

 

10. UAT

Conduct the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) on the staging environment.

 

Phase 4: Data Migration and Production Go Live

Note: Suspend any existing campaigns or NBA outbound schedules on-premises before migration.   Create new campaigns or NBA outbound schedules in the Pega Cloud production environment.

 

11. Perform pre-requisite tasks 

Perform the pre-requisite tasks on the on-premises production environment.  These are the same tasks that were performed in the development environment in step 1. 

 

12. Migrate all schemas

Perform the dry-run migration for the production environment. Migrate all schemas from the current on-premises production environment into the Pega Cloud production environment using AWS SCT/DMS. If there are any custom schemas, merge those schemas into the “data” or “CustomerData” schemas.

 

13. Production Update

Update to the latest Pega Platform version in the production environment using Pega Cloud update automation.

Next, bring up the nodes. Update the ExternalMktData database rule to point to the CustomerData schema. Test connectivity for the ExternalMktData database rule and ensure that the connection is successful.

After the connection is successful, update to the latest Pega CDH version using Pega Cloud update automation. Pega performs this step.

 

14.  Promote application fixes

Promote any application fixes made in the lower environments to the production environment.

 

15. Sanity test

Use experience from the dry run migration to build the Production Cutover Runbook. Follow the production runbook, and repeat steps 11 to 14 during production cutover. Perform sanity testing after production cutover.

For more information about the Production Cutover Runbook, see the Creating the Production Cutover Runbook section of Migrating to Pega Cloud. 

 

16. Go/No-Go decision

Make a go/no-go decision based on the results of the sanity test. If a no-go decision is made, the on-premises production environment continues to serve as the production environment without any changes.

Note: For existing campaigns or NBA outbound schedules that have already been executed on-premises, if responses must be captured post migration, set up URL re-direction on-premises.  This redirects responses to the Pega Cloud production environment, after the cutover date.

 

Phase 5: Continuous Improvement and Evolution

Phase 5 for CDH migrations is the same as for other migrations, see the Phase 5 section of Migrating to Pega Cloud.