Why combine the migrations?
Handling content and assets separately can introduce challenges, particularly when it comes to maintaining relationships between them.
By combining the two, it is possible to:
- Preserve references between content and assets
- Avoid broken links and missing media
- Reduce the need for manual updates after migration
- Ensure consistency between structure, content, and assets
The goal is to maintain integrity across the entire solution throughout the migration process.
Overview of the combined workflow
The migration process consists of parallel but coordinated steps for content and assets, with a shared focus on structure and relationships.
Source system and export
Content and assets are extracted from the source systems:
- Content is exported from the source CMS
- Assets are exported from the DAM or media library
- References between content and assets are identified
Content type mapping
A central part of the process is mapping the existing content model to the new structure in Optimizely.
This includes:
- Representing original content types in a background model
- Exporting content into structured files
- Mapping content types and properties to the target CMS
- Defining the new content structure (e.g. via code or configuration such as DLLs)
The purpose is to ensure that content aligns with the new templates and content model.
Asset migration
At the same time, assets are migrated to the target DAM:
- Files are transferred with metadata and folder structure
- Asset identifiers are preserved where applicable
- Asset availability is ensured in the target environment
Import and reference handling
Once content and assets are prepared:
- Content is imported into the target CMS
- Assets are available in the DAM
- References between content and assets are resolved and updated
This step ensures that content can correctly reference the migrated assets.
Validation
The final step is to verify that:
- Content renders correctly in templates
- Assets are displayed as expected
- References between content and assets are intact
Adjustments to mappings or configurations can be made if needed.
Technical workflow
The combined migration is supported by a structured workflow:
- Original CMS → source of content
- Export files → structured representation of content
- CMS connector → handles communication between systems
- Background CMS model → represents original content types
- Mapping layer → defines how content types and properties are transformed
- Target CMS model → defines the new structure in Optimizely
- Import files / DLLs → used to create and populate the target solution
This setup allows for iterative migration and adjustments without loss of data.
Summary
By combining Proxima Content Migration and Proxima DAM Migration, content and assets can be migrated together in a controlled and consistent process.
This reduces the need for post-migration adjustments and helps ensure that the migrated solution is complete and functional from the start.