Migrating from an older Drupal version — or from a completely different CMS — is rarely a one-click task. Legacy code, custom modules, outdated content structures, and security risks all make the journey complex. But with the right strategy and tooling, migrations can be smooth, predictable, and even an opportunity to modernise how your platform works.
At DrevOps, we’ve helped organisations across government, education, and enterprise move from legacy systems to modern, scalable Drupal solutions. Here’s what we’ve learned along the way.
Migrations are More Than Moving Content
A successful migration is not just about moving pages or users — it’s about modernising architecture.
Legacy sites often carry over:
- Hard-coded templates
- Obsolete modules
- Custom code with no tests
- Inconsistent content models
Simply “lifting and shifting” these issues into Drupal 11 only recreates old problems on a new platform. Instead, migration should be treated as a transformation — a chance to re-think structure, security, and maintainability.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
We’ve seen a few recurring patterns that slow migrations down:
- Underestimating content complexity – Content rarely fits perfectly into new data models.
- Ignoring dependencies – Unsupported modules or APIs can block progress late in the process.
- No automation – Manual data moves create risk and waste time.
- Lack of CI/CD integration – Without automation, testing and validation are inconsistent.
By identifying these early, teams can plan for them before the first migration script runs.
Building an Automated Migration Pipeline
Automation is key to a repeatable, reliable migration. A well-designed pipeline usually includes:
- Data mapping and extraction – Define how old content aligns with new Drupal entities.
- Migration scripts and configuration – Use Drupal’s Migrate API with custom process plugins.
- Automated testing – Validate data integrity and structure through unit and integration tests.
- Continuous integration – Automate migrations in CI/CD so they run consistently across environments.
At DrevOps, we integrate migrations into the same pipelines that handle builds and deployments. This ensures every migration is traceable, testable, and version-controlled.
Modernising During the Move
Migration projects are the perfect time to fix long-standing pain points:
- Replace deprecated modules with modern equivalents.
- Introduce configuration management and automated deployments.
- Improve accessibility and performance while rebuilding templates.
- Adopt containerised environments for local development.
By combining migration and modernisation, organisations move forward with cleaner, faster, and more secure Drupal sites.
The DrevOps Approach
We treat every migration as a partnership.
Our approach focuses on:
- Discovery first – analysing current systems and content models.
- Incremental migration – starting with small batches to validate process and structure.
- Automation everywhere – building repeatable pipelines to reduce risk.
- Continuous feedback – ensuring content owners and developers stay aligned.
This approach minimises surprises and results in stable, maintainable outcomes.
Checklist for a Successful Migration
✅ Audit your current platform and identify data gaps.
✅ Define a modern content model and architecture.
✅ Plan for automation early — don’t wait until the end.
✅ Integrate migration into CI/CD pipelines.
✅ Validate with continuous testing and stakeholder review.
Ready to Modernise?
Migrating to Drupal 11 doesn’t have to be painful. With the right approach, it’s an opportunity to build a more resilient, scalable digital foundation.
If you’re planning a migration — or want to avoid the common pitfalls we’ve seen across industries — get in touch. We’ll help you turn migration into a smooth transformation journey.