Runbooks
The procedural backbone of every migration. Runbooks are sequenced task lists that ensure migrations are executed consistently and that every step is tracked in real time during cut-over.
Overview
A Runbook is a sequenced list of tasks that must be executed during a migration cut-over window. Each task has an owner, estimated duration, status, and notes field. As tasks are completed by the team, their status updates in real time, and the Command Centre reflects the overall progress automatically.
Runbooks eliminate the risk of missed steps, ensure that the right person is responsible for each action, and provide a complete audit trail after the migration completes — including actual hours worked versus estimates.
The Task Library is a shared repository of reusable tasks and task groups. Build up your Task Library before migration planning begins, then import standard groups (like a "Pre-Migration Checklist" or "Post-Migration Validation") into new runbooks in seconds rather than hours.
When to Use
- During migration planning — create runbooks and add tasks to define the execution procedure for each move group.
- Before cut-over — review runbooks with the execution team so everyone knows their tasks and sequence.
- During cut-over execution — update each task status in real time as work progresses so the Command Centre and PM have live visibility.
- After migration — compare actual hours to estimates for retrospective analysis and future planning accuracy.
- When building the Task Library — create Library Groups for standard procedures that repeat across multiple move groups or events.
Key Features
Step-by-Step Instructions
Navigate to Migrations → Runbooks and click Add Runbook. Enter the Runbook Name (e.g. Wave 1 MG-001 Cut-Over), select the parent Event, optionally link a Move Group, and add a Description. Click Save. The runbook is created with an empty task list.
Open the runbook record. In the Tasks section, click Add Task. Fill in the Task Name, Description (include the exact steps or commands the engineer should follow), Owner, and Estimated Hours. Set Status to Pending. Click Save Task. Repeat for each step in the procedure.
Open the runbook. Click Import from Library. The Task Library panel opens, showing all available Library Groups and individual tasks. Select a Library Group (e.g. Pre-Migration Checklist) or tick individual tasks. Click Import Selected. All imported tasks are appended to the runbook task list and can be reordered or edited freely.
In the runbook task list, each row has a drag handle () on the left side. Click and drag a task row to move it to the desired position in the sequence. Task sequence numbers update automatically. Reorder before distributing the runbook to the team for review.
During the cut-over window, each engineer opens the runbook and finds their assigned tasks. As they begin work, they set the task status to In Progress. When complete, they set it to Completed and optionally enter the actual hours. If a task cannot proceed, they set it to Blocked and enter a note explaining the blocker. The PM monitors progress in the Command Centre in real time.
Navigate to Migrations → Runbooks → Task Library. This shows all individual reusable tasks organised by Library Group. Search, filter, and review tasks here. You can edit task descriptions and time estimates without affecting runbooks that have already imported those tasks — imported tasks are copies, not live links.
In the Task Library, navigate to Groups → Add Group. Give the group a name (e.g. Post-Migration Validation — Windows Server) and a description. Save the group, then add tasks to it using Add Task to Group. Once built, this group is available for one-click import into any future runbook.
Fields Reference
Runbooks have two sets of fields: the runbook header and the individual task fields.
| Field | Level | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runbook Namerequired | Runbook | Yes | A clear name identifying the runbook's purpose. Recommended: include the event and move group name (e.g. Wave 1 MG-001 Cut-Over). |
| Eventrequired | Runbook | Yes | The parent Migration Event. Required so the runbook appears in the correct event context in the Command Centre. |
| Move Groupoptional | Runbook | No | Link this runbook to a specific Move Group. Highly recommended — runbooks without a Move Group link will not appear in the Move Group's Command Centre section. |
| Descriptionoptional | Runbook | No | High-level description of the runbook's scope and purpose. Useful for team members reviewing the runbook for the first time. |
| Sequencerequired | Task | Yes | Auto-assigned numeric position. Drag-and-drop to reorder; sequence numbers update automatically. |
| Task Namerequired | Task | Yes | A concise action-oriented name (e.g. Verify pre-migration backup completed). |
| Task Descriptionoptional | Task | No | Detailed instructions for the task assignee. Include exact commands, validation steps, or links to external documentation. This is the most valuable field for ensuring consistent execution. |
| Ownerrequired | Task | Yes | The individual responsible for executing this task. Must be a named person, not a team. |
| Estimated Hoursoptional | Task | No | Estimated time to complete this task. Used to calculate the total estimated runbook duration and for post-migration analysis. |
| Actual Hoursoptional | Task | No | Actual time taken. Entered after task completion. Compared against Estimated Hours for process improvement. |
| Statusrequired | Task | Yes | Current state: Pending, In Progress, Completed, or Blocked. Updated by the task owner during execution. Drives Command Centre progress bars. |
Example Workflow
An engineer creates a runbook named Wave 1 MG-001 Cut-Over, linked to the Wave 1 — Datacentre A to Cloud event and the MG-001 Web Servers move group.
She clicks Import from Library and imports the Pre-Migration Checklist Library Group (10 standard tasks: backup verification, change advisory board approval, DNS TTL reduction, firewall rule staging, and more). She then manually adds 5 tasks specific to this application — total: 15 tasks.
She reviews the task list with the team and reorders two tasks that have a dependency sequence issue. She assigns tasks to three engineers: the network engineer owns 4 tasks, the Windows engineer owns 8 tasks, and the DBA owns 3 tasks. Total estimated duration: 6 hours.
On cut-over night, each engineer opens the runbook on their laptop. Tasks are progressed in sequence. By 01:30 AM, 13 of 15 tasks show Completed. Two tasks are marked Blocked — both are waiting on a vendor VPN tunnel that hasn't come up. The PM sees this immediately in the Command Centre and phones the vendor escalation contact.
By 02:15 AM the VPN tunnel is restored. The final two tasks are completed, the runbook shows 100% Completed, and the Command Centre shows MG-001 as green.
Tips
Build your Task Library before migration planning begins. Every hour spent building Library Groups before planning saves two or three hours of runbook creation during the planning phase. Standard groups for pre-migration checks, post-migration validation, and rollback procedures should be ready before any runbook is created.
Always assign tasks to named individuals, not teams. "Infrastructure Team" as a task owner means no one is accountable. During a 2 AM cut-over, you need one person's name on each task so you know exactly who to call if it's overdue.
Use the Task Description field as the actual procedure. Don't just name the step — write the exact commands, validation queries, or test steps the engineer should follow. The description is available on-screen during execution, eliminating the need for separate documentation.
Common Mistakes
Leaving all tasks assigned to one person. Single-person runbooks create bottlenecks and single points of failure. Distribute tasks to reflect the actual skills and responsibilities of the execution team. Parallel tasks can even be executed simultaneously to reduce the cut-over window.
Not updating task status during execution. If the team executes the runbook perfectly but nobody updates the statuses, the Command Centre shows 0% progress. The PM and any remote stakeholders watching the Command Centre see a broken migration. Make status updates part of the definition of "done" for each task — update the status before moving to the next task.
Creating runbooks without linking to a Move Group. Unlinked runbooks do not appear in the Move Group section of the Command Centre and will not be visible to the PM monitoring progress. Always link a runbook to its Move Group when creating it.