When changing database vendors, which area should an IS auditor primarily examine?

When changing database vendors, the primary area an IS auditor should examine is the integrity of the data. Ensuring the integrity of the data is crucial during such transitions as it guarantees that the data remains accurate, consistent, and reliable throughout the migration process. Any discrepancies or corruption in data during the vendor switch can lead to significant operational, compliance, and security issues.

Maintaining data integrity involves thorough checks to ascertain that data remains intact as it is transferred from the old vendor's system to the new one. This includes verifying that data formats are compatible, no data is lost in the process, and that post-migration validations uphold the integrity of the information being stored and accessed.

While considering the timing of the cutover, authorization levels, and normalization of the data are also important factors in a database migration, they do not directly address the potential risks associated with data integrity. The timing of the cutover focuses more on the operational aspects of the transition, authorization levels are related to user permissions, and normalization pertains to the design of the database structure rather than the actual integrity of the data being moved. Thus, prioritizing data integrity ensures that the migration process safeguards the quality of the data being managed, which is essential for maintaining trust and compliance in the organization's data