How to Choose the Best Drupal Partner for your Next Drupal Upgrade?

Drupal, the powerful open-source Content Management System (CMS), has long been a reliable choice for building high performing websites to deliver customer-centric digital experiences. With the end-of-life for Drupal 7 rapidly approaching on January 5, 2025, and Drupal 8 and 9 having already reached their EOL, businesses are looking to upgrade to Drupal 10.

Apart from ensuring your website's security and continued access to the latest features and bug fixes, upgrading to Drupal 10 also provides multiple competitive advantages. It positions itself as a Headless CMS, offering a modular design that separates the CMS back-end from the front-end presentation layer. It empowers developers to build custom user interfaces using any framework and integrate them with Drupal 10's robust content management functionalities.

With these manifold benefits of Drupal upgrade, choosing the right Drupal partner becomes imperative to synthesize maximum benefits and upgrade your digital strategy.

What are Drupal upgrade requirements?

Understanding your Drupal upgrade requirements acts as a roadmap for selecting the best partner. It helps you find a team that aligns with your project's complexity, possesses the necessary expertise, and can deliver a solution that meets your specific goals and timeline.

Here are some crucial questions to ask yourself:

• Are you tackling a minor version upgrade (e.g., Drupal 9.3 to 9.4) or a major leap to the latest version (e.g., Drupal 7 to 10)?
• Does your website rely heavily on custom modules or integrations? These can require careful attention during the upgrade process.
• How much content do you have, and what's the level of complexity involved in migrating it?
• Simpler builds with fewer customizations may require less ongoing support compared to highly customized solutions. Can your existing team handle ongoing maintenance tasks, or will you need additional support?
• Is this upgrade part of a larger strategic plan for your website? Understanding your vision will help the partner tailor their approach.

If you don't have answers to all or any of these questions, Drupal experts can help you understand your Drupal upgrade readiness better. Once you know your requirements, you can identify the right Drupal partner who will make your upgrade a success with these key considerations:

Evaluating partner expertise

An experienced Drupal partner has a deep understanding of the platform's functioning and what each upgrades offers. Their experts can optimize your website's performance, recommend valuable new features, and deliver significant ROI on your upgrade.

For a seamless upgrade, look for partners who:

• Are a certified Drupal partner as it demonstrates a commitment to the platform and support from Drupal community.
• Have a proven track record of successful upgrades for versions like yours. Experience with similar projects will result in a smoother upgrade for you.
• Understand the potential challenges of migrating custom code, modules, and content. Look for partners who can create a comprehensive and customized migration plan that minimizes disruption.
• Can handle custom modules, extensive content migrations, and integrating Drupal with various third-party tools and services.
• Are known for identifying and resolving problems proactively, creatively and efficiently.
• Can provide ongoing Drupal support, security updates, and advise on future Drupal roadmap compatibility to keep your website secure and up-to-date.

Partner’s Drupal experience analysis

While Drupal offers immense capabilities, leveraging it requires significant expertise. A comprehensive review of a partner's past work can provide valuable insights into their experience in Drupal upgrades.

You must consider these points to assess a potential Drupal partner:

• Look for case studies that showcase successful upgrades of similar complexity.
• Consider whether the partner has experience working with organizations in your industry, to understand sector-specific challenges and requirements.
• Focus on outcomes—prioritize partners whose case studies highlight tangible benefits such as improved performance, enhanced security, or streamlined workflows resulting from their upgrades.
• Request references from potential partners and inquire about their communication style, problem-solving approach, and overall project experience.

Project management compatibility

Compatibility with your organization's culture and project management style is a key aspect to consider when selecting a Drupal upgrade partner. Compatible teams can adapt and adjust their approach collaboratively to ensure project success. Compatible project management approaches streamline workflows and improve resource allocation. This translates to cost-efficiency and a higher-quality final product.

• Whether you prefer a highly structured approach with detailed timelines or a more flexible, agile methodology, ensure that the partner's project management style aligns with your preferences.
• Assess the dynamics of the partner's team during introductory meetings to understand their communication style and collaborative potential. Look for partners who actively listen, explain complex technical aspects of the upgrade in an understandable way, and keep you informed throughout the process.
• Partners who actively engage with the Drupal community and stay ahead of best practices and updates are likely to offer valuable insights and expertise.
• Transparent pricing structures and clear data security measures are crucial to guarantee a smooth and successful Drupal upgrade journey. Request a detailed scope of work that outlines project deliverables, timelines, costs, and communication protocols to ensure alignment and accountability.

Benefits of finding the right Drupal partner

While some technically skilled teams might be tempted to tackle a Drupal upgrade themselves, there are several compelling advantages to partnering with a Drupal expert:

• Minimal downtime: An experienced Drupal partner understands the complexities of Drupal and can plan the upgrade to minimize disruption to your website's functionality and user experience. This will lead to less downtime for your business and a smoother transition for your visitors.
• Future-proof website: The latest versions of Drupal offer a significant leap in features, security, and performance. A good Drupal development agency will ensure your upgrade leverages these benefits, making your website more secure, scalable, and adaptable to future growth.
• Reduced costs and risks: Upgrading Drupal yourself can be complex and lead to unforeseen complications. A certified Drupal partner has the expertise to identify potential issues and handle them efficiently, saving you both time and money.
• Improved performance: The CMS upgrade process can be an opportunity to optimize your website's code and structure. The right Drupal partner will do this, resulting in faster loading times, a more intuitive user interface, and a better overall user experience for your audience.
• Enhanced security: Outdated Drupal versions are more vulnerable to security threats. Upgrading to the latest Drupal version and following best practices will strengthen your website's security posture, protecting your data and your user information.

How Altudo can be your right Drupal partner?

Altudo is an award-winning CX company with a dedicated team of seasoned Drupal professionals. Our primary objective is to provide personalized experiences that engage customers in a 1:1 journey to digital success. To achieve this, we leverage marketing automation, customer experience strategies, and technology identification.

Partner with us to unlock the full potential of Drupal and Acquia Cloud and embark on a successful digital transformation journey. Our Drupal experts specialize in delivering outcome-driven solutions for challenges such as development, migration, and headless implementation. As a Drupal agency and an Acquia partner, we offer end-to-end services including:

As a certified Drupal agency and an Acquia partner, we offer end-to-end services including:

• Data migration: Securely move your website's data, including customer information, to Drupal.
• Module/extension updates: Keep your Drupal website running smoothly with the latest updates.
• Theme migration: Choose a new theme for your Drupal website and migrate seamlessly.
• Website customization: Make your Drupal website unique and user-friendly.
• Non-Drupal to Drupal migration: Move your website from another platform to Drupal for a richer experience.
• Support & maintenance: Get 24/7 support from Altudo's Drupal experts to keep your website running optimally.

What’s Next?

Finding the right Drupal partner empowers you to leverage the full potential of the platform, achieve your project goals more effectively, and ensure the long-term success of your website. If you are considering a Drupal upgrade, get in touch will Altudo to schedule a 1:1, no-obligation consultation and start your digital transformation journey today.

FAQs

1. How can I find certified Drupal agencies?

You can find certified Drupal agencies by searching the official Drupal partner directory, asking for recommendations from industry peers, or conducting online research to identify agencies with proven expertise and certifications.

2. What are the benefits of upgrading my Drupal site?

Upgrading your Drupal website to Drupal 10 offers numerous benefits, including improved security, enhanced performance, access to new features and functionalities, better scalability, and ongoing support and updates from the Drupal community. Learn more with this infographic.

3. What are the risks of not upgrading Drupal?

Failing to upgrade your Drupal website leaves it vulnerable to security threats, performance issues, and compatibility issues with newer technologies. Unsupported versions may also lack essential features and support from the Drupal community.

4. What questions should I ask during consultation meetings with potential partners?

During consultation meetings, ask about the partner's approach to project management, communication protocols, team structure and expertise, past experiences with similar projects, potential challenges, and strategies for mitigating risks.

5. How can I prepare my team and resources for a successful Drupal upgrade project?

Prepare your team and resources by providing adequate training and support, aligning internal stakeholders on project goals and timelines, allocating necessary budgets and resources, and encouraging a collaborative and supportive work environment.