One embodiment provides a system. In operation, the system generates a first interest for a first manifest which indicates a first phase of a migration of a data model and indicates a first plurality of resources with corresponding names; in response to receiving the first manifest, transmits, based on the corresponding names of the first plurality of resources, a first plurality of interests for the first plurality of resources; receives a second manifest which indicates a second phase of the migration and indicates a second plurality of resources with corresponding names; transmits, based on the corresponding names of the second plurality of resources, a second plurality of interests for the second plurality of resources; and starts the data model on the system based on content objects retrieved in response to the first and second plurality of interests.