What is Cloud Migration? | Strategy, Process & The 7Rs

Cloud migration involves moving applications, resources, and data from one location, often from a company’s on-site (on-premises) environment, to a public cloud where the resources are securely managed and the data remains private and protected. 

With the widespread adoption of cloud technology, companies have been in the cloud for so long that present-day migrations are often necessitated by consolidations, restructurings, mergers, and acquisitions.  

However, a successful switch to the cloud takes careful planning. This article is your all-in-one guide to cloud migration, helping you navigate the process and ensure your data remains secure.  

Top Reasons to Migrate to the Cloud

Companies worldwide are transitioning from legacy on-premises technology to flexible, cost-effective cloud computing solutions. Using a public cloud means you benefit from the provider’s robust infrastructure, including their advanced security measures, scalability, and constant updates, without needing to manage these aspects yourself. Several factors drive this shift, including consolidations, restructurings, compliance requirements, mergers, and acquisitions. 

Consolidations 

Business consolidation occurs when several business units combine into one larger organization. Consolidations allow businesses to tap into new markets, thrive in a competitive landscape and promote operational efficiency. Combining multiple business entities is more than just transferring operations. It demands a shift that requires careful planning to merge workloads, infrastructure, and data without disruption. 

Restructuring 

Restructuring is a strategic process that involves reorganizing a company's structure to enhance efficiency and profitability. Businesses can reduce costs, improve competitiveness, and adapt to changing market conditions by optimizing assets, resources, and operations. Successful restructuring requires careful planning and execution to minimize disruptions and ensure a smooth transition. 

Mergers and Acquisitions 

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are strategic transactions where companies combine their assets and operations. By joining forces, businesses can expand into new markets, increase market share, and achieve economies of scale. However, M&A involves significant complexities, such as due diligence, integration planning, and cultural alignment, to ensure a successful combination of operations and systems. 

Compliance 

Compliance is adhering to laws, regulations, and internal policies to ensure ethical and legal business practices. By maintaining compliance, businesses can avoid legal penalties, protect their reputations, and foster stakeholder trust. Effective compliance requires ongoing monitoring, risk assessment, and policy updates to adapt to evolving regulatory landscapes and industry standards. 

Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) 

Cloud service providers provide the computing power needed to host resources within the cloud. These resources can be accessed on demand rather than requiring businesses to invest in hardware and software.  

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) 

IaaS offers on-demand access to essential IT infrastructure, such as computing power, networking, and storage, typically housed in an on-premises data center.  

By leveraging IaaS, businesses can eliminate the need for upfront investments in hardware and software, reduce operational costs, and accelerate time to market.  

While IaaS provides flexibility and scalability, it requires ongoing management of applications and troubleshooting of potential issues. 

Platform as a Service (PaaS) 

PaaS provides a platform for developers to build and manage applications without worrying about underlying infrastructure. It is designed for scalability and agility, enabling applications to seamlessly scale up or down based on demand, all while maintaining robust performance. PaaS simplifies the development process, allowing you to focus on coding and innovation instead of managing the servers. 

Software as a Service (SaaS) 

SaaS eliminates the need to install and run applications on individual computers. Users can access these applications through a web browser. 

SaaS also frees you from maintenance, regular updates, and security tasks. Examples of SaaS include email services, CRM systems, messaging platforms, content management systems, and office applications for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. 

How to Choose the Right Cloud Service Provider 

Choosing the right cloud service provider can be challenging when you do not know what to look for. Here is a brief overview of key factors to consider: 

• Security – You want to ensure the safety of your data. Check whether the provider has security measures such as data encryption, access controls, threat detection, and compliance certifications. 
• Compliance – Consider whether the provider complies with relevant regulatory requirements and industry standards applicable to your business to avoid restrictions and lawsuits.  

• Services – Make sure the provider offers the services you require. The best-case scenario is that you can get everything under the same service provider for seamless integration.  

• Cost – Compare pricing models, including pay-as-you-go, subscription-based, or tiered pricing. Also, look at computer storage, network, and data transfer costs. 

• Customer Support – You want to partner with a provider that offers excellent customer support and a short turnaround time.

Knowing all these factors is important, but choosing the right cloud service provider is not enough. Comparing each provider’s offering will also help with decision-making. 

• Identify the best cloud service providers based on industry reputation, market share, and customer reviews. Consider factors such as provider size, global presence, and financial stability. 

• Look into the features, services, and solutions offered by each provider. These include infrastructure options, platform services, software applications, and specialized offerings. Make sure they all align with your specific needs. 

The Main Cloud Migration Strategies (7Rs)

Migrating to the cloud requires proper planning and strategizing. The main cloud migration strategies, often referred to as the "7Rs," include:  

Rehosting (Lift and Shift) 

Rehosting is a process of moving applications and data to the cloud without significantly changing their functionality. Its purpose is to quickly shift existing workloads to the cloud with minimal modifications.  

This is achieved using virtual machines or containerized environments. It is a good option for moving legacy applications or expediting a migration process.  

Relocate (Hypervisor-Level Lift and Shift) 

This approach allows migrating workloads without disrupting current operations, rewriting application code, or purchasing new hardware. It enables an enterprise to transfer a group of servers from an on-premises platform like Kubernetes or VMware to a cloud-based version of the same platform. 

Replatforming (Lift, Tinker, and Shift) 

Replatforming means making minor changes to your applications or infrastructure components before moving them to the cloud. This approach uses cloud-specific features and services to improve the performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of your workloads. 

For instance, you can make your applications work better in the cloud by putting them in containers, optimizing resource utilization, or modifying some parts of your application to use cloud resources more effectively. 

Repurchasing (Drop and Shop) 

Repurchasing involves replacing existing software or services with similar ones in the cloud. Rather than moving applications from a physical location to the cloud, organizations use cloud-based options, such as SaaS.  

This approach works well for applications with cloud-based alternatives. Companies often opt for it when they want to leverage managed services to reduce maintenance operations. 

Refactoring/ Rearchitecting 

Refactoring and rearchitecting involve modifying an application's architecture to optimize its performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness in a cloud environment. Developers can enhance flexibility, improve performance, and reduce operational costs by breaking down applications into smaller, modular components, leveraging serverless computing, and optimizing data storage and retrieval. 

Retiring 

A retirement strategy involves removing old computer programs, systems, or infrastructure that are no longer useful. Instead of moving them to a new location, companies choose to remove them altogether, which saves them money and makes it easier to manage their technology. 

Retaining/ Revisiting 

The retaining or revisiting strategy involves evaluating existing computer programs, systems, or technology to determine their suitability for migration to the cloud. In some cases, specific workloads may be better suited to remain on-premises or in existing environments due to regulatory requirements or performance needs. 

Phases of Cloud Migration 

Migrating to the cloud involves multiple phases rather than being a single, isolated event. These are as explained below: 

Phase 1: Preparation and Assessment 

Before moving to the cloud, you need to analyze your current IT infrastructure, applications, and workloads to see if they can be moved to the cloud. This involves evaluating technical compatibility, identifying business objectives, assessing dependencies, and conducting a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. 

You also need to plan your cloud migration, set up governance for using the cloud, and ensure that everything meets security and compliance requirements. 

Phase 2: Planning 

A well-defined migration plan is essential for successfully transitioning to a new system or platform. The plan should outline the sequence of activities, timelines, and responsibilities. 

Select an appropriate migration strategy to ensure a smooth transition. Allocate adequate resources, communicate with relevant stakeholders, and have a contingency plan.

Phase 3: Migration 

Implementing a cloud migration may involve setting up virtual infrastructure, connecting networks, transferring data, installing applications, configuring policies, and verifying functionality. Adhering to best practices, monitoring progress, addressing issues, and maintaining business continuity is essential for a successful migration. 

Phase 4: Operation, Optimization and Management 

After moving to the cloud, the focus is on managing and improving your cloud environment. This includes setting up tools to monitor and manage the cloud, ensuring it is secure and follows regulations, and evaluating and communicating the latest updates and features to stakeholders. 

How to Prepare a Solid Cloud Migration Strategy 

While cloud migration indicates new beginnings, things can potentially go wrong and lead to disaster. To avoid this, consider the following best practices:  

Plan, Assess, and Prioritize 

Cloud migration requires meticulous care to prevent data loss or compromise. To ensure a successful migration, clearly define your goals, assess the suitability of your infrastructure and applications, and prioritize applications based on their complexity, dependencies, and business impact. Finally, establish clear timelines, milestones, and responsibilities to ensure efficient and effective execution. 

Choose the Right Cloud Provider 

The cloud provider you select will significantly impact your operations, so careful consideration is essential. Evaluate key factors such as security, compliance, scalability, cost structure, and available services. Compare various providers and their offerings before making your final decision. 

Implement Robust Security Measures 

While cloud operations offer numerous benefits, they also introduce new security challenges. Without a robust security system, cybercriminals can breach your cloud infrastructure and expose sensitive information.  

Prioritize data security throughout the migration process and extend that vigilance by working with renowned cloud security consultants to safeguard your data. Additionally, enhance security by training your staff, enabling multi-factor authentication, and encrypting your data. 

Conduct Thorough Testing 

Rigorous testing is essential for a successful cloud migration. This process involves comprehensive testing at three key stages: before, during, and after migration. 

Pre-migration testing ensures your applications and data are compatible with the cloud environment, confirming that all necessary infrastructure is in place. This stage includes functional, performance, and security testing. 

During-migration testing involves closely monitoring the migration process to identify and resolve any issues. This may include data integrity checks, network connectivity tests, and application performance monitoring. 

Post-migration testing verifies that all data has been successfully migrated and that applications perform as expected in the cloud environment. This stage includes regression, performance, and security testing. 

You can proactively address potential issues by thoroughly testing each stage, ensuring a smooth and successful cloud migration. 

Plan for Recovery and Rollback 

Even with the best cloud service provider, developing a disaster recovery plan to address potential disruptions during migration is essential. This plan should outline steps to be taken in case of a system failure or other unexpected events that could cause issues. 

Additionally, establish rollback procedures to allow a return to the previous environment if needed. 

Challenges of Migrating to the Cloud 

Cloud migration involves more than just moving workloads. It entails a myriad of moving parts that need to be harmonized. Some things that could potentially thwart a successful migration include: 

An Incomplete Cloud Migration Strategy 

Creating an effective migration strategy is complex, as it must account for multiple factors. Companies often struggle to develop a plan that addresses all critical elements.  

To ensure a smooth transition, your strategy should consider aspects such as workload prioritization, migration approach, resource allocation, and timeline management. 

Compatibility With Legacy Systems 

Integrating legacy systems with cloud environments can be challenging. However, with the right expertise from a cloud migration specialist, these challenges can be effectively managed. 

Data Security 

Cyberattacks continue to pose a threat to cloud environments. To protect your data, investing in a robust cloud security system and maintaining continuous monitoring is crucial. Partnering with a reputable cloud security provider ensures your data remains secure. 

Security Concerns and Regulatory Compliance 

Adhering to industry regulations is non-negotiable to avoid penalties and legal issues. It is essential to choose a cloud service provider that fully complies with all relevant laws. 

Cost Management 

Understanding cloud pricing models can be complex, making it essential to review policies carefully to avoid unexpected costs. 

Skill Gap 

Cloud migration demands specialized expertise, including cloud architecture, data migration strategies, security best practices, and compliance regulations. Acquiring and retaining these skills within your organization can be challenging.  

Partnering with a seasoned provider like CrucialLogics can bridge this skill gap, ensuring your project is managed by experts with the necessary knowledge and experience. 

A Secure Way to Migrate to the Cloud  

Cloud migration demands meticulous planning and execution for success. With a myriad of cloud service providers and factors to consider, making informed decisions can be complex. Partnering with a trusted migration expert can streamline the process. 

CrucialLogics offers a team of experienced consultants dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition of your workloads. Speak with us today to gain clarity and plan a customized migration roadmap.