In the intricate journey toward migrating your organization to the cloud, it is paramount for your IT team to possess a nuanced comprehension of all infrastructure components and meticulously explore the array of options available for migrating each workload. A profound understanding of your existing technological landscape streamlines project planning and enhances the execution phase.
The migration of complex IT systems necessitates a measured and incremental approach. The inaugural step involves conducting a comprehensive inventory of your systems and currently deployed applications, laying the groundwork for developing a pragmatic and actionable cloud migration plan. Subsequently, it becomes imperative to categorize distinct types of cloud migration for implementation with each identified item.
In the decision-making process regarding the apt “R,” the priority thing for a company is to prioritize optimizing and refactoring mission-critical services. Simultaneously, address the remaining workloads with a straightforward lift-and-shift methodology. Embarking on the migration journey with lower-risk, non-critical workloads as a pilot test proves invaluable, providing opportunities to refine the migration process before tackling critical infrastructure components.
In the subsequent discussion, let us intricately explore the operational advantages and nuanced business significance embedded within these unique migration strategies.
Replatform or lift-and-optimize strategies
Re-platforming entails implementing specific optimizations to the operating system, modifying the API of applications, and upgrading middleware akin to a standard lift-and-shift approach. This approach allows for the harnessing of additional benefits offered by the cloud, reshaping the sourcing environment to align with cloud compatibility, fine-tuning application functionality, and mitigating the need for extensive post-migration adjustments.
It is crucial to remember that any enhancements to the product require a thorough understanding that the underlying codebase will change. Consequently, even minor modifications necessitate comprehensive retesting of application performance. After implementing planned adjustments and version upgrades, the application can be seamlessly transferred to the optimized platform and cloud servers.
- The re-platforming strategy aims to find a middle ground between a simple lift-and-shift and a more complex application re-architecture.
- Minor changes are expected in the codebase, ensuring the application’s core functionality remains unaffected.
- There is a potential for incorporating new features or replacing specific application components during this process.
- Despite these relatively minor changes, they provide valuable opportunities to enhance the information security posture of the application.
- Additionally, the re-platforming strategy opens doors for introducing improvements in features and tooling, contributing to overall project advancement.
Repurchase, or the drop-and-shop approach
Adopting the “Revamp and Renew” strategy involves shifting from a proprietary application to a fresh, cloud-based platform or service. This transition necessitates intentionally discontinuing the existing license agreement through expiration or active termination and selecting a new platform or service. As an illustration, an organization might opt to depart from its traditional Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, embracing a more tailored Software as a Service (SaaS) CRM solution that precisely aligns with its evolving operational requirements.
Rehost or lift-and-shift model
Embracing the rehost or lift-and-shift model for cloud migration represents a clear-cut approach to transitioning. This methodology seamlessly transfers applications, virtual machines, and server operating systems from their current hosting environment to public cloud infrastructure without altering configurations. It is a migration strategy marked by minimal friction, where an application is elevated as an image and exported using cutting-edge migration tools like VM Import or CloudEndure, ultimately finding its new home in a container on the public cloud.
Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that while the lift-and-shift approach delivers a swift solution, it has nuances. This method must fully exploit the potential of cloud-native features, such as streamlined CI/CD automation, advanced monitoring systems, automated recovery and self-healing mechanisms, containerized environments, or services seamlessly compatible with open-source technologies. Despite these limitations, migrating application workloads to the public cloud still reduces administrative efforts, freeing up technical resources to tackle pressing business challenges and refine product optimization.
This cloud migration strategy also serves as an initial stepping stone for ambitious optimization projects, particularly when organizations are pressed for time to transition their on-premise infrastructure. Consider a scenario where a data center lease is nearing expiration, and the urgency for swift rehosting of existing workloads arises. Once these workloads find their new home in the cloud, the subsequent task of optimizing the underlying codebase becomes not only feasible but also an opportunity for innovation and enhancement.
Refactor or re-architect
The re-architecting is motivated by a solid inclination to enhance the product and starkly contrasts the lift-and-shift migration approach. It presupposes the establishment of a specific business objective from the outset, such as improving the availability or reliability of application performance. In some instances, this may necessitate a comprehensive reengineering of the application logic, entailing the development of a cloud-native version from the ground up.
When opting for this cloud migration model, it is imperative to acknowledge that it might demand more resources due to the heightened complexity involved in its implementation. Conversely, it offers the complete utilization of cloud-native advantages, such as enhanced disaster recovery capabilities or the containerization of the application environment. In the long term, refactoring can be more cost-efficient, given the incorporation of these additional features.
Retain or hybrid model
Select components may be intentionally preserved within your current legacy framework within your IT infrastructure. This strategic decision may stem from a need to safeguard stand-alone workloads and databases driven by stringent security requirements or other constraints.
- The decision is influenced by adherence to regulatory mandates governing data storage locations
- A customized hybrid infrastructure is carefully crafted to facilitate workload classification for migration
- This hybrid model smoothly integrates cloud hosting for specific workloads
- Deliberate on-premise retention is employed to meet the organization’s specific needs
Retire
In complex applications and environments, specific infrastructure components can be deactivated without noticeable productivity reduction or loss of value for end users. This involves retiring or archiving unnecessary elements while seamlessly replacing their functionalities with alternative services and components. This strategic approach substantially simplifies your computing, architecture, storage, licensing, and backup, fostering a leaner and more efficient infrastructure.
Conclusion
When contemplating the most suitable strategy for your organization’s migration requirements, it is imperative to acknowledge the distinct nature of each cloud migration endeavor. It is essential to recognize that the types of cloud migration mentioned earlier only provide universal, off-the-shelf solutions for some organizations. Instead, they should be regarded as foundational options upon which to construct a bespoke strategy tailored to the unique needs of your business.
To ensure the development of a successful migration strategy, we advocate adopting an application-centric viewpoint, shifting the focus from infrastructure to the intricacies of your applications. Undertaking a cloud migration is a substantial endeavor, and the efficacy of your strategy should be robust, aiding in the accomplishment of key business objectives.
We recommend adopting an agile approach to execute this intricate process, breaking the migration into sprints. This allows for incorporating ongoing feedback, fostering adaptability, and ensuring a smoother transition. With Hystax Acura, it’s easier than ever to migrate to the cloud, which is the key to achieving a seamless and successful transformation.
🌟 If you consider transferring its data, applications, databases, and IT operations to OpenStack, oVirt, or any other cloud from any source platform, Hystax Acura Live Cloud Migration is a fully-automated, reliable, versatile solution to transfer all your workloads and business applications seamlessly and with no downtime.
