Utilizing cloud technology has become essential for thriving in today's digital world. That’s why cloud migration has become a crucial strategy for organizations. Moving to cloud like AWS, Azure, Google cloud gives you benefits of flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency. Many cloud initiatives face challenges, making it hard to fully realize the benefits of cloud investments. This difficulty often arises from a lack of careful and systematic planning.
The solution is make your cloud migration in 5 stages. What are these steps? Explore what are different cloud migration strategies, what are 5 steps in cloud migration strategy and start your migration journey.
7Rs of Cloud Migration Strategy
Before moving to cloud migration steps it is important to know what are the different cloud migrations strategies, here are the 7Rs of cloud migration strategy:
- Rehosting - Lift and shift
A quick move to the cloud, preserving the application's original form.
- Replatforming - Optimize for cloud
Optimizing an application for the cloud with minimal code changes.
- Refactoring - Rewrite for cloud
A deep transformation of an application to fully exploit cloud capabilities.
- Repurchasing - Replace with SaaS
Replacing legacy systems with cloud-based software.
- Retiring - Eliminate unused systems
Eliminating outdated or unnecessary applications.
- Relocating - Move data center
Physically moving IT infrastructure to a cloud data center.
- Retaining - Keep on-premises
Keeping applications and data on-premises, avoiding cloud migration.
Crucial Steps of Cloud Migration Strategy
Explore 5 stages of cloud migration strategy:
Step 1: Prepare
Preparation is the first step of cloud migration strategy. In the initial phase of preparation organisation should define their goals, why the want to move to the cloud? These goal includes more flexibility, lower expenses, increased scalability, and improved operational efficiency. To facilitate this changeover, make a business report for each application's cloud migration. This report should include the predicted total cost of ownership (TCO) for the cloud environment in comparison to the current TCO. Use cloud cost estimating tools to precisely project future costs. Include reasonable assumptions about storage utilisation, processing power, instance kinds, operating systems, and particular performance and networking requirements.
Points to be considered during the Preperation
- Assessment of Current Infrastructure
- Setting Goals and Objectives
- Building the Migration Team
- Budget and Resource Planning
Step 2: Plan
The next step of cloud migration strategy is to plan. This plan should define the workflows that will be migrated and in what order they will be moved. Organisations must also choose their preferred cloud architecture and determine whether changes to current applications or data are required. Because of the critical nature of your data, you should evaluate whether any data needs to be updated frequently, whether compliance regulations apply, or whether less critical data can be transferred early in the process. These steps help determine whether data needs to be cleaned, which destination volumes to use, and whether encryption is required for data both in transit and at rest.
Points to be considered during the Planning
- Developing a Migration Strategy
- Selecting Cloud Providers and Tools
- Defining a Timeline
Step 3: Migrate
This stage of cloud migration strategy is crucial, in this stage you actually move your traditional infrastructure to the cloud. It involves the transfer of data, applications, and other tasks to the cloud. A considerable part of this process is moving the data itself. If your data is inaccessible to the users during migration, it will disturb the process and business operations. At the same time, it is important to ensure everything stays updated after the initial transfer. Before moving to the next step step, each component of the workload should be tasted in the cloud. Additionally its important to pay attention to the cloud security, you can use different cloud security tools to make your cloud protected from threats.
Points to be considered during the Migration
- Execution of Migration Plan
- Monitoring and Managing Migration
- Ensuring Data Integrity and Security
Operate
After migrating data to the cloud, you move into operational phase of the cloud migration strategy. In this stage organization oversee cloud-based duties like resource management, performance monitoring, security, and compliance. It is necessary to make continuous improvements based on feedback and data, adapting as needed to optimize cloud operations. Real-time monitoring is not enough to maintain compliance with laws like HIPAA and GDPR. You also need to assess the security of data stored in the cloud.
Points to be considered during the Operation
- Management of Cloud Environment
- Training and Support
- Governance and Compliance
Optimize
The final step of the cloud migration is optimization. Successful data migration in cloud is not end of this process, it include continuous management and maintainance of cloud resources. Organizations explore methods to enhance their cloud environment and optimize resource usage. Improving performance involves simplifying cloud operations, finding ways to cut costs, and incorporating cloud-specific features and services. Organizations aim for ongoing optimization to maximize value and business advantages from their cloud usage.
Points to be considered during the optimization
- Continuous Performance Evaluation
- Cost Management
- Scaling and Enhancements
How to Start Cloud Migration?
There are several cloud service providers, But AWS stands out due to its extensive range of migration tools and services. AWS streamlines the process, making evaluating, planning, and carrying out your migration journey simpler using products like AWS Migration Evaluator, AWS Migration Hub, and AWS Migration Services. Initiate your cloud transfer using AWS to guarantee a seamless and secure conversion.
Wrapping Up
An effective cloud migration strategy is essential for businesses to fully leverage cloud computing, facilitating a seamless transition, cost savings, improved security, and enabling future scalability and innovation. This is possible when you follow the 5 steps of cloud migration strategy and if you stuck anywhere, you can always reach to cloud migration services provider to make your cloud migration journey seamless.
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