Migration to the cloud is an opportunity to modernize your infrastructure and embrace a more agile IT model. But it’s not without its challenges, so planning and considering the steps you’ll need is essential.
While there are no perfect solutions for cloud migration, there are ways to make things easier for yourself. This article discusses strategies for migrating your systems over to the cloud.
You must also go through application migration to cloud. Application cloud migration is the process of moving on-premises or legacy infrastructure to the cloud. It also would apply to moving applications, databases and IT processes from one cloud to another.
cloud migration techniques companies should consider when moving to the cloud.
Rehosting
Rehosting means moving applications to another host without changing code or configuration settings. This can be done using a virtual machine (VM) image, an exact copy of the old system with all its files, configuration settings, and software installed.
This process can be completed in two ways:
- Cold migration is the process of moving all of your data and applications to a new environment. It’s similar to upgrading an application or database on-premise, but it happens over an extended period.
- Hot migration involves taking down services briefly while they’re being copied over. Hot migrations are typically used when migrating from one cloud provider to another or moving from one region to another within a single provider’s network.
There’s no denying that the processes can be challenging, particularly for organizations with large database. Consider partnering with a professional agency offering quality on premise to cloud migration services to ensure a seamless transition.
Refactoring
Refactoring is improving an existing code base’s structure without modifying its behavior. The goal of refactoring is to improve the internal design of a system without changing what the code does. Refactoring can be used to increase the clarity and maintainability of code and improve its performance.
Refactoring is a commonly used practice in software development, but it can be applied just as easily to cloud migration projects. When migrating an application from an on-premises environment to the cloud, don’t just start moving data around — take a step back and ensure you’re not missing anything.
Before migrating any data, ensure you’ve thoroughly reviewed your application code and documentation to understand how everything works together in real-time. Then make sure that any processes or files required for running your application have been moved over successfully. This may require refactoring some parts of your application or adjusting configuration settings based on where they’ve been moved in relation to other parts of your application.
Revise
Revise is another technique for migrating applications to the cloud. Revising an application requires more significant changes than copying or moving but less than refactoring.
It involves changing how an application works to run in a different environment — such as using various tools or databases — without reworking its entire code base. So, for example, if you’re moving an app from a Java stack to .NET, you need to change only those parts of the code that interact with other parts of the app; otherwise, everything else can remain unchanged (or at least minimally modified).
Rebuild
Rebuild is a transition strategy that involves replacing the existing applications with new versions that run in the cloud. It takes the “revise” approach a step further. It is not necessarily free of problems but can be less disruptive than other migration strategies. Rebuild has several advantages:
- It’s quick and can be faster than re-platforming and re-engineering. Of course, the completion time depends on your application size, but rebuilding can often be completed in weeks rather than months or years.
- It allows you to minimize risk by starting with a small subset of your data and then expanding as needed.
- It allows you to choose which platform (private, public, or hybrid) best suits your needs at any point during the lifetime of your application.
Replace
Replace your on-premise applications with cloud-based solutions. This is the most obvious way to get started with cloud computing, and it’s often the right choice for small and medium businesses (SMBs). Cloud providers offer a wide range of SaaS applications, including word processing, accounting, email, and CRM. You can also use PaaS to build your custom application.
By replacing an on-premise application with a SaaS or PaaS solution, you’ll eliminate hardware expenses and reduce complexity by not having to manage servers or networks in your own data center. You can also save money by paying only for what you use — pay as you go instead of buying expensive licenses upfront.
Retire
This is the most common way to retire an application in the cloud: You stop using it, remove it from your environment, and let someone else take over its ownership. This technique works for applications with simple dependencies that don’t require ongoing maintenance.
For example, if you have an application that used to run on physical hardware but now runs on two instances in a virtual private cloud (VPC), you may want to retire it when it’s no longer needed. In this case, there are no dependencies between other applications or data stores; therefore, there’s no need for ongoing maintenance or monitoring. Instead, it’s just dead weight taking up space and paying fees on an instance that never gets used anymore.
Conclusion
It’s an exciting time for cloud systems and data centers, as well as for cloud users. After all, the cloud has grown in popularity and availability over the years, thanks to its quick establishment on the business scene. Business owners have many options, but ultimately, focusing on enhancing their company’s operations matters most. That’s why the six strategies outlined here should be the framework for enterprises’ future migration strategies and plans.
