This topic will cover the basics of cloud migration, including the reasons for migrating to the cloud, types of cloud migration strategies, and benefits of cloud migration for businesses.
Introduction to Cloud Migration
Quick‑reference guide for students, IT professionals, and decision‑makers
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cloud Migration | The process of moving applications, data, and other IT resources from on‑premises or legacy environments to cloud‑based platforms (public, private, or hybrid). |
| Re‑hosting (Lift‑and‑Shift) | Moving workloads to the cloud with little or no modification. |
| Re‑platforming | Slightly modifying the environment (e.g., moving a database to a managed service) to gain cloud benefits without full redesign. |
| Refactoring / Re‑architecting | Redesigning applications to be cloud‑native (micro‑services, serverless, containers). |
| Hybrid Migration | Keeping some components on‑premises while moving others to the cloud, often linked via VPN or dedicated connectivity. |
| Business Drivers | Technical Benefits |
|---|---|
| Cost optimization – pay‑as‑you‑go, reduce CAPEX | Scalability – auto‑scale resources up/down |
| Faster time‑to‑market – provision in minutes | Reliability – built‑in redundancy, SLA‑backed uptime |
| Global reach – serve users from any region | Security – advanced encryption, identity services |
| Innovation – access to AI/ML, analytics, IoT services | Disaster recovery – automated backup & failover |
| Regulatory compliance – managed certifications | Operational agility – CI/CD pipelines, DevOps tools |
| Strategy | When to Use | Typical Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Rehost (Lift‑and‑Shift) | Short‑term deadline, low‑risk apps | VM snapshot → cloud VM, update DNS |
| Replatform (Lift‑and‑Reshape) | Want managed services without code rewrite | Move DB → managed RDS, containerize web tier |
| Refactor / Re‑architect | Need cloud‑native benefits (auto‑scale, serverless) | Rewrite code, adopt micro‑services, use Functions |
| Repurchase (SaaS) | Legacy app can be replaced by a SaaS alternative | Cancel license, provision SaaS tenant, migrate data |
| Retire | Redundant or obsolete workloads | Decommission, archive data, remove dependencies |
| Retain (Hybrid) | Regulatory or latency constraints keep some assets on‑prem | Build VPN/Direct Connect, sync data, maintain dual ops |
Assessment & Planning
Design
Proof‑of‑Concept (PoC)
Migration Execution