By 2022, 6 out of every 10 businesses moved to the cloud. This isn’t surprising. Cloud environments generally increase data security and accessibility. However, cloud migration success hinges on companies choosing the right cloud strategy.
All cloud migration strategies have similar best practices to mitigate common challenges. Still, there are 7 different strategies that your business may choose from, commonly known as the “7 Rs”. The best strategy for your business depends on your workload.
Lack of direction is one of the top reasons why cloud projects fail. Preventing this pitfall begins with careful cloud migration planning that leverages the right strategy. To help your cloud computing journey start on the right foot, let’s take a closer look at the 7 Rs.
7 Types of Cloud Migration Strategies
| Rehost | move assets to the cloud without changes |
| Replatform | optimize assets before moving them to the cloud |
| Relocate | move from one server to another |
| Repurchase | phase out assets and buy new ones |
| Retain | keep some assets in their original state |
| Refactor | build new assets for your cloud platform |
| Retire | phase out assets that are no longer valuable |
1. Rehost
Rehosting, also known as lift and shift, involves migrating your existing applications to your cloud data center without making changes to them. This strategy is the most straightforward and popular method of cloud migration. However, be mindful that it’s easy to inadvertently overspend.
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While the method is simple, it may come at the cost of flexibility. Rehosted applications don’t change, so they may not be optimized for your cloud environment. However, some companies find it easier to optimize applications after they’ve been migrated.
This approach is ideal for organizations that need to move a lot of assets fast.
2. Replatform
Replatforming, also known as lift and optimize or lift and tinker, is similar to rehosting. However, the difference is that you spend time optimizing your applications before you migrate them.
Depending on your target platform, you may need to make significant changes. So this method can become time-consuming. Despite the extra time, it’s usually more cost-effective than adjusting post-migration.
This approach is ideal for companies that use many legacy systems that need an upgrade as part of their digital transformation. Be mindful that you should add retesting to your cloud migration plan with this strategy. Code changes may affect how assets behave.
3. Relocate
Relocating is the process of migrating from one cloud server to another. This may be to move from a public cloud to a private one or vice versa. It may also involve transferring a large on-prem server to a cloud equivalent.
One of the biggest advantages of this approach is that it doesn’t interrupt operations. Applications will still work as you migrate, so employees can continue using them. This makes it excellent for large organizations.
4. Repurchase
Repurchasing, or drop and shop, involves replacing current applications with cloud services. This is also a very common and straightforward cloud migration strategy. It’s as simple as ending a current license (or waiting for it to expire) and purchasing a new cloud-friendly equivalent.
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Business owners may also opt for the repurchasing method to save costs. The newer cloud-forward application may be more affordable than the former one.
5. Retain
Retain is the hybrid model. It means that not all of your assets migrate. You may strategically choose migrations to the cloud on an asset-by-asset basis. This may be a good option for companies that need to keep some data on-prem to adhere to regulatory compliance.
Sometimes, the hybrid model is a temporary solution. Businesses periodically migrate certain assets during one project and save the rest for later. Usually, this is done as a way to make more efficient use of time or budget.
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6. Refactor
Refactoring, or re-architecting, is when a company develops new cloud applications to replace on-prem ones. Unlike repurchasing, the company usually develops new assets themselves instead of buying them from a third party.
This can be time-consuming but may be worth it for businesses that have the resources. It can also work well for small-to-medium-sized companies with a simple IT environment. However, it’s also the most expensive method so it must be used carefully.
7. Retire
The retire strategy should only apply to specific applications. It involves decommissioning assets that no longer hold value. Typically, companies retire assets that aren’t worth the time or effort involved in moving them to the cloud.
It may also involve decommissioning cloud-based assets. This choice may be made if the cost of hosting the asset on the cloud outweighs its benefits. Retiring assets rarely involves any disruptions to business operations.
Trust Experienced IT Consultants to Help You Select the Right Cloud Migration Strategy
Cloud adoption can be a delicate balancing act. Choosing the right strategy is a good first step, but there’s much more to do before you can roll-out your environment. You need to make your business case, ensure security, and train your staff to use your cloud platform.
Before you get overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done, look towards cloud consultants who can offer guidance on how you can streamline your migration process.
Sunco Communication and Installation Ltd. provide this service. We’re ready to help you while you’re migrating workloads to your cloud. Our consultants are also project management experts, so they can pinpoint the best ways to keep your migration smooth.
Reach out to learn more about what our team can do.
