What is application migration to the cloud?
The term ‘application migration’ refers to the process of moving a software application from one computing environment to another, perhaps between data centers, or from an on-premise server to the cloud, or even from the public cloud to a private cloud. How you choose to do it will depend on factors such as the technical requirements of the app itself and any security, compliance, or cost considerations you may have.
Do bear in mind that in some cases, what really makes the most sense is to simply retire the app – perhaps because its value is limited, its functionality is already available in some other way, or the cost of building a new app in the cloud is simply less than migrating the existing one.
What are my cloud migration options?
There are various cloud migration models, and which one you choose will depend on your reasons for migrating and the specific requirements of your business.
Also known as ‘rehosting,’ if your goal is to get out of the data center and stop managing hardware, the lift and shift approach gives you the same software but in the cloud. You will get many of the benefits of cloud migration in terms of speed and versatility, although there are unlikely to be any huge long-term savings from this cloud migration strategy.
Another approach is to shift to SaaS, outsourcing one or more applications to a cloud service company, saving time and trouble and freeing up employees to focus on core competencies that drive your business success. Best restricted to routine business functions, like email, this cloud migration strategy doesn’t suit highly customized systems and processes.
Also known as ‘re-architecting,’ application refactoring is a way to modernize specific apps in their entirety, making significant changes to get the benefits of cloud migration. This is low risk, can reduce your costs over time, and enables you to respond quickly to changing customer demands and needs.
Replatforming refers to developing applications in the cloud at the code level so that benefits of cloud migration, such as scalability, redundancy, and elasticity, are built right in. This approach entails a significant up-front cost, but it does give you the maximum benefit of the cloud, and cloud-native apps can be updated very quickly, saving on development time later on.
How long does cloud migration take?
In business, time is money, so it’s a legitimate and important question to ask how long migration to the cloud will take. However, there are many variables – including the age and size of your business, the operational needs of your business during
migration, and whether your migration team includes experienced cloud computing experts – so no one can give a one-size-fits-all answer.
As a general guide, moving a single server with no integrated services can probably be achieved in less than a week. For more complex systems, such as email, document management, and communications, or moving complex server setups and configuring your data center and networks, 1-2 months would be a realistic timeline. Note that no matter how long it takes, once your migration is complete, the benefits will be felt throughout your business for many years to come.
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