By IT Brew Staff
3 min read
Definition:
Cloud migration is a process in which an organization moves digital assets, which can include everything from applications to data, from one cloud to another, or from on-premises infrastructure to a cloud provider.
Key Takeaways
Cloud migration can take many different forms, depending on the kinds of clouds and on-premises infrastructure involved. For example, an organization might decide to move its digital assets from an on-premises data center to a public cloud such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure. Many organizations also move data and digital assets from one public cloud service to another, especially if they lock down a better deal with another provider.
The number of digital assets moved is also highly variable. An organization might opt to shift an entire database to a new cloud, or just a handful of applications; there’s also hybrid cloud migration, where some workloads are moved to a new cloud while others are kept within on-premises infrastructure.
Whatever the circumstances, there are some common frameworks involved in cloud migration. One of the most popular is the “5 Rs” (sometimes called the “6 Rs”), which include:
- Refactor: Adjusting an application or other digital asset in a major way to be “cloud-native.” For example, if an application was built and stored on a local drive, it might need to be re-architected completely to work effectively in the cloud.
- Re-platform (also known as relocating): Optimize a digital asset for the migration. Unlike refactoring, this often involves minor changes.
- Rewrite (also known as rebuild): Completely rewrite an application or digital asset from scratch, including new, cloud-optimized features and tools.
- Re-host: Moving a digital asset as-is to the cloud. For example, if an application is already cloud-native, an IT pro doesn’t need to do much to port it between clouds.
- Repurchase (also known as retire and replace): Rather than try to port a digital asset or application, an IT pro might opt to purchase a completely different product to work on a new cloud.
Depending on who you ask, there’s also retaining, when a digital asset is left out of the migration; this is optimal when regulations or costs prevent an IT pro from moving something.
As IT pros work their way through a cloud migration, they should assess the goals of the migration, mobilize the right resources, spin up a pilot or test, and address any challenges related to scalability and technical complexity. The potential benefits, however, are significant in terms of improved security, better performance, and the ability to access new tools (depending on the new host cloud).
