What is cloud migration?

Cloud migration is the process of moving digital assets – think data, applications, workloads, and the like – from an on-premises infrastructure to a new cloud-based platform. This transition allows businesses to take advantage of the notable benefits gained from cloud computing, including improved security, flexibility, and performance. These benefits then extend to further positives like reduced IT costs and being able to enable remote access to key systems.

There are various types of cloud migration strategies. These strategies include lift-and-shift, re-platforming, and re-architecting. The option chosen depends on business needs and the complexity of their infrastructure. Radius can help you complete a seamless migration to the cloud with our cloud migration service.

How does cloud migration work?

A successful cloud migration plan involves several steps to achieve a smooth transition. This is because it’s no small undertaking. It requires transferring an organisation’s data, applications, and infrastructure from one location to a new cloud location. One misstep could be disastrous for a company.

The start of a cloud migration strategy should involve checking for compatibility between existing systems and the new cloud environment. This typically involves the configuration of cloud resources to match the company’s needs. Secure transfer protocols are used to move data efficiently with minimal disruption.

Types of cloud migration strategies

There are different strategies that can be utilised depending on the cloud migration approach. The lift-and-shift approach is known for moving applications without modifying them, which naturally preserves their original architecture. Re-platforming involves making minimal changes to optimise the application for the cloud while keeping the core structure mostly intact.

For more changes, re-architecting sees applications being redesigned to take full advantage of cloud-native features. Hybrid migration combines on-premises and cloud systems, allowing businesses to gradually transition. Finally, cloud-to-cloud migration moves digital assets from one cloud environment to another, usually for optimisation or cost-saving purposes.

Cloud migration steps

• Assess your current environment: Evaluate your existing infrastructure, identifying applications, data, and systems to migrate.
• Choose a cloud provider: Select a cloud provider based on your business needs. Factors like performance, security, and scalability should be considered.
• Develop a migration plan: This covers cloud migration requirements. It outlines the systems, timeline, and resources needed for a successful migration. Picking from the cloud migration options is also necessary.
• Prepare the cloud environment: Before moving data, the cloud infrastructure is set up – including storage, networking, and computing resources.
• Migrate data and applications: Transfer the data and applications to the cloud, ensuring security and minimal downtime during the process.
• Test and optimise: Once the migration is complete, test the systems for performance. Resolve any discovered issues and optimise the cloud environment.
• Monitor and manage: Continuously monitor the new cloud environment to check for optimal performance, security, and cost-efficiency.

Cloud migration options

Cloud data migration

Cloud data migration involves transferring business-critical data from one environment to a new cloud environment. Tools like data pipelines and batch processing are used to minimise disruptions. Databases, files, and datasets (structured or unstructured) are often transferred during a data migration.

Cloud infrastructure migration

An infrastructure migration to cloud focuses on moving physical or virtual IT infrastructure into a cloud environment. By doing this, businesses can eliminate costly hardware, scale resources on demand, and enhance their overall IT agility. With careful planning during cloud migration phases, this guarantees compatibility between legacy systems and the cloud’s virtualised resources.

Cloud software migration

Cloud software migration involves transitioning application from on-premises setups or older systems to cloud-based platforms. This shift assists businesses in leveraging SaaS models for improved accessibility, collaboration, and updates. To harness cloud-native capabilities and further boost performance, cloud migration stages will include applications being re-architected.

Cloud server migration

A server migration to cloud refers to relocating an organisation’s servers to a cloud-hosted environment. This server migration is done to achieve greater reliability, enhanced security, and reduced maintenance costs. To maximise performance, migrating servers usually requires updating configurations and optimising for the target cloud infrastructure.

Cloud migration challenges

Understandably, cloud migration poses a range of challenges. One of the biggest is compatibility issues between legacy systems and cloud environments. This might require re-architecting applications with cloud migration technologies.

Another challenge: downtime during migration can disrupt operations, particularly if the migration takes longer than anticipated. Security risks demand constant monitoring during migration, while it can be resource-intensive to manage cloud costs and train staff to use this new technology.

Cloud migration methodology

Cloud migration methodology is about utilising a structured approach to transferring systems and data. It begins with assessing existing infrastructure to identify risks, and a migration strategy is then selected that best matches up with the assessment results. Work isn’t done after the migration. Testing is done to check systems function seamlessly in the new environment. Continuous monitoring and optimisation are then necessary to address potential issues and enhance performance. This methodology ensures a smooth, efficient migration process – one that matches your organisational goals.