A Complete Guide To Cloud Migration And Modernization

Staying ahead of the curve with the latest technology is crucial for any business in the dynamic digital landscape, and cloud technology is leading the way as one of the most important modern tech innovations for almost every business. According to a recent Gartner report, 85% of organizations will embrace a cloud-first strategy by 2025, and 95% of new digital workloads will be deployed on cloud-native platforms. But what does cloud technology include, and how can you leverage it for your organization?

In this guide, we’ll demystify the meaning and process of cloud migration and modernization. We will explore its benefits and provide a step-by-step roadmap to ensure a smooth transition to the cloud. Let’s go!

The Basics of Cloud Migration and Modernization

Cloud migration is the process of moving systems, applications, and data from your on-premise servers to the servers of a service provider. It can be done in various ways, such as a basic “lift and shift” with no app configuration, or a tested-in-the-cloud implementation with some adjustments to help apps run better in the cloud environment. Cloud migration can bring benefits such as on-demand scalability, cost savings over time, and instant cloud resources for innovation.

Cloud modernization is the process of upgrading or replacing applications so that they are supported by and take full advantage of cloud architecture. It is also called becoming cloud-native. Cloud modernization is a complex activity involving rehosting, refactoring, rearchitecting, rebuilding, or replacing applications to make them more compatible, efficient, and secure in the cloud. It can help you achieve key advantages such as increased agility, improved performance, and enhanced customer experience.

The Benefits of Cloud Migration and Modernization

Cloud migration and modernization can bring many benefits to organizations of all sizes and industries. Some of the main benefits are:

• Cost savings– Cloud migration and modernization can help organizations lower their total cost of ownership (TCO) by reducing capital expenditures (CapEx) on hardware, software, maintenance, and power. Cloud services also offer flexible pricing models based on usage, performance, and features, allowing organizations to optimize their operational expenditures (OpEx) and only pay for what they need.
• Agility– Cloud migration and modernization can help organizations increase their speed and responsiveness to changing business needs and customer demands. Cloud services enable faster provisioning, scaling, updating, and deploying of applications and resources, as well as easier integration with other cloud-based or on-premises systems.
• Security– Cloud migration and modernization can help organizations improve their security posture by leveraging the advanced security capabilities and best practices of cloud providers. Cloud services offer built-in encryption, identity and access management, firewalls, backup and recovery, compliance, and auditing features, as well as regular security updates and patches.
• Innovation– Cloud migration and modernization can help organizations unlock new opportunities for innovation and differentiation by accessing the latest cloud-native technologies and capabilities. Cloud services offer cutting-edge solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, blockchain, serverless computing, microservices, DevOps, and more.

Steps to Implement Cloud Migration and Modernization

 

Cloud migration and modernization is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that involves significant organizational change management spanning people, processes, and technology. Taking a holistic approach will not only help you navigate the journey successfully but also help ensure that your organization realizes the new benefits once your workloads are running in the cloud. Here is a stepwise guide to implementing cloud migration and modernization from scratch:

• Step 1: Define your strategy– The first step is to define your strategy for cloud migration and modernization. This involves identifying your business goals, drivers, challenges, risks, and metrics for success. You also need to align your stakeholders across IT, finance, business units, and leadership teams. You may also want to engage a cloud migration partner to augment your skills and reduce risks.
• Step 2: Assess your readiness– The second step is to assess your readiness for cloud migration and modernization. This involves discovering and analyzing your current applications, data, infrastructure, dependencies, costs, performance, security, compliance, governance, and skills. You also need to evaluate the potential benefits of moving to the cloud by comparing your TCO for on-premises versus cloud deployments.
• Step 3: Plan your roadmap– The third step is to plan your roadmap for cloud migration and modernization. This involves prioritizing your workloads based on their complexity, compatibility, value, urgency, and interdependencies. You also need to plan a feasible and appropriate budget and choose the best cloud service model, deployment model, provider, partner, method, tool, and techniques.
• Step 4: Execute your migration and modernization– The fourth step is to execute your migration and modernization according to your roadmap. This involves preparing your source and target environments, migrating and testing your workloads, validating and optimizing your results, and decommissioning your legacy systems. You also need to manage the change and communication across your organization and stakeholders.
• Step 5: Operate and innovate in the cloud– The fifth step is to operate and innovate in the cloud after your migration and modernization are complete. This involves monitoring and managing your cloud performance, security, costs, compliance, governance, and availability. You also need to continuously learn and improve your cloud skills, processes, and technologies. You can also leverage the cloud to explore new opportunities for innovation and differentiation.

Zooming in on the Planning Stage

Planning is indeed the most intricate and decisive step during cloud migration and modernization, so it is vital to go into further detail of this crucial stage. Here are the aspects to consider while planning your cloud migration and modernization process-

Designing the Cloud Architecture

Firstly, you need to design your cloud architecture. This is the blueprint that will guide your entire migration process. It involves:

• Data Architecture- Decide how your data will be stored, accessed, and managed in the cloud. This includes choosing between SQL or NoSQL databases, data lakes, or hybrid storage solutions.
• Application Architecture- Determine how your applications will interact with each other and with your data. Will you use microservices, monolithic, or a hybrid architecture?
• Network Architecture- Plan your network topology, considering aspects like load balancing, VPNs, and direct connections to your on-premises network.

Selecting the Cloud Provider and Tools

The next step is to choose your cloud service provider. Each provider has its own set of services, pricing models, and specialties. Here are some popular choices:

• Azure- Azure is known for its integration with Microsoft’s software and strong support for Windows-based applications.
• AWS- AWS offers a broad and deep set of services and has a large community of users.
• Google Cloud- This is known for high-performance computing, data analytics, and machine learning.

Prioritizing Workloads

Not all workloads are created equal. Some are more complex, some are more urgent, and some are more valuable to your business. Prioritize them based on:

• Complexity- How difficult is it to move the workload?
• Compatibility- Is the workload already cloud-ready, or does it need to be modified?
• Value- How critical is the workload to your business operations?
• Urgency- Are there any time-sensitive factors that make it more urgent to migrate this workload?
• Interdependencies- Does this workload rely on other workloads? If so, they may need to be moved together.

Choosing the Service and Deployment Models

Based on your needs, you’ll have to choose between different service models like IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS, and deployment models like public, private, or hybrid clouds.

• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)- This service model offers virtualized computing resources through the internet.
• PaaS (Platform as a Service)- This provides a platform that allows customers to develop, run, and manage applications.
• SaaS (Software as a Service)- SaaS refers to software that is provided over the Internet.

Selecting Migration Partners and Methods

You don’t have to go it alone. Partners like DiscoverCloud can provide valuable expertise and resources. Also, choose your migration method carefully:

• Rehosting- Rehosting, also known as “lift and shift,” involves moving applications without modifications.
• Replatforming- It involves making a few cloud optimizations to realize some of the cloud benefits but not as much as refactoring.
• Refactoring- This Involves re-architecting and often re-coding an application to fully leverage cloud-native features.

Techniques and Tools

Depending on your needs, you might employ various techniques like containerization, microservices, or serverless computing. Tools such as AWS’s Migration Hub or Google’s BigQuery Data Transfer Service can make the process smoother.

Budgeting

Cloud migration can be costly, especially if not well-planned. Make sure to budget carefully while keeping every team member on board. Remember to account for hidden costs like data transfer fees, and always have a contingency budget for unexpected challenges.

Latest Trends in Cloud Migration and Modernization

Cloud technology is a rapidly evolving area, and it’s important to stay updated with the latest developments. So, here are some of the latest trends in phases of cloud migration and modernization that you must know in 2023:

• Conviction in cloud benefits– Organizations are turning to migration and modernization to support growth, future-proof their businesses, and reduce costs. In fact, 82 percent of enterprises view migration as a stepping stone to digital transformation.
• Strategy-driven cloud M&M– Organizations are prioritizing strategy over hasty adoption due to a newly found conviction in the benefits of the cloud. Alignment between business and IT/digital strategies is now commonplace with almost 80 percent of organizations reporting extensive or partial alignment.
• Cloud-only strategies– Organizations are increasingly adopting cloud-only architectures as they realize that on-premises infrastructure is no longer a viable option for scalability, agility, and security. 
• On-premise infrastructure continues– Organizations are still maintaining some on-premise infrastructure for legacy applications that are not suitable for cloud migration or modernization. However, these applications are expected to decrease over time as more organizations adopt hybrid or multi-cloud solutions.
• Migration of non-mission critical operations– Organizations are migrating non-mission critical operations to the cloud first, such as development and testing environments, backup and recovery, and analytics. This allows them to gain experience and confidence in the cloud before moving their core business applications and data.
• Increased migration to public clouds– Organizations are migrating more workloads to public clouds as they offer more flexibility, scalability, innovation, and cost-effectiveness than private or hybrid clouds. Public cloud providers such as Azure, AWS, and Google offer a wide range of services and solutions for different workloads and industries.
• Diversity in cloud workloads– Organizations are migrating and modernizing a variety of workloads to the cloud. These include web apps, databases, virtual desktops, servers, and more.
• Rise in multi-cloud and hybrid solutions– Organizations are adopting multi-cloud and hybrid solutions to leverage the best of both worlds. Multi-cloud solutions allow organizations to use different cloud providers based on their specific needs, while hybrid solutions allow organizations to integrate their on-premises infrastructure with the cloud for greater flexibility and control.

How a Cloud Migration Service Can Make Your Life Easy

A cloud migration service is a solution that helps you migrate your applications and data to the cloud with ease and efficiency. A cloud migration service like DiscoverCloud by Eficens can make your life easy by offering the following benefits:

• Simplicity– A cloud migration service simplifies the complex and tedious process of cloud migration by providing a unified platform, automated tools, and expert guidance. You can use a cloud migration service to discover, assess, plan, migrate, validate, optimize, and monitor your workloads with minimal manual intervention.
• Speed– A cloud migration service accelerates the speed of cloud migration by reducing the time and effort required to move your workloads to the cloud. You can use a cloud migration service to migrate your workloads in batches or streams, with minimal downtime and disruption.
• Security– A cloud migration service enhances the security of cloud migration by ensuring that your data and applications are protected during and after the migration. You can use a cloud migration service to encrypt, backup, restore, audit, and comply with your data and applications in transit and at rest.
• Cost-effectiveness– A cloud migration service reduces the cost of cloud migration by optimizing the utilization and performance of your cloud resources. You can use a cloud migration service to right-size, scale, configure, and manage your cloud resources based on your needs and budget.

Summing Up

Cloud migration and modernization are essential for organizations that want to achieve digital transformation and compete in the 2023 market. Cloud migration and modernization can help organizations save costs, increase agility, improve security, and drive innovation.

However, cloud migration and modernization are not easy tasks that can be done overnight. They require careful planning, execution, operation, and innovation. They also require the right strategy, roadmap, partner, method, technique, tool, and service. 

So, it’s always great to get some help from a trusted partner in your cloud journey. And that’s why DiscoverCloud is here! With our robust accelerators like SAPAssist, Traverse, and Trekora, we make your cloud journey efficient and effective. After all, we’re not just a service provider; we’re your trusted partners in digital transformation!

FAQs

What is the difference between cloud migration and cloud modernization?

Cloud migration involves moving your existing data and applications to the cloud, while cloud modernization is the process of updating and optimizing these applications for the cloud environment.

How much time does migrating to the cloud take?

The time required for cloud migration varies depending on the complexity of your IT infrastructure and the amount of data to be migrated.

What are the risks involved in cloud migration and modernization?

Some of the potential risks include data loss, downtime, and unexpected costs. However, these can be mitigated with proper planning and execution.

Is cloud migration suitable for all businesses?

While cloud migration offers numerous benefits, it may not be the best solution for all businesses. It’s essential to assess your specific needs and consult with experts before making a decision.

How do I choose the right cloud service provider?

Choosing the right cloud service provider involves evaluating various factors such as cost, security features, and the range of services offered. It’s advisable to consult with experts and conduct a thorough assessment before making a decision.