Migrating your business to the cloud can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By understanding the six Rs of AWS migration strategies, you can create a plan that is tailored specifically for your business and its needs.

Are you considering migrating to AWS?

If you’re like most businesses, the answer is probably yes. AWS is the leading cloud platform, and it’s growing every day. That’s because it offers businesses of all sizes everything they need to run their applications and store their data. It’s scalable, reliable, and secure – so you can rest easy knowing your data is safe.

But migrating to the cloud can be a daunting task. There are a lot of options available, and it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve created this guide. We’ll outline six different migration strategies, what they are best for, and how to execute them. After reading this post, you’ll have a good understanding of the options available to you and how to choose the right one for your business. So get ready to learn about the 6 Rs of AWS migration!

What is cloud migration?

Cloud migration is the process of moving your company’s applications and data to a shared cloud infrastructure. Cloud infrastructure allows you to assign specific resources, like processing power or memory, to servers on demand. This gives businesses more flexibility than ever before so they can quickly adapt their IT plans as needed.

As mentioned, AWS boasts an impressive range of benefits that make it the ideal choice for businesses of all sizes.

The 6 R’s: AWS Migration Strategies

When you’re at the start of your cloud migration process, it’s always helpful to review the basics and know that you’ve got a good plan ahead. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the six Rs of cloud migration.

1. Rehosting

Rehosting is a process where you migrate applications and data from your current on-premises server to a public cloud. The most common providers are AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and IBM Cloud.

Rehosting isn’t always the best option for companies who need to maintain an on-premises server because of compliance or regulatory requirements. And if your servers are outdated, you might not be able to re-purpose them for new projects.

2. Replatforming

Rep platforming is a process to migrate legacy apps and data from on-premises servers to the cloud. The goal is to offer faster speeds, more reliability, better performance, etc.

3. Repurchasing

Repurchasing is when you take an application that hasn’t been used in a while and repurposes it for other projects. This can be helpful to companies who are looking to cut costs because they don’t have to keep the servers active, but are still allowed to use them when needed.

4. Refactoring

This process is when you take on-premises servers that are no longer reliable and update the apps to run on the cloud. By updating outdated applications, you can get rid of lagging software, create faster speeds, etc. This is usually done on an individual basis by developing teams.

5. Retiring

Retiring is the process of removing servers once they’ve outlived their usefulness. You can retire AWS resources by deleting them or putting them into a state where you only pay for what you use, so your fees are reduced.

6. Retaining

Retaining is the process that keeps your company’s information where it’s most secure. Your data may currently be stored in-house, but you don’t necessarily want to move it all at once. The idea of retention is to transfer parts of your server or app gradually so it remains useful without causing downtime for your entire company.

That’s it! When you’ve reviewed the six Rs, you should be confident in your plan to begin migrating to the cloud. Not only will you be able to enjoy the many benefits of doing so, but you can also rest easy knowing that your information is secure and accessible.

What is a cloud migration strategy?

A cloud migration strategy is a high-level plan an organization adopts when transitioning to cloud computing. This plan defines how an organization will successfully go about the migration process in terms of design, execution and maintenance. Successful management of a cloud migration strategy requires effective planning focused on cost reduction, security, quality, resources, and tools.

Cloud migration strategies are a set of guidelines that should push the decision-making process when changing from legacy systems to the cloud.

Risks and Benefits of Cloud Migrations

As with any major change, there are benefits and risks associated with migrating your applications to the cloud environment.

Benefits of Cloud Migration:

• Cost Reduction – significantly reduced operational costs by not having to purchase all of the hardware or software required for your business. There is also no need to hire IT, administrators since you will be using only the software and infrastructure provided by the cloud provider.
• Scalability – you can easily scale your business up or down as needed. The cloud scales for you, so if you need more processing power, storage, etc., just turn it on with a couple of clicks. If things go well, there is no need to build another data center or hire IT staff to manage it.
• Security – the cloud is more secure because there are security professionals who keep things up-to-date and handle patches on a regular basis. And since you’re using only the infrastructure offered by the provider, your data isn’t spread out across multiple locations or servers, making it easier to manage.
• Quality – most cloud providers are very transparent about how they run their business, so you always know exactly what your monthly costs are for them. You can also find out if any hourly charges are added on or whether there are charges for overages.
• Flexibility – it’s easy to upgrade, add, or change the software you use on a regular basis. You can add new features and make adjustments without having to worry about compatibility with your existing infrastructure.
• Other Benefits – There are many other benefits of moving your apps to cloud services such as lower time-to-market, flexibility in adding more users and scaling up or down when needed, access to technology that may have seemed out of reach before.

Risks of Cloud Migration:

• Security – the cloud is not 100% secure because there are still security exposures involved with using third-party services. You also have to be diligent about keeping your passwords safe and updating them often since last year’s password isn’t going to cut it in the cloud.
• Complexity – there is a greater level of complexity when you use third-party services because they have to be integrated with your existing applications. In addition, you will also need more technical staff to manage and monitor these systems since they are outside of your infrastructure.
• Vendor-Lock – since you are dependent on the provider, if they change or go out of business, your apps could be affected. You also lose control over how your data is managed and will have to adhere to any changes they decide to make.
• Scalability – scaling isn’t instantaneous in the cloud because you have to pay for a certain amount of resources per hour. If your business is doing well one month and not so great the next, you could end up paying for more time than needed in the cloud.
• Planning – it is harder to prepare for unexpected changes when using third-party providers since they make all of the decisions.
• Other Risks – there are other risks to consider, such as data privacy and security, business continuity/disaster recovery, regulatory compliance.

What are the challenges of cloud migration?

Migration of the cloud is not an easy task. There are many challenges that must be considered to move your data or applications into the cloud.

1. Training – it’s important for employees to learn how to use new technology since they will probably have more access if you migrate your apps. They also need to know how this might affect their work and how it can help them in the long run.
2. Operations – there is a learning curve when using third-party services because you will be dealing with technicalities that your staff may not know about. In addition, they will need to deal with issues such as latency, which might impact their business processes. Your IT department also has to deal with the security implications of using a public cloud, which may be outside their comfort zone.
3. Tools – in order to manage the cloud easily, you will need tools that can monitor and track your activity so it’s not taking up too much time or resources. Your IT department might have to outsource this task or hire more staff to manage this process more efficiently.
4. Customization – apps that are not catered specifically to the cloud can be a big challenge when migrating your business systems. They might need more customization, which will take time and resources to do correctly.
5. Security – you have to make sure that security is a top priority since you are using a public cloud. Your systems also need to be protected 24/7, which can be difficult for some companies.
6. Compliance – when you migrate your apps, you need to make sure they are in compliance with any policy or law that they might fall under. For example, if you store any healthcare sensitive data in the cloud, it must adhere to the HIPAA security and privacy rules.

FAQ’s

In Conclusion

Understanding the challenges of cloud migration is important to help you prepare for when or if your business decides to migrate some or all of its applications.

When considering what type of migration strategy you would like to use, make sure it aligns with your company’s long-term goals and needs. We hope this article helps you determine what type of cloud migration strategy is best for your business.

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