How to realize on-premise to cloud migration? Strategies and tools

Nowadays, many business applications and workloads are moving to the cloud. There are several reasons for on-premise to cloud migration: the agility and flexibility that the cloud services provide, the scalability of its resources, and the cost-effectiveness of its pay-as-you-go model.

However, migrating to the cloud can also pose some risks. In order to migrate from on-premises to cloud safely and effectively, businesses need to have a clear strategy in place. They also need to choose the right process and tools for their specific needs.

In this blog post, we'll cover all of these aspects of on-premise to cloud migration. We'll discuss how to develop a sound strategy, what steps should be taken during the migration process.

Why do businesses migrate from on premise to cloud?

There are many reasons why businesses might want to migrate from on-premise software to the cloud. Cloud services offer reduced costs, improved efficiency, scalability, and more. For businesses that are still running on-premise software, migrating to the cloud can offer a number of benefits.

Here are key benefits of moving from on premise to cloud:

1. Scalability: Cloud offers the ability to scale computing resources up or down rapidly to meet changing demands, ensuring optimal performance and cost efficiency.

2. Cost Savings: Moving to the cloud eliminates the need for large upfront capital investments in hardware and infrastructure, reducing operational expenses.

3. Flexibility: Cloud environments allow users to access applications and data from anywhere with an internet connection, facilitating remote work and increasing productivity.

4. Reliability: Cloud service providers offer reliable infrastructure and redundancy, minimizing downtime and ensuring high availability of services.

5. Security: Reputable cloud providers implement advanced security measures, protecting data and applications from potential threats better than many on-premise setups.

6. Automatic Updates: Cloud platforms often handle software updates and patches automatically, reducing the burden on IT teams and ensuring the latest features, security enhancements and advanced technologies are consistently applied.

7. Disaster Recovery: Cloud-based backup and recovery solutions offer faster and more reliable data restoration in case of data loss or system failures.

Some businesses might be reluctant to migrate to the cloud services and applications because they are concerned about the security of their data. However, if done correctly, cloud migrations can actually improve your security posture. In fact, many of the world's largest companies have already made the switch to the cloud.

If you're considering on prem to cloud migration, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

1. The risks of migration. There are a few risks associated with on premise to cloud migration. These include data loss, security breaches, and downtime. However, these risks can be mitigated with proper planning and execution.

2. The costs of migration. On prem to cloud migration can be costly. You will need to factor in the cost of new hardware, software, and services. You will also need take into account the cost of training your staff on how to use the new system.

3. The process of migration. In order to migrate to the cloud successfully, you will need to have a clear plan in place. You will need to choose the right tools and services.

With these things in mind, let's take a look at three methods for migrating from on prem to cloud without fully transitioning your operations.

Cloud migration strategies

Organizations looking to migrate to the cloud have a number of options available to them. Among different migration strategies there are five most popular cloud migration techniques: rehosting, replatforming, refactoring, repurchasing, and retiring.

1. Rehosting

This is the most common type of migration strategy. It involves moving an application or workload with little or no modification from the data center to an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud deployment. This is often the quickest and easiest way to perform application migration to the cloud. However, it can also be the most expensive option, as you will need to purchase new hardware and software.

2. Replatforming

This type of migration involves making some changes to an application or workload in order to optimize it for the cloud platform. This can include changes such as redesigning the architecture, rewriting code, or changing the database.

3. Refactoring (or Re-architecting)

This is a more extreme form of replatforming that involves significant changes to an application or workload. This type of migration is usually done when replatforming is not an option. It involves making significant changes to an application or workload in order to make it compatible with the cloud platform.

4. Repurchasing (or Replacing)

Replacing an on-premise application with a cloud-based solution is a repurchasing strategy that can be done when performing on prem to cloud migration. This process can be greatly aided if the vendor of the new SaaS product offers data migration capabilities and tools, which might not be the case when changing to a different software provider. An assessment of the expected migration effort should be conducted before beginning this type of project.

5. Retiring

Retiring an application or workload means ceasing to use it and decommissioning it. This is often done when an application has reached the end of its life cycle or is no longer needed. It can also be done as part of a cloud migration strategy in order to simplify the process.

Now that we've covered the five most popular cloud migration techniques, let's take a look at three steps you should take when doing on-premise to cloud migration.

Three steps to a successful on-premise to cloud migration

There are three main steps to successful cloud migrations:

1. Planning and Preparation

The first step to any successful migration is planning and preparation. You need to assess your current workloads and determine which ones can be migrated to the cloud. You also need to create a budget and timeline for the project. Insufficient pre migration analysis can cause numerous problems sown the road. EPAM has developed a tool called migVisor which can help in migration planning. 

2. Migration

Once you've planned and prepared for the migration, it's time to actually migrate your data and applications to the cloud storage. This is where working with a cloud migration service can be helpful. They can handle the heavy lifting for you and help ensure that everything is migrated correctly.

3. Post-migration

Once the migration is complete, it's important to monitor your workloads in the cloud and make sure everything is running smoothly. You may need to make some adjustments along the way, but post-migration monitoring will help ensure that your transition to the cloud is successful.

What are common cloud migration challenges?

Cloud migration can be complex, costly, and risky. There are a number of potential challenges that can arise during a cloud migration project. These include complexity, cost, security, compatibility, and downtime. By carefully planning your migration and choosing the right tools and services, you can help mitigate these risks. However, if you do not plan carefully or if you try to migrate too quickly, you may run into problems.

1. Complexity

On premise to cloud migration can be complex, especially if you have a large and diverse workload. You need to assess your workloads and determine which ones can be migrated easily and which ones will be more difficult.

2. Cost

Cloud migration process can be costly, especially if you have a lot of data and applications to migrate. You need to create a budget for the project and make sure that you have the resources available to complete it.

3. Security

When doing migration from on premise to cloud, one of the risks that businesses face is security. When you move your data off-premise, you are entrusting it to a third party. This means that you need to do your due diligence to ensure that your chosen cloud service provider has robust security measures in place to protect your data. One way to do this is to look for a cloud provider that is ISO 27001 certified. This certification means that the cloud service providers have been independently verified to have in place the controls required to maintain data integrity. Another way to help ensure the security of your data is to encrypt it before it is sent off-premise. This will help to protect your data in transit and at rest.

4. Compatibility

Not all applications and workloads are compatible with the cloud, which can make migration more difficult. There are several ways how to cope with risk of non-compatibility. The first is - to choose a cloud migration method that is compatible with your workloads. For example, you can use a "lift and shift" strategy for applications that are not compatible with the cloud. This involves moving existing on-premise applications and infrastructure to the cloud with minimal changes.

Another way to avoid compatibility issues is to use a "replatforming" strategy, which involves making some changes to an application or piece of infrastructure before moving it to the cloud. This can help make sure that your workloads are compatible with the cloud before they are migrated. Finally, you can use a "cloud-native" strategy, which involves designing applications specifically for you.

5.Downtime

One of the risks of cloud migration is downtime. It can occur when data or application migration to the cloud is being performed, which can disrupt business operations. To avoid this, businesses need to plan their migration carefully and choose the right tools and services to help minimize downtime.

One way to avoid the risk of downtime during cloud migration is to use a tool that allows you to replicate your on-premises data and applications in real-time so that you can quickly switch over if there is any downtime during the migration process. Another way to avoid downtime is to migrate your data and applications during off-peak hours. This will help minimize the impact on your business operations.

The importance of testing and monitoring in a cloud migration

Testing and quality assurance are critical in any migration, but they are especially important when moving from on premise to cloud. The cloud is a new and relatively untested platform, so it is important to thoroughly test your applications and data before and after you migrate them. This will ensure that everything works as expected and that there are no surprises when you go live.

Monitoring and optimizing your cloud infrastructure after migration is important for a number of reasons. First, it allows you to identify and resolve any issues that arise. Second, it helps you ensure that your infrastructure elements are running efficiently and cost-effectively. And third, it helps you ensure that your applications and data centres are available and accessible when you need them.

When cloud migration causes problems

Here is a list, of where on-premise to cloud migration could become a problem. Good news is that you can consider and avoid them at the beginning of the process.

• When you don't have a plan or strategy

• When you don't know what you're doing

• When you're not prepared for the risks

• When you're not compatible with the cloud

• When you don't have the right tools and services

• When you don't have enough budget for the project

• When you try to migrate too much at once

Which tools are used to migrate from on-premise to cloud?

When it comes to cloud migration, there are a number of tools and services that can help simplify the process. Here are a few of the most popular:

1. Cloud Migration Tools

These tools can help you move data and applications to the cloud. They can also help you replicate your on-premises data and applications in real-time so that you can quickly switch over if there is any downtime.

2. Cloud Backup Tools

These tools can help you backup your data and applications before you migrate them to the cloud. This way, you can restore them if anything goes wrong during the transfer.

3. Cloud Monitoring Tools

These tools can help you monitor your infrastructure elements so that you can quickly identify and resolve any issues that arise.

4. Cloud Security Tools

Cloud security tools can help you encrypt your data so that it is inaccessible to unauthorized users. They can also help you control access to your data center and applications so that only authorized users can access them.

Best cloud migration tools

There are a number of major cloud providers tools and services that can help simplify the process of on premises to cloud migration. These tools can help you transfer data and applications to the cloud, while cloud backup tools can help you backup your data and applications before you migrate them. Cloud monitoring tools can help you monitor your cloud environment so that you can quickly identify and resolve any issues that arise, and cloud security tools can help you protect your sensitive data.

1. MigVisor by EPAM - This tool helps simplify the process of migrating data and applications to the cloud. It provides an independent view and assessment of the source databases, helping to select the best target cloud technology and identify the right migration path. This ensures an objective analysis, making for a successful on-premise to cloud migration.

2. AWS Migration Hub - It is a cloud migration tool used during on prem to AWS migration. It helps you track the progress of your data and application migrations to the AWS cloud. It provides you with a central place to view the status of your migrations, so that you can quickly identify and resolve any issues that arise. Additionally, it allows you to share migration information with other members of your team so that everyone is on the same page.

3. AWS Server Migration Service(SMS). This is one more tool that helps with on premise to AWS migration. It is an agentless service that makes it easy to migrate thousands of on-premises servers to AWS. SMS allows you to automate, schedule, and track incremental replications of live server volumes, making it easier for you to move your existing applications to AWS.

4. Azure Database Migration Service. It is a cloud service that simplifies and automates the process of migrating databases to Azure. It provides a one-stop shop for all your database migration needs, whether you are migrating from SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, orPostgreSQL. The service is designed to handle all aspects of the migration process, from assessment and planning to data migration and post-migration monitoring. It also provides built-in intelligence to help optimize performance and minimize downtime.

5. Azure Site Recovery. This is a cloud migration tool that can help you replicate your on-premises data and applications in the cloud. It can also help you transfer data and applications to the cloud. Additionally, it can help you monitor your cloud environments so that you can quickly identify and resolve any issues that arise.

6. Google Cloud Platform Migrate for Compute Engine. This tool helps you migrate data and applications to the cloud. It can also help you replicate your on-premises data and applications in real-time so that you can quickly switch over if there is any downtime during the process. Additionally, it can help you backup your data and applications before you migrate them to the cloud. This way, you can restore them if anything goes wrong during the cloud migration process.

7. Rackspace Cloud Migration Services. This tool helps you transfer data and applications to the cloud. It is also used for monitoring the cloud environment which enables prompt reactions when necessary.

8. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Data Transfer Service. It is a cloud-based data migration tool that helps you move data between your on-premises environment and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

9. IBM Cloud Mass Data Migration Service. It is a cloud-based tool that helps organizations move large amounts of data to the IBM Cloud. Additionally, the service provides a number of security features, such as encryption and access control, to help you keep your data center safe and secure.

4 tips to make the cloud migration as smooth as possible

1. Define your goals and objectives. Before you begin migration from on premise to cloud, you need to know why you're doing it. What are your goals and objectives? What do you hope to achieve by moving to the cloud? Defining your goals will help you choose the right cloud migration strategy and plan your migration accordingly.

2. Assess your workloads. Not all workloads are created equal. Some are more complex than others and may require more effort to migrate. You need to assess your workloads and determine which ones can be migrated easily and which ones will be more difficult.

3. Choose the right cloud migration strategy. We have got acquainted with five proven strategies for on premise to cloud migration. You need to choose the right strategy for your workload.

4. Choose the right tools and services. Different cloud providers offer variety of tools and services to help you migrate to the cloud. Some of the most reputable ones include Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. You should do a thorough analysis to choose the cloud provider most suitable for your needs.

Conclusion

There are numerous benefits of cloud computing and moving from on premise to cloud, including cost savings, auto scaling, business agility and flexibility. However, there are some risks as well. It is important to have a plan in place to address these risks.

You should have a team in place that is responsible for monitoring the migration process and troubleshooting any issues that arise. This team should be able to quickly identify and resolve problems so that your migration run smoothly. In addition, you should have a backup plan in place in case anything goes wrong during the process of on premise to cloud migration. By taking these precautions, you can ensure that your cloud migration is successful.