Key Consideration for Successful AWS Cloud Migration

Introduction

A growing number of enterprises are moving their data and application to the cloud while modernizing their existing IT infrastructure to address and prepare for future needs. One would agree the decision for cloud movement is a big one. It involves substantial organizational change and investment. And, no company would enter into cloud migration lightly.

If you are also considering migration of your data and application from local data centers and servers to the cloud or planning to shift to another cloud platform, Amazon Web Services is one of the best options to consider. It would enable enterprises like yours to modernize their IT assets with the latest in cloud-managed services over a secure, scalable, and affordable infrastructure.

If you don’t know where and how to start, then this blog is for you!!! It will help you overcome the challenges of cloud migration but also help you in unlocking optimal business value quickly and efficiently.

Why AWS Cloud Migration?

AWS offers several templates and tools for workflow optimization that enable enterprises to improve their IT management capabilities by u tp 62% in comparison to the regular environment. Interestingly AWS enjoys a great share in the cloud market.

AWS Cloud Migration Benefits

Let’s have a look at the key benefits that can help your enterprise to build a solid business case to align with the global paradigm shift that’s already underway:-

• High Flexibility
• Ease of Use
• Scalability
• Optimum Performance
• Highly Secure Environment
• Reliability
• Operational Resilience
• Feasible Data Storage
• Reduced Cost

You need a well-planned and meticulously designed strategy that will align with your business needs and goals. Also, the strategy you adopt should not only empower your teams but also support your management methods. Sounds like a lot of work, isn’t it?

Teaming up with an AWS cloud migration consulting partner like CodeStore Technologies can help you extract maximum value from cloud infrastructure while minimizing risk, cost, and time.

AWS Cloud Migration Checklist

Your app migration readiness would define items and Priorities on the checklist. Based on our experience, moving smaller applications to AWS Cloud would usually take 1–2 months. Whereas it could take approx 6 months and longer to migrate the first medium or large application. It would include factors like the number of workloads moved daily, the chosen approach applicable compliance regulations, and the complexity of security.

Moving your existing business apps to the AWS cloud works across three stages:-

• Before the Migration
• During the Migration
• After the Migration

Let’s have a look at the three stages in detail:-

Before the Migration:-

During this stage, it is imperative to evaluate the financial readiness, detailed scope, and execution schedule. For this, one needs to define the following things:-

Auditing IT Infrastructure & Assigning Roles:-

• Short and Long-term goals to be achieved from the migration
• Resources for migrating data and apps
• Teams responsible for every resource
• The size of data centers, databases, and apps
• Timeliness for each stage
• Data backup tools
• App dependencies & integration

Creating Migration Teams:-

• Core team — to synchronize resources, build automation solutions, assess risks, and optimize backlogs.
• Migration team — to execute the move, automate low-complexity workflows and transfer apps.

Assessing Finacial & Technical Readiness:-

• Detailed analysis of the cost for migrating server, network, storage, and other relevant components in the targeted environment.
• App’s architecture & data to be transferred first.
• Possible security risks
• Critical assets to be kept off the cloud

Finding the Right Technology Partner:-

Relevant AWS migration case studies of successful transitions.

A proven framework to migrate risk, reduce cost & ensure data security.

Agile methodology is driven by an industry-leading AWS tech stack.

An experienced and proficient team to assist in hassle-free migration.

During the Migration:-

Here one would review the tools and methodologies required to gear up and simplify the migration.

AWS Migration Tool:-

Some of the most popular cloud data migration tools that one can leverage for a seamless transition includes:-

• AWS Application Discovery Service
• AWS Migration Acceleration Program
• AWS Management Portal for vCenter
• AWS Server Migration Service
• AWS Database Migration Service
• TSO Logic
• CloudEndure
• AWS Migration Hub

Cloud Storage Operations:-

Storage operations can be listed down based on:-

• Cost
• Accessibility
• Reliability
• Response-Time
• Consistency
• Update Frequency
• Cache-ability
• Size of the Transferrable Items

AWS Migration Strategy:-

One can leverage the below-listed and tested 7R frameworks to simplify and speed up your approach to migrate each of the applications in the portfolio:-

Rehost — For the business apps that can be moved without making any modifications.

Retire — For legacy apps and tech stacks that are no longer serving the purpose.

Relocate — Migrate vSphere-based application to AWS cloud with no app changes.

Retain — Imperative business apps that need major changes before the transition.

Recover — Permanent apps that one can substitute with SaaS solutions.

Replatform — Apps that need negligible optimization for improved efficiency.

Rearchitect — a big-ticket strategy for apps that need features enhancements with cloud-native functionality.

AWS Cloud Migration Steps:-

Forklift Migration

• A very popular strategy that deals with considering all the apps in one go and moving them to the cloud.
• Highly recommended for tightly coupled apps that are stateless and self-contained.
• This approach not only accelerates your infrastructure handling time but also helps in optimizing resource allocation.

Hybrid Migration:-

• Allows businesses to integrate office 365 with their existing directory services and on-premise exchange servers for efficient management of user accounts across environments.
• Best suited for businesses with several apps where some of them are kept intact, and others are moved to the cloud.
• This low-risk approach is time-consuming but if offers optimal results.

Review App Migration:-

Some widely used and very popular app migration options are mentioned below:-

Live Migration:- Moving a running application from its existing physical setup to the cloud platform, without any disruption.

App Containerization:- Adopting an OS-level virtualization approach to deploy distributed business applications.

Data Migration:- synchronizing business data stored in the machines with the cloud by considering the file format and storage type.

VM Conversion:- Converting virtual machine disk into a relevant format and transforming the business data using APIs.

After the Migration:-

The task is not yet complete, post the migration exercise, here are a few essential considerations:-

Leveraging the full potential of the cloud:-

If someone wants to reap the complete benefits of moving to the AWS cloud platform, it is essential to understand AWS enterprise support and services like Amazon Elastic MapReduce, Amazon CloudFront, and Auto-Scaling.

Tracking and Optimizing:-

Some cloud monitoring tools that one can use for a hassle-free experience include AWS CloudWatch Logs, APPDYNAMICS, and New Relic. Examining, Analyzing, and Tracking for more insights on load patterns for efficient management of the cloud environment.

Testing:-

Performing user acceptance testing to evaluate if the migration was successful. To avoid failures and save time and resources, one can consider working with an experienced AWS consulting partner who is well-versed with the best tools and techniques.

We at CodeStore Technologies are ready to help you derive optimal value faster from a cloud migration with the best and the most talented resources and industry-leading tech stacks. Our 360-degree AWS cloud consulting services are tailored to help you maximize efficiency and optimize workloads. From conducting a thorough tech assessment to road-mapping the cloud platform, we enable you to overcome complex business challenges with the most proven AWS implementation strategies.

How CodeStore Can Help You to Move to AWS and Maximize the Benefits?

Technology has become the biggest enabler for fast-growing, forward-thinking companies. And as a prominent technology partner for AWS migration services, we are always on top of adopting new toolsets, techniques, and tech stacks. Whether it is your database, mainframe systems, or legacy business applications, our team can get them onto the cloud platform rapidly and efficiently.

We can also assure peak app performance with immersive UIs, seamless third-party integrations, backend app connections, and APIs.

If you have any questions or requirements then feel free to get in touch with us at: Sales@codestoresolutions.com.