In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the migration to cloud computing is not just an option; it’s a necessity for businesses seeking agility and growth. However, this transition is fraught with complexities.

A recent study by Gartner reveals that through 2025, over 60% of organizations will encounter operational and integration issues with their cloud migrations.

“Cloud computing is a fact of modern life. And every business needs to develop a strategic plan for which assets should live in the cloud, and how those assets will be migrated, accessed, and managed. Simply put, an effective cloud migration strategy is vital for competitive advantage in the 21st century” ~George Terrone, Co-Founder of ITSco

In this blog, we will deconstruct the most common strategies, helping you to make an informed decision that is tailored to your business needs

Understanding Your Cloud Migration Strategy

Developing a cloud migration strategy is akin to planning a major journey. It’s not just about the destination (the cloud) but also about choosing the best vehicle and route (migration strategy) to get there.

As you consider migrating, think about how it aligns with your business objectives. Are you aiming for cost savings, agility, scalability, or a combination of these? Your goals will largely influence the strategy you choose.

Strategy 1: Rehosting – Quick and Cost-Effective

The first strategy, rehosting, often referred to as “lift and shift,” involves moving applications to the cloud without any major modifications. This strategy is used mostly to migrate large-scale applications to satisfy specific business goals, such as launching a product in an accelerated timeline or leaving an on-premises data center. This approach is particularly appealing for businesses looking for a quick and cost-effective migration.

According to a report by Forrester, companies that opt for rehosting can reduce their operational costs by up to 30%. However, it’s not without limitations – as rehosting might not fully leverage the cloud’s native capabilities.

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Rehosting Breakdown:

• Minimal Disruption: Ideal for businesses requiring minimal operational disruption during migration.
• Rapid Migration: Faster migration time compared to other strategies.
• Scalability: Easier to scale up or down based on demand, although scalability might be limited compared to native cloud architectures.
• Security Considerations: Existing security protocols are often transferable, but may not be optimized for cloud environments.
• Compatibility: Best suited for applications where the current architecture is already well-suited for the cloud.
• Cost-Benefit Analysis: Immediate cost savings, but potentially higher long-term costs due to less efficient cloud resource use.

Strategy 2: Refactoring/Rearchitecting – For the Future-Ready

Refactoring and rearchitecting, involves modernizing/modifying your applications to better suit the cloud environment, thereby taking full advantage of cloud-native features like scalability and flexibility. Applications aren’t simply shifted to the cloud, but significantly altered to meet cloud-native technical standards.These strategies are more complex and resource-intensive than rehosting but offer long-term benefits.

• Refactoring: Restructure and optimize the application code to meet modern standards without changing its essential behavior.
• Rearchitecting: Creating a new application architecture that can offer better performance as well as new and/or improved functionality.

A survey by IDC highlights that businesses adopting refactoring report a 50% increase in application performance. This approach is ideal if you’re looking to future-proof your applications and make them more adaptable to changing business needs.

Refactoring/Rearchitecting Breakdown:

• Optimized Performance: Enhanced performance by leveraging cloud-native features.
• Long-term Cost Efficiency: Potential for significant long-term cost savings through optimized cloud resource usage.
• Improved Scalability and Flexibility: Better ability to adapt to changing market demands and technology trends.
• Enhanced Security: Opportunity to integrate advanced cloud-specific security measures.
• Innovation Enablement: Facilitates the adoption of newer technologies like microservices and serverless computing.
• Resource Intensive: Requires more resources upfront in terms of time, expertise, and investment.

Discover even more useful articles:Cloud Migration ChallengesCloud Disaster Recovery

Strategy 3: Replatforming – The Middle Ground

Replatforming strikes a balance between rehosting and refactoring. It involves modifying legacy systems to work optimally in the cloud without rewriting its core architecture.

This strategy can provide a middle ground for those looking for some cloud enhancements without the resource intensity of a full refactor. According to a study by CloudEndure, replatforming can lead to a 25% improvement in operational efficiency.

Replatforming Breakdown:

• Balanced Approach: Combines the quick migration of rehosting with some benefits of refactoring.
• Moderate Cost and Time Investment: More investment than rehosting but less than refactoring.
• Improved Cloud Utilization: Better utilization of cloud features than rehosting, without the complexity of full refactoring.
• Limited Modifications: Adjustments are made only where they provide significant benefits.
• Flexibility in Adoption: Suitable for businesses that are not ready for a full refactor but want more than a basic lift and shift.
• Risk Management: Lower risk of operational disruptions compared to full refactoring.

Comparative Analysis of Cloud Migration Strategies

Each strategy has its merits and challenges, and the right choice depends on your specific needs and constraints.

While rehosting is quick and cost-effective, it might not leverage all cloud benefits. Refactoring is resource-intensive but future-proofs your applications. Replatforming offers a balance, with some cloud benefits without the intensity of a full refactor.

Cloud Migration Strategy Comparison

Strategy	Speed	Cost	Cloud Utilization	Ideal For
Rehosting	Fast	Low	Basic	Quick, cost-effective migration
Refactoring	Slow	High	High	Future-proofing applications
Replatforming	Medium	Medium	Moderate	Balance of benefits and effort

Choose Your Cloud Migration Strategy with ITSco as Your IT Partner

Selecting the most appropriate cloud migration strategy is a critical decision that requires careful consideration. At ITSco, we specialize in helping businesses navigate this crucial transition.