Cloud migration has become a popular topic in recent years as more and more businesses are making the switch to cloud-based solutions. The cloud migration services market will touch the mark of USD 448.34 billion by 2026. Moreover, 90% of global enterprises will rely on hybrid cloud by 2022.
Moving mission-critical applications and their data over the cloud is not a small feat and requires careful planning. This is where a cloud migration checklist comes into play. If you also plan to migrate to the cloud, then this guide is for you. In this article, we will discuss what a cloud migration checklist is and what comes under it.
Why do you need a cloud migration checklist?
A cloud migration checklist is essentially a document that contains all the necessary steps and tasks that need to be completed during a cloud migration project. It acts as a roadmap and ensures that nothing is missed out or forgotten. This is especially important for complex projects with multiple stakeholders involved.
Creating a comprehensive cloud migration checklist can be challenging, as there are many factors to consider. To help you out, we have compiled a list of essential items that should be included in your checklist.
What should be included in your cloud migration checklist?
There are many factors to consider when migrating to the cloud and each business will have different requirements. However, there are some common elements that should be included in this process:
1. Pick the right team for migration:
You need the right team in place to carry out a successful cloud migration. This team should have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform the tasks involved. They should also be able to work together harmoniously to get the job done efficiently.
Your team should consist of members from different departments, such as IT, operations, and risk management. The right team will help you avoid any disruptions during the migration process. Moreover, when you have the right strategy and team in place, you can be confident that your cloud migration will be successful.
2. Set clear KPIs and goals:
Before you begin the migration process, you need to set clear goals and KPIs under your cloud migration checklist. This will help you measure the success of your migration project. Without clear goals, it will be difficult to know if your migration was successful or not. Some of the KPIs that you can track include:
- Downtime during the migration process: How long was your website or application down during the migration process?
- The number of applications to migrate: How many applications did you migrate to the cloud?
- Data loss during the migration: Did you lose any data during the migration process?
- Cost of the migration: How much did the migration project cost?
- Application performance after the migration: How well is your application performing after the migration?
Along with these generic goals, you need to create business-specific KPIs that are relevant to your company. For instance, if you are migrating a customer-facing application, then one of your goals could be to minimize customer downtime. Keeping this thing in mind while preparing the cloud migration checklist will help you a lot.
3. Perform app and data assessment:
Before you can migrate your applications and data to the cloud, you need to assess them first. This will help you determine which apps and data are suitable for migration and which ones need to stay on-premises. There are many factors to consider during this assessment, such as:
- Application dependencies: App dependencies are the components that an application requires to run. These can include databases, libraries, and frameworks. When assessing your applications, you need to determine if they have any dependencies and if so, whether those dependencies can be migrated to the cloud.
- Data size and type: The next step in your cloud migration checklist is to assess the size and type of data that needs to be migrated. Not all data is suitable for migration. For instance, if you have sensitive data, then you need to determine if it can be stored in the cloud. You also need to consider the size of the data. If it is too large, then it might not be possible to migrate it.
- Application performance: Another important factor to consider in cloud migration checklist is the performance of your applications. After all, you don’t want to migrate your applications to the cloud only to find out that they are not performing as well as they did on-premises.
- Assess the data risk levels: Once you have assessed the apps and data, you need to assess the risk levels of the data. This will help you determine which data needs to be migrated first and which can be left behind.
4. Check different migration options:
There are different ways to migrate to the cloud, and you need to determine which option is best for your company. The three most common migration options are:
- Rehosting ( lift and shift): Also known as shallow cloud integration, it is the simplest and quickest way to migrate to the cloud. With this method, you simply move your applications and data from on-premises to the cloud without making any changes to the code.
- Deep cloud migration: With this method, you make changes to your application code to optimize for the cloud. This includes refactoring your code and rewriting it so that it can run in a distributed environment.
- Cloud-native development: The third option is to develop your applications from scratch using cloud-native technologies. Your application will be designed to run in the cloud from the start.
5. Pick the right cloud deployment model:
Once you have decided on the migration option, you need to pick the right cloud deployment model. Choosing the right deployment model is essential for successful cloud migration and the three popular deployment models are:
Public cloud: With this option, you rent space from a public cloud provider, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. Public clouds are ideal for companies that want to avoid the high cost of building and maintaining their own data centers.
Private cloud: A private cloud is a cloud deployment model that is used only by one company. With this option, you can either build and maintain your own private cloud or rent space from a public cloud provider. Private clouds are ideal for companies that need to comply with data privacy regulations.
Hybrid cloud: A hybrid cloud is a mix of both public and private clouds and with this option, you can keep some applications and data on-premises and migrate others to the cloud. Hybrid clouds are ideal for companies that want the flexibility to choose which data and applications to migrate.
Once you decide on the right deployment model, it’s important to pick a professional cloud migration company that will help you with the process.
6. Perform the needful refactoring:
If you want your application to perform well in the cloud, then you need to refactor it. This includes making changes to the code so that it can run in a distributed environment. Refactoring is an important step in deep cloud migration. You need to create a dedicated execution strategy to make sure that your application can take advantage of the cloud’s elasticity and scalability.
Consider various factors and checkpoints in your cloud migration checklist to assess the success of your application in the cloud. These checkpoints will help you determine the need for further refactoring. Along with this, it’s important to monitor cloud processes so that you can identify any performance issues. You need to set up monitoring tools so that you can track the resources that your application is using. You also need to monitor your applications’ logs so that you can identify any errors.
7. Monitor and optimize performance:
Once your application is migrated to the cloud, it’s important to monitor and optimize performance. You need to set up monitoring tools so that you can track the resources that your application is using. You also need to monitor your applications’ logs so that you can identify any errors.
Wrapping up!
Migrating to the cloud is a huge decision and it’s important to consider all the factors before you make the move. You need to have the right strategy and plan in place so that you can migrate your applications and data smoothly. It’s a smart move to collaborate with a professional cloud migration company to get started.
FAQs
1. Why should businesses focus on a cloud migration checklist?
There are many benefits of migrating to the cloud, such as increased agility, scalability, and cost savings. A cloud migration checklist can help businesses plan and execute their migration in a more efficient and effective way.
2. Should a business hire a cloud development company for the migration?
Yes, it’s always a good idea to hire a professional cloud development company for any kind of cloud migration. They will have the experience and expertise to help you plan and execute your migration in the most efficient way possible.
3. What factors should be considered when choosing a cloud deployment model?
There are many factors to consider when choosing a cloud deployment model, such as the type of data and applications you want to migrate, your budget, and your business requirements.
4. What are the most common cloud deployment models?
The three most common cloud deployment models are public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud. each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks that you need to consider before one for your business.
5. How can I assess the success of my application in the cloud?
There are many factors to consider in your cloud migration checklist when assessing the success of your application in the cloud. These include performance, scalability, availability, and security. You need to set up monitoring tools to track the resources that your application is using.
