- Cloud computing offers multiple deployment models to meet different needs, including public, private, hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
- Cloud migration reduces the need for physical data centres, lowering hardware and operational costs.
- Migrating to the cloud shifts the burden of routine IT maintenance to cloud providers, freeing skilled staff to focus on innovation and supporting new business opportunities.
Cloud migration refers to the process of moving applications, data and other components from an organisation’s on-premises infrastructure to a cloud provider’s environment. This strategic move allows organisations to take advantage of advanced cloud technologies, including improved scalability, security and cost efficiency.
Cloud migration frees IT staff from routine maintenance tasks, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth. With careful planning and execution, cloud migration can minimise operational disruption and take advantage of cloud-specific benefits such as automated updates, security patches and the continuous rollout of new features.
What is cloud migration
Cloud migration is the process of moving applications and their supporting technologies from an organisation’s on-premises data centre to a cloud provider’s data centre. This can mean moving an on-premises application, along with supporting databases and development platforms, to the cloud provider’s servers, storage and network infrastructure.
Cloud migrations move workloads from an organisation’s own data centres to a cloud provider’s data centre, where tasks such as backups, security patches and new feature releases are usually a regular part of the service. Using cloud services is usually less expensive than running a data centre because you only pay for what you use.
As migrations have become more common, companies have discovered another benefit: migrating frees skilled staff from the mundane task of “keeping the lights on” in the data centre and allows them to focus on supporting new business opportunities.
The term “migration” is used because moving these workloads can be a significant undertaking that requires detailed planning and skilful execution. Such planning is essential to keep operations running while an organisation migrates to cloud-based systems.
Also read: What is hybrid cloud migration?
How does cloud migration work
Cloud migration is the process of moving data, services and applications to a cloud provider’s data centre. It typically involves a detailed plan for backing up data, understanding network connections and ensuring data security during the migration process.
It also involves working with the cloud provider to understand what application changes, if any, are required for the application to work in the new cloud environment. Migration requires mapping an architecture that fits the cloud provider’s infrastructure, including the cloud provider’s methods for maintaining data privacy and security, such as its authentication methods to protect against cyber-attacks.
To ensure a successful cloud migration, organisations often engage experienced cloud architects and engineers who are familiar with the cloud provider’s platform to ensure consistent backup, data portability and application compatibility between the cloud and the on-premises data centre the organisation is leaving.
Besides, these specialists can also explain how cloud-based hardware and software can speed up data processing. Done properly, and with the help of industry experts where necessary, migrating data and applications to the cloud can be done with minimal disruption.
Also read: Why do many organisations use a hybrid and multi-cloud strategy?
Migration deployment models
One of the main reasons why cloud migration is becoming more common is that cloud computing offerings have become more diverse and sophisticated. The largest cloud providers now offer a wide range of options that go well beyond public cloud services, including the following four deployment models:
- The public cloud is the traditional model. Organisations pay for space on servers in the cloud provider’s data centre, either on a pay-per-use or subscription basis. The servers are shared by the cloud provider’s customers.
- In a private cloud, an entire server or racks of servers in the cloud data centre are dedicated to an organisation. Depending on the customer’s needs, some cloud providers may house the dedicated hardware in the organisation’s own data centre, while retaining responsibility for managing it.
- Hybrid cloud means that an organisation moves some data and applications to a cloud provider’s data centre and keeps some in its own data centre, creating a shared ‘hybrid’ architecture that supports the applications. An organisation may choose this model because of corporate policy or data residency requirements.
- Multi-cloud is the process of migrating applications and data to different cloud providers. This allows an organisation to run workloads with the cloud provider that specialises in that type of service. For example, an organisation might run its application server in one cloud and its database operations in another.
