How can you prepare your environment for lift-and-shift cloud migration?

Lift-and-shift cloud migration involves moving your applications & data from an on-premises environment to the cloud with minimal modification or redesign the app: Assessment & Planning Choose a Cloud Provider Set Up Cloud Accounts Network Connectivity Security Considerations Data Migration Application Compatibility Resource Sizing Monitoring & Logging Backup & Disaster Recovery Training & Documentation Testing Execution & Monitoring Post-Migration Validation Optimization Remember, a lift-and-shift migration is just the first step. Consider additional cloud-native optimizations & improvements to fully leverage the benefits of the cloud in the long run.

When considering applications for cloud migration, it is crucial to begin with cloud readiness assessments to determine their suitability for cloud environments. Take advantage of cost estimators to carefully plan expenses and identify any potential hidden costs. It is important to prioritize applications based on their complexity, dependencies, and business value, giving precedence to those with a high ROI. The security and compliance of the applications must be carefully evaluated to ensure they meet all necessary data protection regulations. Categorizing the applications into groups based on their level of difficulty can be helpful in developing targeted strategies for each group, ultimately leading to a more efficient migration process.

Some companies may need in-house as well as shift to cloud based on regulatory requirements for their data and in this case, cloud providers support hybrid cloud models as well as private connections like Amazon AWS Outpost.

here is a quick list of things that you should also keep in mind: -evaluate specific service offerings -consider cost structures -assess global infrastructure or not -ecosystem (for example CloudKit for iOS apps)

Selecting the right cloud provider and service model is a crucial decision. It's important to carefully compare the features, prices, and support offered by top providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Choose the option that best aligns with your specific needs and is also cost-effective. Also, consider whether you require a high level of control over servers and resources, as this will help determine whether IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS is the best fit for your organization. With IaaS, you have complete control over your resources, while PaaS offers automated development environments with less control. SaaS, on the other hand, provides hassle-free access to applications without the need for managing infrastructure.

When choosing your cloud provider, assess your needs, compare AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud for features, pricing, and support. Consider the service model based on your desired level of control: IaaS for server control, PaaS for development automation, and SaaS for application functionality with no control. Opt for the provider and model aligning best with your goals and cost-effectiveness.

Always keep in mind that when migrating, there is also a chance of failure. Be prepared for the outcomes if this happens. If everything goes as planned, fine. But what if it doesn't?

In my opinion, clearly defining the scope, objectives, and success criteria will help guide the process. It is imperative to assign specific roles to team members to ensure a clear understanding of responsibilities. Depending on the specific needs. Be sure to incorporate testing, validation, and cutover phases in your plan to ensure a seamless transition. Accurately estimating time and costs and coordinating migration activities with operational schedules will result in a well-planned and efficient migration, minimizing any potential impact business operations. Prioritizing careful planning will ultimately lead to a smooth and streamlined migration, balancing efficiency with minimal disruption to your business.

I have just completed this activity for a large project that needed to move from locally hosted servers to cloud servers. This involved migrating to a new operating systems across the web servers and migrating to a new database server A few things we did - Assess network connectivity / latency between the existing and new servers. If the new servers are slower, then adjust as needed - Match your test or dev servers first by CPU and memory - Deploy the application(s). Test. Open firewall ports as necessary. Document or script everything you do to successfully deploy and configure. - Repeat across test servers. Perform testing - Stand up production servers before actual deployment and validation by users. Test before users validate

In my experience, key steps include: 1. Provisioning Cloud Servers: Choose the right size and type based on application load and performance requirements. 2. Configuring Network: Set up secure and efficient networking, considering bandwidth, latency, and access controls. 3. Storage Setup: Allocate storage that matches your data volume and access patterns, focusing on performance and cost. 4. Implementing Cloud Services: Utilize monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery services to enhance functionality and reliability. 5. Ensuring Compatibility and Compliance: Verify that cloud infrastructure aligns with application requirements and adheres to industry standards and regional regulations.

In my opinion, moving applications and data to the cloud is a meticulous process that requires transferring them from traditional servers to cloud infrastructure. It is crucial to follow your predetermined migration plan and utilize the appropriate tools and methods. Consider breaking the migration down into batches or phases, with a focus on prioritizing applications based on their complexity and importance. As the migration progresses, diligently monitor for any complications and resolve them promptly. Once the migration is complete, it is essential to thoroughly test and validate each application's functionality and performance within the cloud environment.

Avoid platform lock-in's, as much as possible. Keep Services modular and independent, as much as possible. Follow domain-driver design, as much as possible.

The Strangle Fig Pattern works really well. We can Incrementally migrate a legacy system by gradually replacing specific functionality with new applications and services.