We are right in the middle of a huge focus in the business world on cloud migration. In fact, in 2020, cloud migration was the number one top modernization project. More than half of business leaders were working on or planning to work on cloud migration projects!

Of course, it can feel daunting to learn all about the world of cloud migration. There are so many different kinds of cloud migration. So how can you know which kind is the best for your business?

Read on to learn all about the different types of cloud migration and what they might be able to do for you!

1. Rehosting

There are basically 6 options for Amazon types of cloud migration. To explain various types of migration, people often refer to the 6 R’s. The first type of cloud migration strategy is called rehosting. Rehosting is one of the most important types of cloud migration services. First of all, it is the simplest approach to cloud migration.

The basic idea behind this strategy is that you take your applications and other systems from their current hosts and simply move them on to public cloud hosts. This does not require you to update the systems in any way.

Of course, just because updates and changes aren’t needed does not mean that they aren’t helpful. If you simply move your current applications and other systems to the cloud, they may not be able to make the most of everything that the cloud has to offer.

For example, you might not be able to use cloud monitoring systems or automated data recovery. There are even self-healing environments that the cloud can provide. However, these benefits are only available if you update your applications somewhat while putting them on the cloud.

On the other hand, if you just want to be on the cloud, you can get there very quickly. This strategy is a great way to make your initial migration. Once you are already on the cloud, maybe then you can focus on updating things to make the most of the cloud. This is also a great strategy if you are making an emergency migration.

2. Replatforming

The other types of cloud migrations will generally involve some kind of adjustment. Whatever you move on to the cloud, you will also change to take better advantage of the cloud.

Replatforming is a strategy that involves optimizing your systems for cloud use. This will allow you to use the various tools that the cloud provides.

Sometimes, making your changes in advance is more efficient. Doing your cloud migration today and then hoping to change things once they are on the cloud can take a lot of extra work.

Of course, updating your applications and systems can be tricky business. It is important that you make the right changes that let you use cloud services without messing up your functionality. This is a middle-of-the-road strategy. It is more complicated than simple rehosting, but not as transformative as other approaches.

3. Repurchasing

In some ways, repurchasing might not seem like a proper cloud migration strategy at all. This is because you do not actually take what you have off where it is and put it on the cloud itself.

Instead, repurchasing is a strategy where you simply abandon what you have now. Then you buy a version of it that is already built to fit with the cloud. Of course, you may need to transfer some of the data from your system onto the new cloud-based system.

This approach can be fast and effective. Of course, it may not be as cost-effective as other strategies. At the same time, there are some amazing new applications built to work with the cloud.

4. Refactoring

Refactoring is sometimes also called re-architecting. As the name suggests, this strategy requires rebuilding your whole system.

Of course, this can take a lot of work. In fact, even once the transition time is done, your new system might take more time to maintain properly. On the other hand, once you are done, you will have something built specifically for the cloud.

5. Retaining

The retaining strategy leads to a hybrid model. Part of your system will be on the cloud and part of it will not. Depending on your system, this might be the ideal choice.

If certain parts of your system have to be dramatically remade before they can go on the cloud, maybe you can just leave them off the cloud. The parts of your system that more easily fit on the cloud can be transferred without extensive rebuilding.

This can also be a good choice if you are trying to balance the speed of implementation and integration with the cloud.

6. Retiring

On the other hand, if something doesn’t fit on the cloud, you could always simply get rid of it. This is the idea behind the retiring strategy.

Many parts of your software architecture might be unnecessary. You can simply cut them out. Then you can move what is left to the cloud. Once it is there, you will be able to enjoy all the added functionality that the cloud provides.

Know All About the Different Types of Cloud Migration

We hope that you were able to take away something helpful from this brief article on a few of the most important different types of cloud migration. The more you know about this industry, the better prepared you will be to make choices that will enhance the functionality of your systems.

To learn more about the benefits of cloud migration and where you can find an excellent provider, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!