Cloud

by Team Azilen

February 24, 2025

Cloud Migration Roadmap: A Step-by-Step Technical Guide

TL;DR:

A cloud migration roadmap is a step-by-step plan that helps businesses move their applications, data, and workloads to the cloud with minimal risk and maximum efficiency. It includes key migration strategies, like rehost, refactor, and rebuild, along with cloud architecture design, data transfer methods, security checks, cost optimization, and post-migration governance. Whether you’re using AWS, Azure, or GCP, having a clear migration strategy ensures better performance, lower costs, and long-term scalability for your business.

Step #1: Choosing the Right Cloud Migration Strategy

Not all migrations are the same. Your applications, workloads, and business goals determine the right strategy.

1. Rehost (Lift-and-Shift)

A quick move where applications are copied to the cloud without code changes.

Best for: Legacy systems, urgent migrations.

Downside: No cloud-native optimizations, can be costly over time.

2. Replatform (Lift-Tinker-and-Shift)

Applications move to the cloud with minor modifications to improve performance or cost-efficiency.

Best for: Databases, middleware, and workloads needing better scalability.

Downside: Still not fully cloud-native.

3. Refactor (Re-Architect)

A complete redesign of applications to leverage cloud-native services (containers, microservices, serverless).

Best for: Businesses looking for long-term efficiency and agility.

Downside: Requires development effort and initial investment.

4. Rebuild (Recreate from Scratch)

Instead of migrating, the application is rebuilt entirely using cloud-native technologies.

Best for: Outdated applications that are expensive to maintain or scale.

Downside: High development time and cost but offers maximum future scalability and flexibility.

5. Retire & Retain

Retire: Remove applications that no longer add value.

Retain: Keep critical on-prem workloads that are not cloud-ready.

Each approach has trade-offs. Mixing strategies based on business priorities is often the best move.

Step #2: Technical Assessment & Planning

Before migration, you need a solid plan. Skipping this step leads to downtime, security risks, and runaway costs.

Infrastructure Audit

❓ What do you currently run? (Servers, databases, applications)

❓ Which workloads need high availability?

❓ Which systems are tightly coupled and need to move together?

Application Dependency Mapping

➡️ Identify connections between applications, databases, and third-party services.

➡️ Prevent surprises like “We moved X, but Y broke.”

Data Migration Strategy

➡️ Cold data (archives, backups): Move first with minimal risk.

➡️ Live databases: Choose between batch migration, real-time sync, or hybrid migration.

➡️ Tools: AWS DMS, Azure Migrate, GCP Transfer Service.

Cloud Data Migration

Security & Compliance Readiness

➡️ Access Controls: Define IAM roles, limit permissions.

➡️ Encryption: Encrypt data in transit and at rest.

➡️ Compliance Checks: Align with GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, or industry-specific regulations.

Selecting the Right Cloud Model

➡️ Public Cloud: (AWS, Azure, GCP) Best for most workloads.

➡️ Private Cloud: More control, but requires management overhead.

➡️ Hybrid & Multi-Cloud: Redundancy and flexibility, but added complexity.

Step #3: Cloud Architecture Design

Your cloud architecture must support current needs and future growth. Key considerations:

Compute Options

✅ Virtual Machines (VMs): Simple, but not the most efficient.

✅ Containers (Docker, Kubernetes): Portable, scalable, and cost-effective.

✅ Serverless (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions): No infrastructure management, pay-per-use.

Storage & Databases

✅ Object Storage: (AWS S3, Azure Blob) For backups, logs, and large media files.

✅ Block Storage: (EBS, Azure Disks) For high-performance databases.

✅ Managed Databases: (RDS, Cosmos DB, BigQuery) Reduce administrative overhead.

Networking & Connectivity

✅ VPN vs. Direct Connect: Secure access to cloud resources.

✅ Load Balancers: Distribute traffic efficiently.

✅ Cloud CDN: Reduce latency for global users.

Security Measures

✅ Zero Trust Architecture: Every access request is verified.

✅ DDoS Protection: Cloud-native firewalls and threat monitoring.

✅ Regular Patching & Updates: Automate where possible.

Cloud Infrastructure Migration

Step #4: Execute the Migration

Pilot Testing

➡️ Start small: Migrate a low-risk application first.

➡️ Measure performance: Compare pre- and post-migration benchmarks.

Data Migration Execution

➡️ Use automation tools: AWS DMS, Azure Migrate, Velostrata.

➡️ Minimize downtime: Use real-time replication or scheduled cutovers.

Application Refactoring & Optimization

➡️ Break monoliths into microservices where possible.

➡️ Use auto-scaling and cost monitoring from Day 1.

Performance & Load Testing

➡️ Simulate high traffic and validate application behavior.

Rollback & Contingency Planning

➡️ Backup everything before migration.

➡️ Have a rollback plan if things do not go as expected.

Step #5: Post-Migration Optimization & Governance

Once live, the real work begins. Cloud optimization is an ongoing process.

Monitoring & Observability

✅ Use APM tools: Datadog, New Relic, Prometheus for real-time insights.

✅ Log Management: Centralized logging for faster debugging.

Security & Compliance Checks

✅ Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM): Automated compliance monitoring.

✅ IAM Audits: Regularly review access permissions.

Cost Optimization & Performance Tuning

✅ Rightsize resources: Identify unused or oversized instances.

✅ Use Reserved & Spot Instances: Cut costs without performance trade-offs.

✅ Leverage FinOps practices: Track and optimize cloud spend.

Continuous Improvement

✅ Train teams in cloud-native development.

✅ Adopt DevOps & CI/CD pipelines.

✅ Keep refining based on usage patterns.

Cloud Monitoring Services

Future-Proofing Your Cloud Migration Strategy

Cloud adoption is not a one-and-done project. Stay ahead by:

1️⃣ Exploring AI & ML in cloud automation.

2️⃣ Considering edge computing for latency-sensitive applications.

3️⃣ Keeping security and compliance at the core of cloud operations.

Final Thoughts

A well-planned cloud migration roadmap saves time, money, and effort.

Whether you are moving for cost savings, performance, or security, the key is planning, execution, and continuous optimization.

Uncertain About Your Cloud Migration Roadmap?

Let's build a strategy that fits your needs.

Explore Cloud Migration Services

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2. Cloud Optimization Strategies

3. Cloud Migration Checklist

4. Cloud Cost Optimization Using GenAI

5. Edge Computing vs. Cloud Computing

6. Top Cloud Migration Companies

Top FAQs on Cloud Migration Roadmap

1. What is a cloud migration roadmap?

A cloud migration roadmap is a step-by-step plan that outlines how your business will move its applications, data, and systems to the cloud. It includes strategy, assessment, execution, and post-migration optimization.

2. Which cloud migration strategy is best?

The best strategy depends on your goals.

→ Use Rehost for fast, low-effort migration.

→ Go with Replatform or Refactor for performance gains.

→ Choose Rebuild if your legacy app needs a fresh start.

Often, a mix of strategies works best.

3. How long does cloud migration take?

Cloud migration timelines vary by scope.

→ Small apps can take a few weeks.

→ Complex enterprise systems may take several months.

A proper assessment helps estimate the timeline accurately.

4. How do you minimize downtime during cloud migration?

To reduce downtime:

→ Start with pilot testing

→ Use real-time replication or hybrid migration

→ Schedule cutovers during low-traffic hours

→ Always have a rollback plan

5. What is the cost of cloud migration?

Costs vary based on complexity, team size, and cloud provider.

Typical cost components include:

→ Migration tools

→ Development effort

→ Cloud resource usage during testing

→ Training and support

Glossary

1️⃣ Cloud Migration: The process of moving digital workloads—such as applications, databases, and IT resources, from on-premise systems to cloud infrastructure like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

2️⃣ Lift-and-Shift: A cloud migration approach where applications are moved to the cloud without any code changes, allowing faster deployment but limited optimization for cloud-native features.

3️⃣ Cloud-Native Architecture: A design approach that uses modern cloud services like containers, serverless computing, and microservices to build scalable, flexible, and resilient applications.

4️⃣ Application Refactoring: The process of restructuring and optimizing application code to run more efficiently on cloud-native platforms, often improving performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency.

5️⃣ Serverless Computing: A cloud computing model where developers deploy code without managing underlying servers, using services like AWS Lambda or Azure Functions that auto-scale and charge based on actual usage.