Rehosting and Other Cloud Migration Services
What is cloud migration and when will I need one?
A cloud migration is the process of moving data and resources from on infrastructure to another. There are multiple typed of migrations and it is a very common practice for companies of all sizes. Companies often perform cloud migration for a variety of reasons such as to scale digital assets, infrastructure costs, access and flexibility improved recovery etc.
What are the types of cloud migrations?
The types of cloud migrations are:
- Rehosting (lift and shift): Move applications with minimal changes
- Replatforming: Make small optimizations during the move
- Refactoring: Redesign apps to fully use cloud capabilities
- Repurchasing: Switch to a cloud-based product (like SaaS)
- Retiring: Remove outdated systems
- Retaining: Keep some systems on-premises
The most frequent of which is the first one, Rehosting. This is where you move applications and data without many changes. Often used when migrating from on-prem servers to platforms like Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure.
How long does Cloud Migrations take and how much downtime will I have?
Cloud migrations can take anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on the size and complexity of your environment, while downtime can range from virtually none to several hours. For small businesses moving simple systems—like email or file storage to platforms such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services—the process often takes one to four weeks, with downtime typically limited to a short window of minutes to an hour, often scheduled after business hours.
Post Migration check list for small businesses
Use these bullet points to check post-cloud migration status for your business:
- Verify all applications, data, and integrations are functioning correctly after migration to platforms like Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure
- Test real-world workflows with employees to confirm systems operate as expected in day-to-day use
- Audit and tighten security by reviewing user access, enabling MFA, and limiting admin privileges
- Ensure backup systems are active, automated, and tested for full data recovery
- Monitor system performance, uptime, and latency to catch issues early
- Review cloud billing to eliminate unused resources and optimize costs
- Properly decommission and securely wipe any legacy or on-premise systems
- Set up centralized monitoring, logging, and alerts for ongoing visibility and issue detection
- Train staff on new tools and document processes for access, support, and troubleshooting
- Establish an ongoing optimization plan with regular reviews to improve performance, security, and cost efficiency, especially if using platforms like Google Cloud Platform