Every business needs to store data and analyze the stored data to gain insights. With the gigabytes turning into terabytes, which then turn into petabytes, the traditional on-premise servers are unable to keep up. Cloud storage is the perfect solution to this issue. Over the years, Amazon Web Services or AWS has emerged as the industry leader among cloud service platforms. AWS cloud migration is an excellent way for companies to get on-board the AWS platform and reap its many benefits.    

Read on to find out the what, why, and how of AWS cloud migration. 

Table of Contents:

What is AWS Cloud Migration?

Cloud computing is perhaps the most revolutionary solution of the 21st century. It enables businesses to gain access to the storage capacity and computing power that they need. What do you do when your existing servers on-premise are not able to keep up with your growing storage and computing power needs? You embrace new technology and move to the cloud. 

The process of shifting all your data and processes from your servers to the AWS cloud is known as AWS cloud migration. The migration involves shifting every business process that currently resides in your server to the cloud. As you can imagine, it is a crucial process with no room for error, which is why it is even more pertinent that you choose the best company to handle your AWS cloud migration.

Why Do Enterprises Need Cloud Migration?

Every enterprise benefits greatly by migrating to the cloud. Here are the reasons why enterprises need cloud migration –

  • Scalability

Your storage and computing needs can change based on a variety of factors that may be out of your control. To keep up with these changes, you need a scalable cloud service. By migrating to the cloud, you have the flexibility of only paying for the storage space and computing power that you really need. You can buy more when you need more and opt for a lower option when the demand changes. 

  • Cost-Effective

Computing power and storage space are valuable resources. With AWS, you only pay for the resources that you need at the moment. By doing so, you ensure that you are not overpaying. It is the most cost-effective solution in the market. 

Related Read: 6 Best Practices for Cloud Cost Optimization

  • Compatibility

AWS cloud services are compatible with almost every system that is currently operational. By choosing AWS cloud migration, you can be sure that your existing systems will continue to function just as they are now. You will not need to develop a new strategy to deal with the new storage solution. 

  • Security

There is no denying the fact that data security should be the foremost concern of every enterprise. With AWS cloud migration, you can rest assured knowing that your data is as safe as it can be. AWS employs multiple levels of encryption that protect the data from cyberthreats. 

In addition to this, cloud storage also makes it easier to recover your data and operations in case of a disaster such as fire or flood at the office that destroys the hardware. Cloud-based recovery is much simpler and safer compared to traditional alternatives.  

Related Read: Top 8 Cloud Security Best Practices

  • Increased Productivity

One of the major benefits of AWS cloud migration is that your employees can now access their work from anywhere. In the current scenario, where work from home is increasingly becoming the norm, this feature is very crucial. 

By enabling your employees to access their work from anywhere as long as it is from an authorized device, you remove the geographic barriers. You can even hire the best of talent from another part of the world, and they can work with the same level of ease as your employees who are in the office. Moving all your existing data and processes to the cloud is a complex process that requires thorough planning. Here are the steps involved in AWS cloud migration –

How to Enable AWS Cloud Migration?

1. Planning

The first step is, of course, planning. You need to perform a complete evaluation of all your business applications and processes. You must try to understand how AWS cloud migration will impact various processes and applications. 

Are there any applications that cannot be migrated to the cloud? Are there applications that require some modifications before the migration? Try to answer all these questions in the first step. 

AWS cloud migration inevitably involves some downtime. You should figure out how to handle this downtime. 

You should also understand the interdependencies between applications, servers, and data and how the AWS cloud migration will impact these.

Also Read: Top 5 Cloud Management Challenges And Tips to Overcome Them

2. Decide the Migration Approach

There are various ways to perform the AWS cloud migration, and these are – rehost, replatform, repurchase, refactor, retire, and retain. Each of these ways have their own set of pros and cons. Evaluate your needs and try to understand which of these approaches works best for you.   

3. Design

Here, you must design your cloud architecture. You can opt for a public cloud, private cloud, or a hybrid one. You will need to modify your applications slightly so that they can run at their optimum level on the cloud. 

You must also work out a plan in case the migration doesn’t go as planned, and you have to rollback.  

4. Migration

The actual migration takes place in this step. You will need a migration tool to perform the AWS cloud migration. Ensure that all your sensitive information is secured well during the migration. You must secure the data at your end as well as at the destination.  

5. Validation

Once the migration is complete, you need to check everything to ensure that all your applications are working as intended, and all your data is secure. Validation involves testing all your services and applications on the cloud. 

You must check the key performance indicators for the applications and services on the cloud. It would be wise to employ automated testing for this step.   

6. Operation and Optimization

For client-based enterprises, shifting the applications to the cloud must be followed by shifting the clients to the cloud. You can either do this in one go or in a phased manner by shifting a limited number of users, testing if everything works and then shifting the next set. 

The final step is to ensure that all your applications and services are optimized for the cloud. With this, your AWS cloud migration is complete.

Also Read: 5 Reasons You Need a Cloud Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan  

In Conclusion

AWS cloud migration is a phase that every business must go through at some point or the other. The legacy servers are no longer enough to meet the growing demands of the present world, and cloud computing is the only way to keep up with the times. 

Precise and detailed planning, meticulous execution, and careful validation of all the applications and services will ensure that you reap all the benefits of AWS cloud migration.