Cloud Migration

Cloud Migration

Application Migration Checklist

1. Assess Current Environment
   • Evaluate existing infrastructure, dependencies, and application performance to identify potential challenges and compatibility issues before migration.
2. Define Migration Strategy
   • Choose an appropriate migration strategy (e.g., lift-and-shift, refactor, replatform) based on the application requirements and business goals.
3. Backup Data
   • Ensure all critical data is backed up securely to avoid any loss during the migration process and to facilitate recovery if necessary.
4. Plan Downtime
   • Schedule and communicate planned downtime to stakeholders, ensuring minimal disruption to users and business operations during the migration.
5. Test Migration Process
   • Conduct thorough testing in a staging environment to validate that the migration process works as intended and that the application functions correctly post-migration.
6. Monitor Post-Migration
   • After migration, monitor the application for performance, stability, and any issues to ensure it operates smoothly in the new environment.

Database Migration Checklist

1. Evaluate Current Database
   • Assess the current database structure, data types, and dependencies to identify potential challenges and ensure compatibility with the target environment.
2. Select Migration Method
   • Choose the appropriate migration method (e.g., replication, ETL, backup-restore) based on data volume, complexity, and downtime tolerance.
3. Backup Existing Data
   • Perform a complete backup of the current database to safeguard against data loss during the migration and enable a quick rollback if needed.
4. Plan and Communicate Downtime
   • Schedule downtime for the migration, inform stakeholders, and ensure minimal disruption to operations during the migration process.
5. Run Migration Tests
   • Conduct a dry run or test migration in a non-production environment to validate the process, ensuring data integrity and application functionality post-migration.
6. Monitor and Optimize
   • After migration, closely monitor the database performance, check for any anomalies, and optimize queries or configurations as needed for the new environment.

Migrations Needed After Company Acquisition

1. Application Migration
   • Consolidate and integrate applications from both companies, ensuring compatibility and standardization across the merged organization.
2. M365 Migration
   • Migrate Microsoft 365 services (e.g., email, SharePoint, Teams) to a unified tenant to streamline communication and collaboration.
3. Database Migration
   • Merge, migrate, or consolidate databases, ensuring data integrity, consistency, and accessibility across the combined entity.
4. Network Integration
   • Integrate and standardize network infrastructure, including VPNs, firewalls, and security protocols, to ensure secure and seamless connectivity.
5. Identity and Access Management (IAM) Integration
   • Unify IAM systems to manage user identities, roles, and access permissions consistently across both organizations.
6. Process Redefining
   • Align and redefine business processes, workflows, and policies to reflect the combined operations and achieve operational efficiency.
7. Data Migration and Consolidation
   • Transfer, cleanse, and merge data from various sources, ensuring a single source of truth and consistent data governance across the organization.
8. ERP/CRM System Migration
   • Consolidate or migrate ERP and CRM systems to maintain a unified view of financials, customer relationships, and supply chain operations.
9. Security Policy Alignment
   • Harmonize cybersecurity policies and practices to protect against threats while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.
10. IT Service Integration
    • Integrate IT service management tools and practices to ensure seamless IT support and incident management across the new organization.

M365 Migration Checklist

1. Assess Current Environment
   • Evaluate the existing Microsoft 365 (M365) environment, including the number of users, mailboxes, applications, and data.
   • Identify potential challenges such as legacy systems, custom configurations, and compliance requirements.
2. Define Migration Strategy
   • Choose a migration strategy based on the organization’s needs, such as staged migration, cutover migration, or hybrid migration.
   • Determine whether a third-party tool is needed and create a detailed migration plan, including timelines and resource allocation.
3. Prepare the Target Environment
   • Set up and configure the target M365 environment, ensuring that it meets the organization’s requirements.
   • This includes setting up user accounts, permissions, security policies, and configuring services like Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Teams.
4. Backup Existing Data
   • Ensure that all critical data, including emails, documents, and settings, are backed up before starting the migration.
   • This safeguards against data loss during the process and enables recovery if necessary.
5. User Communication and Training
   • Communicate the migration plan, timelines, and impact to all users.
   • Provide necessary training and resources to help users transition smoothly to the new environment.
6. Perform Pilot Migration
   • Conduct a pilot migration with a small group of users or a specific department to test the process.
   • Validate that data, configurations, and user access are correctly migrated. Identify and address any issues before full-scale migration.
7. Execute Full Migration
   • Proceed with the migration of all users, mailboxes, applications, and data.
   • Monitor the process closely to ensure that it runs smoothly, and address any issues that arise during the migration.
8. Post-Migration Validation
   • After migration, verify that all data and services are functioning as expected.
   • This includes checking email flow, document accessibility, permissions, and configurations.
   • Ensure that users have the necessary access and that there are no disruptions to their work.
9. Decommission Legacy Systems
   • Once the migration is successful and all data is validated, decommission the legacy systems that are no longer needed.
   • Ensure that any necessary data or configurations are archived for future reference.
10. Ongoing Support and Optimization
    • Provide ongoing support to users as they adapt to the new M365 environment.
    • Monitor performance, address any post-migration issues, and optimize the environment for better efficiency and security.
    • Conduct a post-migration review to identify areas for improvement in future migrations.

Benefits of migration to cloud:

1. Values to Business
   • Time to Market
   • Agility
2. Lower Risk
   • No Prior (Upfront) Investment
   • Easy Rollback Less
3. Total Cost of Ownership
   • Std Estimation/Planning
   • More Scope for Automation
   • Less Cost on Infra

Checklist for Migration:

1. Build a Business Case - Prepare as per the organisation need
2. Understand Application Portfolio - All the details about application and architecture
3. Migration Plan - Cover Technology, People, Process
4. Operating Plan - Define RACI for Apps, Infra in Design and Operation
5. Migration - Note learning and action items
6. Reach CSP’s/Support for Help
7. Track till Closure

Migration Framework:

1. Assessment (Migration Readiness Assessment)
   • Business Case
   • Discovery
   • Business Need/Cost Estimation
2. Readiness & Planning (Migration Readiness Planning)
   • Migration Plan
   • Security
   • Operating Model
   • Which team will own what responsibilities
   • Skills/Zones/Services Selection
   • Skills required for migration
3. Migration
   • Migrate
   • Integrate
   • Optimize
4. Operations
   • Monitor
   • Test
   • Optimisation

Current Cost Estimation:

1. Server Costs
   • Hardware - Server, Rack Infrastructure, PDU’s, ToR Switches (+Maintenance)
   • Software - OS, Virtualization Licenses
   • Overhead - Space, Power, Cooling
2. Storage Costs
   • Hardware - Storage Disks, HBA’s, SAN/FC Switches Storage Admin
   • Overhead (Space, Power, Cooling)
3. Network Cost
   • Network Hardware - Core/Aggregation, Switches, Bandwidth Network Admin
   • Overhead - Space, Power, Cooling
4. IT Labor Costs
   • Server Admin, Virtualization Admins

Migration Strategy (6R’s):

1. Rehost
   • Like to Like Migration
   • Time saving, No app code change
2. Replatform
   • Lift and Shift with some change
   • To have scalable app, app code change, add new cloud capabilities
3. Refactor
   • Adopt Cloud Based Service
   • Some app code change, take advantage of devops
4. Repurpose
   • Transform App Functionality
5. Retire/Rebuild
   • Retire from On-Premise
   • Build new app using Cloud native technology, take cloud benefits
6. Retain
   • Retain Legacy EoL

Migration Tools:

1. Discovery Tools
   • Discovery Connector
   • Discovery Agents
2. Migration Tools
   • DB Migration
   • Server Migration
   • ATADATA
   • CloudEndure
   • CloudBasic
3. Migration Program
   • PS
   • Partner Solution
   • Accelerated Program
4. Document and Support
   • User Guide
   • Forum

Migration Process:

Steps	Resources	Tools
1. Discovery/Assessment of Current Env and Architecture - Apps	- Databases - VM’s - 3rd Party Integrations - Network - Monitoring - CI/CD - Release Managment - DevOps - Backups - Cost	- TSO Logic/Migration Evaluator - CART (Cloud Adoption Readiness Tool)
2. Readiness and Planning	- AWS Migration Hub - Application Discovery - Control Tower	- Schema Conversion - Landing Zone
3. Migration	- CloudEndure - Server Migration - Database Migration	- AWS Marketplace - VMWare Cloud
4. Operations and Optimizations	- Managed Services	- Management and Governance

Benefits & Drawbacks

Benefits	Drawbacks
Faster Deployment	Loss of Control
Greater Security	Switching - Behavior/Training
Less Complexity	Latency
Ease of monitoring
Backup and Metrics
Centralized Management - Single Pane of Glass
Reduced Costs - Scaling
Use Cloud Specific features Data Sensivity - Goverment Laws
Small Setup

Online Migration

• AWS Direct Connect
• Data Sync
• Storage Gateways
• S3 Transfer Acceleration
• Kinesis Firehose
• Partners

Offline Migration

• Snowball
• Snowball Edge
• SnowMobile

Problems faced during migration:

Databases

1. Foreign keys and secondary indexes are missing
2. Permissions Missing
3. Primary key violation errors occur when you restart a task