How to Migrate and Modernize with Cloud: Azure Cloud Migration using Lift and Shift

Azure Cloud doesn’t need any introduction as this cloud provider holds more than 15% of the global cloud market, offers more than 200 services, and is the first choice of top players in the industry. Having it by your side means having a way for speedy and all-inclusive digital transformation that will bring the best amenities and facilities into action.

However, all this depends on the success of the Azure cloud migration. Possible in many ways, Azure cloud adoption should be modern and manageable to bring the best outcomes.

As there is no standard azure cloud migration strategy, organizations have the freedom to move ahead as per the need of the hour. Learn about what is lift and shift migration, the importance of the Lift and Shift Azure Cloud adoption approach and its role in seamless Azure cloud migration process.

Azure Lift and Shift Cloud Migration – What and Why

Also known as re-hosting, Azure Lift and Shift cloud migration strategy involves moving the in-house or already-deployed applications and linked data over Azure cloud without being involved in the tedious process of redesigning or reconstructing the apps. The data-on-move is usually data storage and OS.

Applications to be migrated will lift in their original form and will be deployed or shift on the new cloud ecosystem while making no change on the core application infrastructure, application authentication, and data flow process.

This is not an Azure-specific cloud migration approach. It’s a standard approach application on all sorts of cloud ecosystems. As it demands less hard work and is easy to begin with, many future cloud adopters consider it as a viable choice for seamless cloud migration.

Before one begins with the lift and shift migration approach, it’s crucial to understand that the aimed applications’ computing, storage, and network components should be in place and matched with the offered cloud solutions.

Adopting this cloud migration approach brings multiple benefits such as:

• Quick migration as no rebuilding and reconstruction is required
• Seamless migration as special hardware-demanding workloads like graphical cards can be directly shifted to dedicated cloud-based VMs.
• All-inclusive cloud migration as migration of on-premise identity services content like Active Directory will happen automatically.
• Secured migration as security and compliances requirements can be controlled completely and implement
• on computing, storage, and network-level with the same ease and efficacy.
• Uniform migration as pre and post-migration same architecture is used to cause the least possible disturbance to the business processes.
• Cost-effective migration as no rebuilding, reconstructing, and relaunching expenses are there to bother you.

When to Take Lift and Shift Approach?

Azure cloud migration will indeed bring endless benefits when done using the lift and shift migration azure approach. But, can anyone use it? Honestly speaking, it’s not for everyone. In certain situations, its implementation will harvest the maximum outcome or ROI.

Adopt this approach when you need to migrate independent workload with the least possible hassles. Cloud migration of workloads is indeed a very tough task and can demand the reconstruction of a few components if lift and shift migration azure are not adopted. Workloads can be moved to clouds without any infrastructural changes with the Lift and Shift approach.

It’s a viable choice to make when one needs to move the off-the-shelf application. Such applications have no scope of reconstructing, and only a Lift and Shift approach will help you move them to the cloud.

Those who are dealing with budget -limitations and still need a highly scalable backup and recovery process must consider the Lift and Shift approach as it makes the entire on-premise infrastructure shift to the cloud while adhering with the industry’s best compliances and regulation requirements.

Consider it the best bet when you have high on-premise infrastructure set-up/maintenance costs and are not willing to reconstruct the at-work application. As the approach permits migration seekers to park the application in an organized form, no hassles will be faced.

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Moving Ahead For Azure Lift and Shift Migration

Suppose you’re certain that the Lift and Shift azure cloud migration strategy is the suitable approach for you, and you’re all set to commence your cloud migration journey. You must be aware of the basics so that the process is not hindered and is not consuming too much time/investment. Here is how you should proceed.

• Decide the lifespan of the application. Find out for how long you need to use the application in its original form in the cloud ecosystem. If you’ve got an application that you aren’t going to use after 6 or 12 months, there is no point in putting in the hard work.
• Use Runbook. For effective, all-inclusive, and seamless migration, it’s crucial to create a Runbook and mention the mission-critical applications. Ensure that such applications are migrated before any others.
• Research the automated Azure cloud migration tools. We know a lot of migration tasks are already automated in the Lift and Shift approach; having further automation assistance will speed up the migration while maintaining the accuracy. For instance, NetApp SnapMirror is a great tool to automate almost every job you need to do while moving the on-premises NetApp storage data to Azure storage.
• API Validation is required. While you move to the cloud, make sure that there are no hindrances for the present APIs and they can perform the way they supposed to be.
• Adhere to Standards. The cloud migration process should meet the leading data security and compliances policies so that there are no threats to data-in-transition. The adherence with the best compliance should continue even when migration is complete.
• Stick to the original migration plan. Do not get swayed away by the tempting cloud features and utilities. Azure cloud has a lot to offer, and not every offering is made for you. Decide what you require and move ahead accordingly.
• Go for license mobility or portability. It will allow you to use on-premise Microsoft applications/tools in the cloud with the same subscription. The previous subscription will continue on the cloud. The Microsoft Volume Licensing customers are allowed to opt for license mobility via software assurance.
• Take the help of Azure Migrate, a dedicated Lift and Shift tool. This suite of tools will grant you the ability to have a detailed insight into on-cloud applications and their functionality. It offers a central repository that can create backups for databases and servers. It will also help you prepare the server, database, and web applications for the migration process.
• Have the help of the right Azure expert. Even if Lift and Shift seem effortless, there are many bottlenecks to take care of and fix that require a detailed understanding of Azure and its components. Only an Azure expert has the potential to make this happen. So, it’s better than you hand over the job of Azure cloud migration to a seasoned resource and makes most of it.

Ending Notes 

Azure Cloud is a great place to be for those who want to keep the organizational cost reduced while enjoying high-end Azure Cloud Security performance and service delivery. The platform is feature-packed and can improve things/workflow/operations at every front.

With Life a Shift cloud migration strategy, cloud migration is no longer a tedious task to perform as it reduces the hard work of application rebuilding. In their original form, applications will be moved to the cloud and will be ready to use.

Adopt this azure migration strategy and experience a different cloud migration process. For extra ease and excellence, take the help of an Azure migration expert. C-Metric’s Microsoft Azure Development Services and cloud experts will make the entire process a piece of cake. Hire cloud experts to build reliable, scalable, and result-driven market-leading solutions.

FAQs

What is lift and shift azure cloud migration?

Lift-and-shift – also known as “Rehosting” is a migration strategy that involves shifting data and apps from on-premises to Azure-based virtual machines. Lift-and-shift allows businesses to keep running their apps with minimal changes and disruption.

What is Azure database migration services?

Azure Database Migration Service is a tool designed to simplify and automate your database migration to Azure. Leveraging Azure database migration, you can conveniently migrate your data, schema, and objects to the cloud at scale.

What is a common Azure customer cloud migration strategy?

Microsoft Azure provides an innovative-anywhere cloud platform that is perfectly suitable for large-scale enterprise IT environments with data protection requirements. So whenever you consider your migration, it is worth considering four broad patterns: Rehost, Refactor, Rearchitect, and Rebuild.