Beyond the Buzzword
Cloud migration is not just about moving servers — it is about rethinking how your infrastructure supports business growth. A well-executed migration reduces operational overhead, improves disaster recovery, and enables elastic scaling. A poorly planned one creates new problems without solving old ones.
Migration Strategies
Lift and Shift (Rehosting)
Move your existing applications to cloud VMs with minimal changes. This is the fastest path but captures the fewest cloud benefits. Best for legacy applications where refactoring is not immediately practical.
Re-Platforming
Make targeted optimizations during migration — replacing your database with a managed service (RDS, Cloud SQL), using object storage (S3) for assets, or containerizing applications with Docker. This balances speed with meaningful improvements.
Cloud-Native (Refactoring)
Redesign applications to fully leverage cloud services: serverless functions, managed Kubernetes, event-driven architectures. This delivers the most value but requires the most investment.
Key Considerations
- Cost modeling — Cloud costs are operational, not capital. Model your monthly spend carefully to avoid bill shock
- Compliance — Ensure your cloud provider meets your industry's data residency and compliance requirements
- Team readiness — Your operations team needs cloud-specific skills. Plan for training alongside migration
At HerzSoft, we guide businesses through every stage of cloud migration, from assessment and planning through execution and optimization.
