Cloud Migration Guide for Small Business
Everything Augusta and CSRA small businesses need to know about planning and executing a successful cloud migration.
Step-by-Step Migration Process
Follow this proven process to ensure your cloud migration is successful, secure, and delivers the expected benefits.
Pre-Migration Assessment
1-2 weeks
Evaluate your current infrastructure and plan the migration strategy
Key Tasks
- Inventory all applications and data
- Assess application dependencies
- Evaluate security and compliance requirements
- Calculate current IT costs
- Define success metrics and goals
Key Considerations
- Which applications are cloud-ready?
- What data needs special handling?
- Are there compliance requirements?
- What is the acceptable downtime?
Cloud Strategy Development
1-2 weeks
Choose the right cloud provider and migration approach
Key Tasks
- Select cloud provider (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
- Choose migration strategy (lift-and-shift, re-platform, refactor)
- Design target cloud architecture
- Plan security and compliance measures
- Estimate costs and timeline
Key Considerations
- Which provider best fits your needs?
- What migration approach minimizes risk?
- How will you handle data sovereignty?
- What training will staff need?
Pilot Migration
2-4 weeks
Test the migration process with non-critical applications
Key Tasks
- Select pilot applications
- Set up cloud environment
- Execute pilot migration
- Test functionality and performance
- Gather feedback and refine process
Key Considerations
- Are performance metrics meeting expectations?
- Is the user experience acceptable?
- Are there unexpected costs?
- What lessons learned can improve the full migration?
Full Migration Execution
4-12 weeks
Migrate all applications and data to the cloud
Key Tasks
- Execute migration in planned phases
- Monitor performance and security
- Provide user training and support
- Validate data integrity
- Optimize performance and costs
Key Considerations
- Is business continuity maintained?
- Are all stakeholders properly trained?
- Is data integrity verified?
- Are performance targets met?
Post-Migration Optimization
Ongoing
Optimize performance, costs, and take advantage of cloud-native features
Key Tasks
- Monitor and optimize costs
- Implement cloud-native features
- Enhance security posture
- Plan for future growth
- Continuous improvement
Key Considerations
- Are you taking full advantage of cloud benefits?
- Can costs be further optimized?
- What new capabilities can be added?
- How can you prepare for future growth?
Migration Strategies
Lift and Shift (Rehost)
Move applications to the cloud with minimal changes
Pros
- • Fastest migration
- • Lowest risk
- • Immediate cost savings
Cons
- • Limited cloud benefits
- • May not optimize performance
Best For
Legacy applications, tight timelines, minimal disruption needs
Re-platform
Make minor optimizations to take advantage of cloud capabilities
Pros
- • Better performance
- • Some cloud benefits
- • Moderate effort
Cons
- • More complex than lift-and-shift
- • Requires some re-architecture
Best For
Applications that can benefit from cloud services with minimal changes
Refactor/Re-architect
Redesign applications to be cloud-native
Pros
- • Maximum cloud benefits
- • Best performance
- • Future-proof
Cons
- • Highest cost and complexity
- • Longest timeline
Best For
Critical applications, long-term strategic systems
Need Expert Help with Your Cloud Migration?
Our Augusta-based cloud migration experts can assess your current infrastructure and develop a customized migration plan that minimizes risk and maximizes benefits.