On-premise to Cloud Migration
Cloud migration is the process of moving digital assets—like data, applications, and services—from on-premises servers to cloud environments. It offers greater scalability, flexibility, and cost savings compared to physical infrastructure.
Organisations may migrate entire data centres or specific workloads to modernise IT operations. Strategies range from basic “lift and shift” to advanced cloud-optimised refactoring.
Key planning factors include workload type and target cloud. Migration scenarios include hybrid clouds, cloud-to-cloud moves, and large data transfers—sometimes using encrypted drives when bandwidth is limited.
Overall, cloud migration helps organisations improve IT agility, efficiency, and innovation.
Migration types
Understanding cloud migration types helps organisations choose the right strategy for their needs. Each approach has specific benefits:
- Datacenter migration moves all data from on-premises to the cloud, often via high-speed networks or shipped storage devices when bandwidth is limited.
- Hybrid cloud migration splits resources between on-premises and cloud, preserving existing infrastructure and aiding compliance and disaster recovery.
- Cloud-to-cloud migration transfers resources between cloud platforms, useful after mergers or to leverage different providers’ strengths.
- Application/database migration targets specific workloads (e.g., SAP, SQL Server), using either a quick “lift and shift” or deeper refactoring for better cloud performance.
Selecting the right approach is key to a successful migration.
Managed Services
Managed services are IT solutions provided by third-party experts to manage, maintain, and monitor your technology infrastructure. They are essential for simplifying on-premise to cloud migration by offering specialized support, proactive monitoring, and automation. This reduces the burden on internal teams, ensures smoother transitions, and minimizes disruptions.
Backup and Recovery Capabilities
Most cloud providers support business continuity with one-click backup, recovery, and geographic redundancy, protecting against local disasters like fires or floods.
Centralised Management and Monitoring
Central management tools let you monitor and control both on-premises datacentre and cloud resources from a single interface. This consolidated view eliminates the complexity often associated with hybrid environments and multi-cloud deployments.
Expert Migration Support
Engaging a migration partner depends on your organization’s size and IT capabilities. For complex migrations, their expertise helps minimize downtime and address key challenges. Many cloud platforms also offer integrated tools to assess, track, and manage migrations across workloads.
Addressing Common Challenges
Managed services address key challenges in on-premise to cloud migration, such as ensuring data integrity, supplementing training needs, and implementing proper security. Organizations often combine these services with internal resources to create tailored strategies, maximizing cloud adoption benefits while maintaining control over critical assets.
Cloud Migration Benefits
Moving your infrastructure from on-premises to cloud environments delivers substantial business advantages beyond just technical improvements. The benefits span across financial, operational and strategic domains, making cloud migration an increasingly popular choice for organisations of all sizes.
Optimised Costs
On-premise to cloud migration reduces resource, maintenance, and real estate costs by eliminating physical servers and infrastructure. Cloud environments also optimize workloads, further improving cost efficiency.
Flexibility and Scalability
The cloud model offers flexibility by enabling pay-as-you-go usage, instant scaling, global reach, and hybrid setups that preserve existing IT investments.
Enhanced Security
Public cloud platforms incorporate sophisticated security features and specialised tools that protect organisational resources. Moreover, security patching happens automatically in many instances, removing this burden from your internal IT team.
Compliance
For organisations in highly regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and government, cloud platforms offer specialised solutions that seamlessly meet compliance requirements. This capability streamlines regulatory adherence whilst maintaining operational efficiency.
Backup, Recovery, and Failover
Cloud providers enhance business continuity through built-in, one-click backup and recovery features. Consequently, your organisation gains resilience against data loss or system failures. Some providers also enable backup storage across different geographic regions, further strengthening your disaster recovery capabilities.
Simplified Management and Monitoring
With central management tools, you can oversee both on-premises datacentre and cloud resources from a single interface, considerably reducing administrative complexity in hybrid environments.
