What is cloud migration?
Cloud migration moves workloads from on-premise infrastructure, or from one cloud provider to another, to a platform better suited to how the business runs today. The goal is rarely the move itself. It is lower operating cost, faster delivery, better resilience or a smaller security surface, and the plan is built backward from that goal.
A migration is not a single event. It is a sequence of waves, each with its own dependencies, its own cutover and its own way back. That structure is what keeps the business running while the infrastructure changes underneath it.
The scope varies. Some projects move a single data center to one provider. Others consolidate two clouds after an acquisition, or keep part of the estate on-premise in a hybrid setup. The method stays the same: know what you run, decide what each application becomes, and move it in the order the dependencies allow. Our cloud consulting practice covers the architecture and cost work that comes before and after the move.
Signs you need a cloud migration
Most migrations start with a deadline rather than a strategy. The signs below are the ones we see most often, and each one changes how the plan should be built.
A data center renewal or hardware refresh is coming
A contract end date or end-of-life hardware is the usual trigger, and the best moment to question what should move at all.
Scaling takes weeks, not minutes
Capacity is bought ahead of demand, so peaks are either unserved or paid for all year.
A security or compliance review is approaching
IAM, network segmentation and encryption are cheaper to design in before the audit than to retrofit after it.
Infrastructure work crowds out product work
When the team spends its weeks patching servers and renewing licenses, managed services give that time back to the roadmap.
Nobody can say what an application costs to run
Shared hardware and bundled contracts hide the cost of each system, so every budget discussion starts from guesses.
One sign alone rarely justifies a full migration. Two or three together usually mean the current platform costs more in time and risk than a planned move would.
What our migration assessment covers
The assessment is the part of the project that decides whether the rest goes well. It turns an estate that lives in people’s heads into a written inventory, and it gives every later decision a documented basis. Our guide to the cloud infrastructure assessment before a migration explains the method step by step.
Workload inventory and dependency mapping
Every application, database and integration documented, with the links that decide the order of the waves.
A strategy per application
Rehost, replatform, refactor, repurchase, retire or retain, with a documented reason for each.
Target architecture and landing zone
Accounts, network, identity and guardrails designed before the first workload moves.
Cutover and rollback plans
Rehearsed switchover steps, activation conditions and a tested path back to the old system.
Cost model and roadmap
Estimated run costs on the target platform and a prioritized sequence of waves.
The output is a document your team can use without us: an inventory, a decision per application, a target design and a costed sequence of waves. If you choose to run the migration internally, the assessment still stands on its own.
Not sure where to start?
A readiness assessment takes 2 to 4 weeks and ends with a prioritized roadmap and estimated costs.
How we migrate: four phases
Each phase ends with a deliverable and a decision point, so the project can pause or change direction without losing what was already done.
PHASE 01
Assess
Inventory, dependencies, risks and a prioritized roadmap.
PHASE 02
Design
Target architecture, landing zone and cutover plans.
PHASE 03
Migrate
Waves with dry runs, cutover and validation.
PHASE 04
Operate
Post-migration monitoring, cleanup and optimization.
Waves are sized so that each one is small enough to roll back in a single window. Early waves move low-risk applications to prove the landing zone and the runbook. Critical systems come later, once the team has rehearsed the cutover on real workloads. Senior consultants run every wave alongside your team, and the runbooks stay with you after handover.
Rehost, replatform, refactor: the 6R choice
Not every application deserves the same treatment. We classify each one with the 6R model and write down the reason, so the choice can be revisited when constraints change.
| Strategy | What it means | When it fits | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehost | Move the application as it is, onto virtual machines in the cloud | A fast exit from a data center, few changes possible | Low |
| Replatform | Move with light changes, such as a managed database | Quick wins without rewriting the code | Medium |
| Refactor | Re-architect the application to be cloud-native | The application is strategic and limits the business | High |
| Repurchase | Replace the application with a SaaS or managed service | A commodity function with a good market alternative | Medium |
| Retire | Shut the application down | Nobody uses it, or another system already covers it | Low |
| Retain | Keep it where it is, for now | Compliance, latency or a contract prevents the move | None |
The 6R choice is rarely final at the first pass. Dependencies found during the assessment can push an application from rehost to replatform, or move it to a later wave. Keeping the reason next to each decision makes those changes quick to review. Before choosing, check the blockers and dependencies in 6R migrations that most often change the answer.
Risks and rollback
Most migration incidents come from a small set of causes that are known in advance. We treat each one as a planned item with an owner, not as bad luck.
Hidden dependencies
Undocumented links between applications are the first cause of failed cutovers. We map them before fixing the order of the waves.
Data synchronization at cutover
Data and application state stay in sync until the switch, inside a defined freeze window.
Rollback conditions
Activation conditions are written down in advance, so the decision to go back is not made under stress.
Post-migration validation
Network continuity, performance and data integrity are checked against the baseline before the old system is retired.
The cutover itself follows a written runbook with go and no-go checkpoints. Our guides on the cutover plan without service interruption and on rollback procedures and activation conditions show what those documents contain.
Cloud migration pricing
Every engagement starts with a diagnosis and ends with a fixed quote. Durations are typical, not promised.
| Format | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Readiness assessment | 2 to 4 weeks | Fixed quote after diagnosis |
| Migration project | 6 weeks to 6 months | Fixed quote after the assessment |
| Managed optimization after handover | Monthly | Monthly fee quoted at handover |
What changes the price: number of workloads, dependencies between applications, compliance scope and how much of the execution your team keeps.
The quote covers senior consultants only, a defined scope and the deliverables of each phase. Cloud provider costs are separate from our fees and are estimated in the cost model during the assessment.
Cloud migration FAQ
How long does a cloud migration take?
A readiness assessment takes 2 to 4 weeks. A migration project takes from 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on the number of workloads and the dependencies between them.
Will the business stop during the migration?
No. Migrations run in waves with dry runs and a rehearsed cutover, so production keeps running. Every wave has a rollback plan.
Which cloud should we migrate to?
We are vendor-neutral and work across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. We recommend the platform that fits your workloads, and we document why.
Can you migrate from one cloud to another?
Yes. Cross-cloud consolidation follows the same method: inventory, a strategy per application, a rehearsed cutover and a rollback plan.
How do you choose between rehost and refactor?
We start from the business goal and the state of each application. Rehost is faster and cheaper up front. Refactor costs more but removes the limits of a strategic system. Each choice is written down with its reason during the assessment, so it can be reviewed later.
Do you work with our internal team?
Yes. Senior consultants work alongside your engineers on every wave, and the runbooks, diagrams and decisions are handed over so your team can operate the platform after the project.
What happens after the last wave?
The old systems are retired once validation passes, then the new platform is monitored and tuned. You can keep us for managed optimization on a monthly basis, or take it over fully.