Cloud Migration Strategy Misconceptions

Misconceptions about migrating workloads to the cloud persist, despite its widespread adoption. One common misconception is that a "lift and shift" approach should always be used, which involves porting applications and data from an on-prem environment to a cloud vendor infrastructure without rearchitecting them for the cloud. However, this strategy may not always be the best choice, especially when legacy system technology architecture is outdated or if there are alternative technologies in the cloud with lower licensing costs. Another misconception is that migrating to the cloud can be handled by a small team of generalists or consultants/contractors, and that staff costs will be reduced after migration. In reality, migrating to the cloud is a complex process requiring subject matter experts with deep cloud technology expertise. A successful migration requires an experienced team including roles such as a migration solutions architect, data architect, cloud solutions architect, enterprise architect, and IT or DevOps engineer. Additionally, it's often assumed that once workloads are migrated to the cloud, they will automatically have similar or better SLAs right out of the gate. However, improving SLAs requires planning and careful configuration by the cloud architect, data architect, and migration solutions architect on your migration team. Lastly, many people believe that if they bring all their architecture and technology stack over to the cloud, they no longer need complicated replication and failover plans to protect applications. In reality, it depends on how you configure your cloud instance, and choosing a multi-region deployment can provide failover protection. A successful cloud migration requires careful planning, expert guidance, and a phased approach that prioritizes workloads effectively. Embracing the opportunities and navigating the challenges of cloud adoption wisely will ensure a successful and efficient migration process for your applications and data.