Busting the Myth of Lift and Shift: 3 Reasons Mass Migrations Don’t Work

Cloud environments bestow operational advantages on-prem enterprises can only dream of. But they come with a significant (and hidden) caveat: mass-migrated operations can’t leverage them, because transplanted on-prem systems are fundamentally incompatible with cloud environments. Bringing them to the cloud without thought for adaptation robs you of the optimization opportunities and efficiencies that make migration worthwhile in the first place.

In this blog, we examine 3 foundational cloud efficiencies and how mass migration and on-prem approaches place them firmly out of reach.

The main cloud operational advantage is the agility to adapt to changing conditions in real-time. Conserved administrative and financial resources enable more efficient resource allocations and operations and allow you to do more with less. For example:

• Flexible provisioning enables the acquisition of computation, storage, database, and API resources that scale up and evolve down with consumption trends
• Data and analytics allow accurate projections of future resource needs, and can factor in provisioning cycles and supply chain delays
• Minimal user impact from operational downtime as resources are provisioned without disrupting business operations
• Automated resource provisioning enhances workforce efficiency, freeing labor for high-value work and saving on run task costs

Lifting and shifting on-prem systems to the cloud in an IaaS configuration bars you from leveraging these advantages because on-prem resource planning is so different:

• Provisioning is executed in advance for maximum capacity, leading to overpaying for underutilized services
• Subjective guesswork replaces data and analytics to project consumption trends
• Building data and analytics infrastructure necessitates high CAPEX costs with no guarantee of returns on investment
• Adjustments to resource planning halt the entire system and impact all users as resources are re-provisioned manually

Businesses maintaining on-prem resource provisioning for mass-migrated operations are stranded with outdated systems that ultimately cost more than they did on-prem.

Dynamic workloads and scalable cloud instances make containers integral to cloud operating infrastructure. Enabling applications to deploy consistently – regardless of environment or CSP – is a necessity in diverse cloud environments, where infrastructure compatibility is a critical issue. The benefits of containerization include:

• Optimized workflows. Developers have complete control over requested resources, enabling them to focus on app development while IT Operations handle deployment and management.
• Flexibility for in-flight modifications. Container-enabled, isolated, and consistent sandbox environments free of external dependencies allow for design modifications and pressure testing without disrupting core operations.
• Operational versatility. OS- and CSP-agnostic applications save time when transitioning across platforms and streamline CSP integration.
• Improved application visibility. Cloud-native and third-party tools provide data on application performance and needs, enabling swift and accurate adjustments.
• Smoother management of traditional on-prem challenges like underutilized applications, instance sprawl, and instance errors.
• Performance alignment with cost goals as IT and FinOps leverage hard data to streamline application rationalization and other cost optimizations.

Mass migrations inhibit containerization benefits by moving the entire on-prem ecosystem to the cloud at once. Adaptations to specific operations are harder to execute because they require comprehensive changes, causing delays and further costs.

Cloud enterprises can outsource non-core competency services and infrastructure to specialist providers to cut operating costs. Leveraging dedicated CSP expertise maximizes cloud advantages and allows businesses to focus on core services. Nowhere is this more evident than with Disaster Recovery (DR) capabilities.

Third-party providers can offer enhanced operational resilience by replicating systems and data. Such “pilot light” versions enable rapid DR orchestration, restoring systems and data to the primary site as soon as IT infrastructure is back online. The advantages of CSP-enabled cloud DR include:

• Minimal downtime and fast orchestration. CSP service agreements guarantee rapid achievement of Recovery Point and Recovery Time Objectives (RPO/RTO) within specified controls and compliance requirements.
• Full testing capabilities. Pilot light replications are designed for reliability, enabling frequent and non-disruptive orchestration testing.
• Efficient solutions deployment. Diverse CSP services facilitate customized solutions that can provide all required competencies, ensuring rapid deployment across infrastructures and high compatibility with existing BCPs.
• Reduction of up-front CAPEX investments. Outsourcing removes significant hardware, software, training, headcount, and DR site costs, while OPEX costs are scaled to growth and elastic DR requirements.

By contrast, the on-prem obsession with “control” over all stages of DR orchestration provokes rising inefficiencies and costs on the cloud:

• The lack of opportunity to optimize DR workloads makes effective disaster testing too disruptive, hurting DR reliability
• By shouldering a critical but non-core competency, organizations incur a litany of development costs, such as:
  • Training IT staff to develop, test, and execute DR strategies
  • Hardware and software maintenance requirements
  • Infrastructure for system and data backups
  • Backup infrastructure maintenance costs
  • Administrative costs of enforcing compliance

Cloud-native solutions render many traditional on-prem difficulties obsolete. But there is no magic bullet that can bypass the complexities of effective migration, and ignoring them in favor of lifting and shifting will all but guarantee disaster.

The precise tools you need to leverage cloud environments effectively vary based on your existing infrastructure, business objectives, and desired operational outcomes. Consult expert advisory to ensure your migration goes smoothly and you find the customized solutions your cloud operations need.