Migrating to AWS? We’ve got you covered with 5 steps to set your team up for a seamless move

By Michelle Tran | 11 November 2019

Migrating to Amazon Web Services (AWS) enables organisations to transform the way they do business by empowering them to accelerate their speed of doing business, freeing them from the constraints of on-premises data centres, and providing the flexibility to pay only for what they use.

Are you migrating to the cloud soon? Whether you decide to do this in-house or with support from AWS migration service providers, our partners have got you covered with the five-phase migration process along with where you can access AWS training.

The five-phase migration process can help guide your organisational approach to migrating tens, hundreds, or thousands of applications. This serves as a way to envision the major milestones of cloud adoption during your journey.

Migrating to AWS in a Nutshell

You will want to establish operational processes and form a team dedicated to mobilising the appropriate resources. This team is your Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE), and they will be charged with leading your company through the organisational and business transformations over the course of the migration effort. The CCoE identifies and implements best practices, governance standards, automation, and drives change management.

The complexity and level of business impact of your applications will influence how you migrate. Beginning the migration process with less critical and complex applications in your portfolio creates a sound learning opportunity for your team to exit their initial round of migration with:

Confidence they are not practising with mission-critical applications in the early learning stages
Foundational learnings they can apply to future migration iterations
Ability to fill skills and process gaps, as well as positively reinforce best practices based on experience

A continuous improvement approach is often recommended. The level of project fluidity and success frequently comes down to how well you apply the iterative methodology in these phases.

As applications are migrated, you optimise your new foundation, turn off old systems, and constantly iterate toward a modern operating model. Think about your operating model as an evergreen set of people, processes, and technologies that constantly improves as you migrate more applications.

It's important to equip your team with cloud computing skill sets through this change. Check out some of our AWS Cloud Training Solutions to help you accelerate your business transformation. You can also access our brochure on AWS training and certification options.

THE MIGRATION PROCESS: EXPLAINED

While the outlined five phases provide a structured approach to AWS migration and novel migration strategies, let's explore each phase to offer more insights and tips for a successful migration.

Migration Preparation and Business Planning

Establishing a Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) is critical in this phase. The CCoE is not just a team; it's the driving force behind your migration effort. They define operational processes, mobilise resources, and lead the charge in implementing best practices and governance standards in the AWS application discovery service. Change management is also a key responsibility, ensuring a smooth transition for the entire organisation.

Additionally, during this phase, it's crucial to conduct a thorough assessment of your current IT landscape. Identify existing applications, dependencies, and potential roadblocks. This comprehensive analysis sets the stage for informed decision-making throughout the migration process.

Portfolio Discovery and Planning

The success of your migration hinges on how well you understand and plan for the complexity of your application portfolio. Not all applications are created equal, and prioritising them based on business impact and complexity is essential.

Consider starting with less critical and complex applications as a learning opportunity. This approach allows your team to build confidence, gain foundational knowledge, and identify and address any skills or process gaps early in the process. It's a phased, strategic approach that sets the tone for the rest of the migration journey towards AWS services.

Application Design + Migration and Validation

In these phases, the importance of an iterative methodology cannot be overstated. Continuous improvement should be the guiding principle. As you design and migrate applications, gather feedback, analyse results, and refine your approach in the AWS application migration service. This iterative process ensures adaptability to changing requirements and sets the stage for a successful migration.

Validation is a critical step in ensuring that migrated applications meet performance and security standards. Rigorous testing, monitoring, and validation processes should be in place to catch any issues early on in the AWS database migration service. This phase is not just a checkbox; it's an ongoing commitment to quality and excellence as an AWS partner network.

Operate

The "Operate" phase is not the end of the journey but a new beginning. As applications are migrated, your focus shifts to optimising the new cloud migration and foundation. This involves turning off old systems, refining processes, and constantly iterating toward a modern operating model in an organisation's migration projects such as in the AWS storage gateway.

Emphasise the importance of ongoing learning during this phase. Cloud computing is dynamic, and staying current with the latest technologies and best practices when it comes to cloud environments is crucial. The AWS Cloud Training Solutions mentioned earlier become invaluable tools for upskilling your team, ensuring they are well equipped to manage and optimise the cloud environment.

The Transformative Journey Towards AWS Migration

In conclusion, the migration to AWS is a transformative journey that demands careful planning, strategic execution, and continuous improvement. The outlined five phases provide a roadmap, and the insights into each phase offer a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved in how to migrate and modernize.

As you embark on your AWS migration, remember that success is not just about reaching the destination but about evolving and optimising your operations continually. The partnership with AWS migration service providers and the availability of AWS training resources position your team for success in this dynamic and ever-evolving landscape. Seize the opportunity, empower your team, and make the most of the flexibility and innovation that AWS brings to your organisation. Your seamless move to AWS starts with a well-prepared team, and we're here to support you every step of the way.