Steps for Data Migration from On-Premise to the Cloud

You might feel like the journey to successful migration can be a daunting one. However, by partnering with a service provider like SquareOps, you won’t have to worry about these steps. Just click here to talk to us and understand how. 

With that said, let’s get into each step of the database migration in some detail. 

Step 1: Understanding the Current State

Before starting the migration, a thorough understanding of the existing data environment is essential. 

This involves two key steps:

• Discovery Phase and Inventory of Existing Data: This involves identifying all data sources, including databases, file systems, and applications. Document data volume, structure, and sensitivity. This inventory forms the foundation for the migration plan.

• Identifying Data Dependencies and Mapping: Analyze relationships between different data elements and applications. This mapping reveals how changes during migration might affect various parts of the system. This step prevents unforeseen issues later.

Step 2: Defining the Migration Strategy

In order to move your databases to the cloud, you need to have a solid migration strategy for execution. This involves:

• Setting Migration Objectives and Goals: Establish clear objectives for the migration. These might include cost reduction, performance improvement, or enhanced security. The SMART template of goals provides direction and allows for progress tracking.

• Choosing the Right Migration Approach: There are seven popular approaches when it comes to migration. 

Known as the 7 Rs, these are: 

• Rehost (Lift and Shift): Move applications to the cloud without changes. Quick and easy for apps that are hard to modify or when speed matters.
• Relocate (Hypervisor-Level Lift and Shift): Similar to rehosting but focuses on moving virtual machines (VMs) to the cloud, often used for entire data centers.
• Replatform (Lift, Tinker, and Shift): Make small tweaks to apps to optimize them for the cloud, balancing speed with some cloud benefits.
• Refactor (Re-architect): Redesign apps to fully take advantage of cloud services. It’s complex but offers scalability, performance, and cost benefits.
• Repurchase (Drop and Shop): Replace old apps with cloud-based alternatives, ideal for outdated apps or when cloud solutions offer better value.
• Retire: Decommission apps you no longer need, helping reduce costs and complexity.
• Retain (Revisit): Keep certain apps on-premises due to regulatory needs, data sensitivity, or technical reasons. Not everything needs to go to the cloud.

These approaches can help you choose the most appropriate migration strategy for each application and take a call accordingly. 

The next step is to figure out what platform you want to use for your migration. 

Step 3: Choosing a Cloud Provider

Cloud providers vary largely in the way they operate, even though most popular options offer similar features. With over 31% market share, AWS remains the gold standard for cloud operations, followed by Azure with over 20%. Consider the following when selecting a provider:

• Selecting Based on Criteria and Deployment Models: Evaluate providers based on factors like cost, performance, security, compliance, and available services. Choose the appropriate deployment model for you. 

• Considering Skills and Multi-Cloud Strategy: Assess the organization’s existing skills and determine if training or external expertise is necessary. A multi-cloud strategy, using services from multiple providers, can mitigate vendor lock-in and improve resilience.

At SquareOps, we specialize in seamless AWS cloud migrations, combining migration expertise with modernization strategies to drive business success. With over a decade of experience, we have successfully migrated businesses of all sizes to AWS, utilizing cloud-native architectures for optimal performance and scalability.

Our migration process is customized to meet each client’s unique needs, ensuring minimal disruption to your operations. We prioritize security, compliance, and cost-efficiency, ensuring a secure migration while optimizing long-term financial benefits.

Our team of AWS-certified solution architects applies industry best practices to reduce risks and maximize ROI, ensuring a smooth transition to the cloud. With a focus on cloud security and DevOps, we deliver secure, efficient migrations tailored to your goals. Whether it’s a lift-and-shift approach or modernization, we ensure your migration unlocks the full potential of AWS for your business.

Step 4: Data Modeling and Architecture

Next, you can design the in-cloud data architecture before migrating data:

• Designing the In-Cloud Architecture: This involves choosing the appropriate database type (relational, NoSQL), designing the data model, and planning for data storage and access. Consider factors like performance, scalability, and cost.

• Planning for Backup and Restoration: Implement robust backup and restoration procedures to protect data against loss or corruption. Cloud providers offer various backup and disaster recovery services.

Step 5: Ensuring Security and Compliance

Hundreds of cloud breaches occur every day, despite advancements in cloud security. Consider the following to cover your bases: 

• Implementing Necessary Security Models: Implement appropriate security measures, including access controls, encryption, and network security. Follow security best practices and industry standards.

• Adhering to Regulatory Compliance Through Encryption and Access Controls: Ensure the migration process complies with relevant regulations, such as the CIS Benchmarks. Use encryption to protect data in transit and at rest. Implement strict access controls to restrict data access to authorized personnel.

Also read: AWS Multi-Account Security Reference Architecture

Finally, it’s time to move your data. This, too, is an iterative process. Read on to find out what you need to do. 

Step 6: Executing Data Migration

The actual migration process involves several steps:

• Data Cleansing and Preparation: Cleanse and prepare data before migration to ensure accuracy and consistency. This may involve removing duplicate data, correcting errors, and formatting data.

• Choosing Migration Tools and Scheduling Migration: Select appropriate migration tools based on the chosen migration approach and cloud provider. Schedule the migration during off-peak hours to minimize disruption to business operations.

• Executing Pilot and Full-Scale Migration: Conduct a pilot migration with a subset of data to test the process and identify potential issues. After successful testing, proceed with the full-scale migration.

Step 7: Validation and Transition

After migration, validate data integrity and transition to the new environment:

• Performing Data Integrity Checks: Verify that all data has been migrated correctly and that data integrity has been maintained. Compare data in the source and target systems.

• Adjusting Systems and Workflows: Modify applications and workflows to connect to the new cloud database. Update connection strings and configurations.

• Monitoring and Addressing Issues During Transition: Monitor the system closely during and after the transition to identify and address any issues. Have a rollback plan in place in case of major problems.

Step 8: Monitoring and Optimization Post-Migration

Finally, after a successful migration, make sure that you continue to monitor the state of your instances and databases. You can do this with: 

• Continuous Performance Checks: Monitor database performance and make adjustments as needed. Use cloud monitoring tools to track metrics like CPU usage, memory consumption, and query performance.
• Post-Migration Adjustments and Optimizations: Optimize database settings, indexes, and queries to improve performance. Regularly review resource allocation and make adjustments to control costs.

After completing the detailed steps for database migration, it’s important to ensure that the entire process is effectively executed. Let’s find you a reliable partner. 

Working With Cloud Experts

Database migration to the cloud offers significant benefits for businesses of all sizes. A successful migration requires careful planning, execution, and post-migration management.

But with a partner like SquareOps, you can leave the multiple processes and confusion to us, cloud experts who have handled database migration to the cloud for multiple partners across various domains. 

Click here to accelerate your database migration today!