Introduction

Migration is an inevitable requirement for almost all Websites, Applications, and Companies from using popular open-source applications like Drupal, WordPress, and Magento and for complex custom enterprise-level applications as well. Recent reports suggest, “By 2021, spending on Cloud is expected to hit $530 Billion,” and migration services into the cloud would grow at an estimation of 23.9% CAGR. Currently, the Government agencies and enterprises are running the applications on the cloud to optimize costs, scaling up businesses, and bringing faster innovation.

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Overview

Migrations occur for many reasons, including, but not limited to, data center closures, disaster recovery, server hardware/Operating System upgrades on a cloud network. Major cloud service providers like AWS, Azure, and Google are providing the offerings out of the box for rapid data and application migration. Companies might have invested thousands of dollars in their existing applications by solely relying on web-based applications, which have custom build to meet the business needs.

Although migrations are inevitable and are well-planned, a weak and inadequate plan or execution of migration can cause significant delays in deliveries and may overrun the cost factor. Since every application or server migration is unique, a preferred method should be taken to execute a successful migration based on the type of application it requires.

Basic steps involved in migration

Essential steps involved in Application migration follows:

Step 1 – Selecting the destination cloud: With the involvement of Load Balancers, Firewalls, Physical, and Cloud Servers from simple shared hosting to a complex environment, we must adequately architect the destination server before the start of migration. Specifically, the plan should consider the type of application and the particular business requirements that we are migrating. If we rushed or skipped this step, we could end up the application with a migration failover.

Step 2 – Performing initial migration: When the migration has started, an initial environmental assessment needs to be taken to ensure the effectiveness of the process. In general, this process is a five-step procedure, as mentioned in the below figure, and the pre-work requires the attention of both infrastructure and application teams. Both teams will work together to obtain the application list involved in the migration with the associated servers and determine the application group that is to be migrated together. Then, the migration can be scheduled in a flawless manner.

Step 3 – Perform an iterative Re-Test: Prior to going live, comprehensive testing is the most critical step. After performing things like configuring the destination server environment, assigning IP to an application, restoring the database, it’s time for testing. Usually, we recommend the modification of files on Windows or Mac. This simulates a go-live only for our local computer, and we are allowed to test the migrated applications before reaching the environment. Similarly, we can add a host line to our host’s file as:

{ip_address}{host_name_1}{host_name_2}{host_name_3}…{host_name_n}

For example,

68.183.80.29 or https://scriptbees.com

Now, run the recently migrated application on the browser. If we are migrating a Drupal CMS, login as an Administrator, and perform the activities like processing an order, changing a Magento product attribute, and so on. Then, test all the features of the migrated application to ensure functional behavior. Performing the migration requires the application manager to follow the necessary steps involved in between.

Step 4 – The Go-Live/Migration phenomenon: Once the documented errors end up with troubleshooting and resolving by proper fixtures, the event should be scheduled by informing all the parties.

1. Schedule and Communicate Application Downtime – The team needs to identify a cutover window with the user community and application owners. A critical application would be migrated during an off-hour without impacting the shift changes. The IT team will communicate to the right parties through the appropriate channel for the migration window. Before sending the scheduled communication into the migration window, an organization needs to secure Go-Live resources to ensure the availability of necessary components during the process.
2. Cutover Applications to a New Data Center – While performing the Application cutover, a mock migration phase will start to pay off. A team can utilize the tested migration playbook developed during the simulated migration phase by following the process. Also, during the migration process, another team needs to stop the running application on the old platform and start on the new platform after ensuring the completion of replication and validate the application using the test scripts. The team also can reroute the traffic to the new platform when there is a loss of communication after migration and can track the ongoing issues raised if any.

Step 5 – Decommission/Closeout: Significant decommission of unnecessary legacy applications can lower the operating costs, including the License Fee, Specialized SMEs, and usage. However, old applications can store essential data for business needs; a smart decommission strategy can help an organization for a better ROI.

1. Performing Decommission Process – This stage follows with the determined servers, the part of an application that should be decommissioned. Accordingly, for this phase, the team needs to follow the decommissioning steps for both physical and virtual servers. For this, actions include:
   1. To verify servers checklist to decommission
   2. Change control initiation to decommission all servers, and more.

1. Closeout – The team will complete performance cost measures that include ensuring any new contracts are set and budgeted in the next Financial year by verifying the inventory updates and updating cost changes.

Step 6 – Post-Migration Support: A qualified and dedicated team is to be set to ensure the full functionality of the entire process after a successful product/application deployment. Also, it is highly recommended that we need to wait for at least Ten business days once the propagation is verified and a new server, an application will be in production until we decommission the old server. Conclusively, if we deal with thorough planning, setting up the destination server, comprehensive migration testing prior to the Go-Live event, the migration occurs seamlessly.

Conclusion

Cloud transformation requires a structured approach than anticipated by any of the Business firms to reap the benefits like scalability, productivity, and cost optimization. The path is to be built by any of the organizations itself in a way providing the right accelerators or resources for Cloud migration if required.

Our expert team of Scriptbees will always be available to perform the migration even if the application is developed by your organization, or it is going to be built by our team. By satisfying your collective requirements, the migration will be started by suggesting the suitable cloud environment that your organization deserves, whether it is small-scale or large-scale. 

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