Cloud Migration Services

The 7 Rs are migration strategies applied per workload. Retire removes applications no longer needed. Retain keeps some on premises for now. Rehost moves servers as they are, often called lift and shift. Relocate moves virtualized environments, such as VMware, without changes. Replatform makes small optimizations, such as moving to a managed database. Repurchase replaces an application with SaaS. Refactor re-architects an application to be cloud-native.

It depends on the number of workloads, their complexity and your change windows. A small set of applications can move in a few weeks. A typical mid-sized estate takes several months, with assessment and planning taking four to eight weeks before migration waves begin. Large enterprise migrations run in waves over a year or more. We plan around your deadlines, such as a data center lease or hardware end of life.

We use replication tools that continuously copy servers and databases to the cloud while systems remain in use, so the final cutover only needs to sync recent changes. Cutovers are rehearsed, scheduled in agreed windows and accompanied by validation tests and rollback plans. For the most critical systems we can use phased or parallel-run approaches, so users switch over gradually and any issue can be reversed quickly.

Often, but not automatically. Rehosting oversized servers unchanged can cost more than on premises. Savings come from right-sizing, using managed services, scaling dynamically, retiring unused systems, using commitment discounts and avoiding hardware refreshes and facility costs. Our business case models these factors transparently so you can see where savings come from, and post-migration optimization ensures they are realized.

Licensing is one of the most important and frequently overlooked migration factors. Some licenses can be brought to the cloud under provider programs, such as Azure Hybrid Benefit for eligible Windows Server and SQL Server licenses, while others restrict cloud use or become more expensive. We review your key licenses during assessment and factor them into strategy and cost decisions. Final confirmation should come from your vendors or licensing specialists.

Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, transferred over private connections or secure VPNs where possible, and moved only into landing zones with access controls and logging in place. We validate data completeness and integrity after transfer with record counts and checksums. Access to migration tooling is restricted and audited, and sensitive data handling follows your security and data protection policies.