Cloud Migration Playbook

Chapter 1: Cloud Migration Overview

Cloud migration enables Pakistani enterprises to modernize IT infrastructure, reduce capital expenditure, and improve agility. This playbook provides a structured approach for planning and executing successful cloud migrations.

Migration Drivers

• Reduce data center operational costs by 30-50%
• Eliminate hardware refresh cycles and capital expenditure
• Enable rapid scaling for business growth
• Improve disaster recovery and business continuity
• Access advanced services (AI, ML, analytics)
• Support remote workforce and digital transformation

Chapter 2: Discovery and Assessment

Comprehensive assessment identifies migration candidates, dependencies, and potential challenges before committing resources to the migration effort.

Application Portfolio Analysis

Chapter 3: Migration Strategies

The 6 Rs framework provides options for each workload based on business requirements, technical constraints, and cost considerations.

The 6 Rs of Migration

• Rehost (Lift and Shift): Move as-is to cloud infrastructure
• Replatform (Lift and Reshape): Minor optimizations during migration
• Refactor: Re-architect for cloud-native benefits
• Repurchase: Replace with SaaS alternative
• Retain: Keep on-premises for now
• Retire: Decommission if no longer needed

Strategy Selection Criteria

Chapter 4: Migration Planning

A detailed migration plan is crucial for a smooth transition and minimizing disruption.

Key Planning Elements

• Define migration waves and timelines
• Assign roles and responsibilities
• Develop detailed runbooks for each migration task
• Plan for testing and validation at each stage
• Establish communication channels with stakeholders

Chapter 5: Cloud Architecture Design

Design a scalable, secure, and cost-effective cloud architecture tailored to application needs.

Core Components

• Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) for network isolation
• Scalable compute instances (EC2, Azure VM)
• Managed databases (RDS, Azure SQL)
• Object storage solutions (S3, Azure Blob)
• Load balancing and auto-scaling

Chapter 6: Security Planning

Security must be designed into the migration from the start. Cloud security follows a shared responsibility model between the provider and customer.

Security Controls

• Identity and Access Management (IAM) with MFA
• Network segmentation with VPCs and security groups
• Encryption at rest and in transit
• Security monitoring and threat detection
• Vulnerability scanning and patch management
• Compliance with local data residency requirements

Chapter 7: Network Configuration

Establish secure and reliable network connectivity between on-premises environments and the cloud.

Connectivity Options

• Site-to-site VPN for secure connections
• Direct Connect/ExpressRoute for high bandwidth and low latency
• Public internet with TLS/SSL encryption

Chapter 8: Data Migration

Migrate data efficiently and securely, minimizing downtime.

Migration Methods

• Online migration tools (e.g., AWS DMS, Azure DMS)
• Offline data transfer appliances (e.g., Snowball, Data Box)
• Database backup and restore

Chapter 9: Application Migration

Execute application migration based on the chosen strategy for each workload.

Migration Execution

• Deploy target cloud infrastructure
• Migrate application binaries/code
• Configure application settings and dependencies
• Perform smoke tests

Chapter 10: Testing & Validation

Thorough testing ensures applications function correctly in the cloud environment.

Testing Phases

• Unit testing
• Integration testing
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
• Performance and load testing
• Security testing

Chapter 11: Cutover Planning

Plan the final cutover to minimize disruption and ensure a successful transition to the cloud.

Cutover Steps

• Final data synchronization
• Update DNS records
• Redirect traffic to cloud environment
• Perform final validation
• Decommission on-premises systems (phased approach)

Chapter 12: Cost Optimization

Continuously monitor and optimize cloud spending to maximize value.

Optimization Techniques

• Right-sizing instances
• Utilizing reserved instances or savings plans
• Implementing auto-scaling
• Deleting unused resources
• Leveraging cost management tools

Chapter 13: Cloud Monitoring Setup

Implement comprehensive monitoring for performance, security, and cost.

Monitoring Tools

• Cloud provider native tools (CloudWatch, Azure Monitor)
• Third-party APM solutions
• Log aggregation and analysis

Chapter 14: Cloud Governance

Establish policies and procedures for managing cloud resources effectively.

Governance Framework

• Resource tagging strategy
• Access control policies
• Change management process
• Compliance and auditing

Chapter 15: Migration Checklists