According to Gartner analysis by 2025, it’s estimated that 85% of enterprise workloads will run in the cloud, up from 65% in 2022, reflecting a shift from legacy systems.
In the chaotic – ever evolving technology, cloud migration has become a pivotal strategy for businesses seeking to enhance scalability, reduce operational costs, and drive innovation. By transitioning data, applications, and IT workloads to cloud environments, organizations can achieve greater agility and resilience.
This blog summarises the five essential phases of cloud migration, while highlighting key performance metrics to monitor. It shares a compelling case study of RupeeRedee’s successful AWS migration with reference to phases of cloud migration in cloud computing.
Designed for IT leaders and business decision-makers, this guide offers actionable insights to ensure a seamless and effective cloud transition.
What are the 5 phases of cloud migration?
Phases of migration in cloud computing requires a structured, methodical approach to minimize risks and maximize benefits. Below, we detail the five phases of cloud migration in cloud computing.
Phase 1: Preparation: Laying the Foundation
Assess organizational readiness and define migration objectives.
The preparation phase involves a comprehensive evaluation of the current IT infrastructure, applications, and business goals to determine cloud readiness. This includes conducting a cloud readiness assessment to identify suitable workloads, analysing risks, and aligning stakeholders on strategic objectives.
Phase 2: Planning: Designing the Roadmap
Develop a detailed migration strategy and select optimal cloud solutions.
In the planning phase, organizations create a tailored migration roadmap, selecting the appropriate cloud provider and migration strategy such as rehosting, replatforming, or refactoring based on cost, complexity, and performance requirements.
A proof of concept (PoC) is often conducted to validate the approach. This phase also includes defining timelines, budgets, and resource allocations to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruption.
Informative snippet: The “6 Rs” of cloud migration—Rehost, Replatform, Refactor, Repurchase, Retire, and Retain—are commonly used frameworks to plan and execute migrations effectively.
Phase 3: Migration: Executing the Transition
Move workloads and data to the cloud environment.
The migration phase involves the actual transfer of applications, data, and services to the cloud. This can range from straightforward lift-and-shift migrations to complex refactoring for cloud-native optimization.
Tools focus on minimizing downtime and ensuring data integrity. Rigorous testing and validation are critical to confirm a successful migration.
Phase 4: Operation: Managing the Cloud Environment
Monitor and maintain the cloud infrastructure post-migration.
After migration, the operation phase focuses on managing the cloud environment to ensure reliability and performance. Governance policies are established to optimize resource utilization and address operational challenges promptly.
Phase 5: Optimization: Enhancing Efficiency
Continuously improve performance, cost, and security.
The optimization phase is an important part in listing the phases of cloud migration, which focuses on refining the cloud environment to maximize return on investment. This involves right-sizing resources, leveraging cost-saving options and enhancing security through regular audits.
Automation and DevOps practices, such as CI/CD pipelines, are implemented to improve scalability and agility, ensuring the cloud aligns with constantly changing business needs.
Informative snippet: Poorly planned migrations can lead to downtime, with 60% of companies experiencing at least one hour of unplanned downtime during migration.
Metrics to Track in Each Phase
Tracking the right metrics is like having a dashboard for your cloud migration journey. It keeps you informed and in control. Below, we dive into the key metrics for each phase, explaining why they matter and how they drive success, making sure your migration stays on course and delivers real value.
Phase 1: Readiness Score
Think of the readiness score as your project’s health check before take-off. This metric evaluates your infrastructure’s compatibility with the cloud, stakeholder alignment, and risk mitigation plans.
For example, it might measure how many of your legacy apps can seamlessly integrate or identify gaps in team training. A high readiness score (say, 85% or above) signals you’re well-prepared, while a lower score highlights areas like outdated systems or unclear goals that need attention before moving forward.
Phase 2: PoC Success Rate
In the planning phase, your proof of concept (PoC) is your test drive. The PoC success rate measures the percentage of test migrations that meet performance, cost, and functionality expectations.
For instance, if you’re testing a critical app, a 90% success rate across multiple PoCs means your strategy is solid. A lower rate might prompt you to tweak your approach, saving you from costly missteps during the actual migration.
Phase 3: Downtime, Error Rate
During migration, every second counts. Downtime tracks how long your systems are offline, ideally kept under a few hours to avoid disrupting business operations. The error rate measures issues like data corruption or failed transfers – aim for below 1% to ensure a smooth move.
For example, a company migrating a customer-facing app might celebrate zero downtime, while a 5% error rate could signal the need for better testing or tools.
Phase 4: Cost Reduction %, CPU Utilization
Once you’re in the cloud, it’s time to measure the tangible savings and improved efficiency. Cost reduction percentage shows how much you’re saving compared to your previous on-premises setup often achieving 20–30% lower costs through optimized resource usage.
CPU utilization indicates how effectively your cloud servers are performing; ideal ranges (typically 60–80%) ensure you’re not overspending on underused capacity. Together, these metrics validate that your cloud environment is delivering on its cost-efficiency goals.
Phase 5: Security Audit Scores, SLA Adherence
In the optimization phase is the last step in the list of phases of migration in cloud computing, security and reliability take center stage. Security audit scores, often expressed as a percentage (e.g., 95% compliance), reflect how well your cloud setup meets industry standards like GDPR or PCI-DSS. SLA adherence measures whether your cloud provider meets agreed-upon uptime and performance targets – aim for 99.9% or higher.
For instance, a fintech company like RupeeRedee which partnered with Rapyder, would prioritize near-perfect scores to protect customer data and ensure 24/7 service availability.
Real-World Case Insights
RupeeRedee, a Gurugram-based fintech startup founded in 2018, showcases the power of a structured cloud migration. Offering instant digital loans to underserved markets, they expanded from 10 to over 35 cities, requiring a scalable, secure cloud infrastructure.
Partnering with Rapyder Cloud Solutions, an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner, RupeeRedee migrated 40+ servers to AWS using the five-phase approach and followed the steps to cloud migration. Let’s list the phases of cloud migration regarding case study!
Preparation: RupeeRedee assessed their Vyatta Gateway and Rackspace-based infrastructure, identifying the need for a cloud platform to support growing customer demand and stringent security requirements. A cloud readiness assessment confirmed AWS as the ideal choice.
Planning: Rapyder’s cloud architects worked closely with RupeeRedee’s DevOps team to design a migration roadmap, replacing Vyatta Gateway with AWS-native tools like VPC and WAF. A successful PoC validated the strategy, ensuring confidence in the plan.
Migration: Over four weeks, RupeeRedee migrated their web and mobile applications to AWS EC2 and Amazon Aurora, achieving minimal downtime through meticulous planning and mock drills. AWS IAM ensured secure access throughout the process.
Operation: Post-migration, Amazon CloudWatch provided real-time performance monitoring, while AWS WAF safeguarded against cyber threats, ensuring 24/7 availability for loan services.
Optimization: The migration delivered a 500% increase in capacity to handle customer traffic and a 30% reduction in costs, with further savings from AWS credits. Regular security audits and SLA monitoring ensured compliance and reliability, meeting fintech industry standards.
RupeeRedee’s journey highlights how a disciplined, phased approach can drive scalability, cost efficiency, and security, enabling rapid business growth.
Read the detailed case study here.
Informative snippet: The financial services sector leads in cloud adoption, with 91% of banks and financial institutions using cloud services for data analytics and compliance. Healthcare follows closely, driven by telemedicine and data storage needs.
Conclusion
Migration to cloud steps is a strategic enabler for businesses aiming to thrive in a digital-first world. By following the five phases of cloud migration – preparation, planning, migration, operation, and optimization and tracking critical metrics like readiness scores, PoC success rates, downtime, cost reductions, and security audit scores, organizations can ensure a seamless transition. RupeeRedee’s AWS migration, powered by Rapyder, demonstrates the transformative potential of this approach.
Ready to start your cloud journey and learn more about steps to cloud migration?
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