AWS Cloud Migration for DevOps-Ready Companies: A Checklist

As more and more companies move to the cloud, even if in bits and pieces, there has been a lot of talk about the resources available for this change. Of course, there exists a world of cloud platforms, but a growing number of companies are considering migrating their apps and systems to the AWS cloud, i.e. undertaking AWS cloud migration. But why? Well, because of the benefits, of course — AWS cloud migration offers a significant reduction in costs, enhanced levels of productivity, the ability to scale apps quickly, and so much more. It has emerged as one of the most trusted and secure cloud platforms that enable the safest ways to save data, run applications and even provision a wide range of computing services that are on the cloud. Further, AWS cloud, similar to any other cloud platform, offers a host of services by which organizations can migrate a whole or part of their applications to the cloud. So, given all these benefits one stands to gain, if you too are considering AWS cloud migration, here is a checklist of the key factors to keep in mind:

1. Prepare the architecture: The first step of the migration process must always be a review of the current app and/or systems. Besides evaluating the system’s readiness to move to the cloud, it is also imperative to decide which facets of the app will continue to be on-premises, if the databases too will stay on in the on-premises infrastructure, data security measures, etc.
2. Tools: A rather handy way of easing as well as streamlining the process of migrating to the cloud is the use of migration tools. While there exists an abundance of options in the market in this regard, some of the more prevalent and commonly-used migration tools include AWS Migration Acceleration Program, AWS Migration Hub, AWS Application Discovery Services, AWS Cloud Adoption Readiness Tool, etc. Of course, considering that the process of migration to the cloud continues to evolve, this list of tools you can use will and should also change along with the evolution of the overall process.
3. Preventative security measures: Yet another key point of difference you will observe when moving to the cloud is in the context of security. The parameters and considerations are significantly different in the cloud, so make sure to fortify your security measures accordingly.
4. Document incident response process: Operating in the cloud is vastly different from when one uses on-premises infrastructure. This reality, in turn, puts the focus squarely on the incident response process among other things. Make sure to update and document your incident response process for the cloud-based infrastructure. It would also be a good idea to leverage on-demand resources to help roll back any updates that may be causing issues.

The process of migrating to the AWS cloud platform may seem a tad complex at the outset but trust us when we say that the process and efforts are well worth it. For starters, AWS is not only among the most cost-efficient solutions out there in the market but is also highly conducive to the automatic scaling of resources should the need arise. The last bit also means no unnecessary expenses since you will be paying only for services that you use. So, if you too are ready to move to the cloud architecture and achieve better productivity across operations and several other such benefits, it is time to kick start your migration process. Engage the services of an expert vendor to ensure a seamless process and do not forget about the AWS cloud migration checklist, of course.