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A Step-by-Step Checklist for a Seamless Cloud Migration

Picture of Eldad Stinbook By   ·  3 minute read
 
Migrating to the cloud can feel like moving your entire business to a new city—exciting, but overwhelming if you don’t have a plan. Whether you’re a cloud engineer tasked with execution or an SMB owner looking to modernize without breaking the bank, a smooth migration starts with preparation. At Allthingscloud, we’ve guided countless teams through this process, and we’re sharing our battle-tested checklist to help you get it right. Let’s break it down, step by step.
 
Why You Need This Checklist
Cloud migration isn’t just "lift and shift." For engineers, it’s about minimizing downtime and ensuring systems hum in the cloud. For SMBs, it’s about keeping costs low and operations running. This checklist bridges both worlds—technical precision meets practical simplicity—so you can migrate with confidence.
 
Step 1: Define Your Goals and Scope
  • What to Do: List why you’re migrating (e.g., cost savings, scalability, remote access) and what’s moving (apps, data, workflows).
  • For Engineers: Inventory every workload—servers, databases, dependencies. Use tools like AWS Migration Evaluator or Azure Migrate to map it out.
  • For SMBs: Focus on business outcomes. Need better uptime? Faster customer response? Write it down.
  • Pro Tip: Start small—pick one app or service to migrate first as a proof of concept.
Step 2: Assess Your Current Environment
  • What to Do: Audit your on-premises setup to understand what you’re working with.
  • For Engineers: Document hardware specs, software versions, and network configs. Check for legacy apps that might not cloudify easily.
  • For SMBs: Ask: What’s critical to keep running? What can we ditch? (That old CRM no one uses? Maybe it’s time.)
  • Pro Tip: Tag assets by priority—critical, important, optional—to streamline planning.
Step 3: Choose Your Cloud Provider
  • What to Do: Pick a provider that fits your needs—AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or a niche player.
  • For Engineers: Match technical requirements (e.g., compute power, storage types) to provider strengths. Test compatibility with a small workload.
  • For SMBs: Compare pricing and ease of use. AWS is robust but complex; Google Cloud’s simpler for smaller teams.
  • Pro Tip: Look at support options—SMBs especially need responsive help when things go sideways.
Step 4: Plan Your Migration Strategy
  • What to Do: Decide how you’ll move—rehost (lift and shift), replatform (tweak and move), or refactor (rebuild for cloud-native).
  • For Engineers: Rehosting’s fastest—use tools like VMware Cloud or CloudEndure. Refactoring takes longer but optimizes performance.
  • For SMBs: Start with rehosting for speed and cost. Worry about fancy cloud-native stuff later.
  • Pro Tip: Build a rollback plan. If the migration hiccups, you’ll need a way back.
Step 5: Secure Your Data and Access
  • What to Do: Lock down your migration to avoid breaches or leaks.
  • For Engineers: Encrypt data in transit (use TLS) and at rest (e.g., AWS KMS). Set up IAM roles—least privilege only.
  • For SMBs: Ask your provider about built-in security tools. Don’t skip two-factor authentication for admin accounts.
  • Pro Tip: Test backups before moving. You don’t want to find out they’re corrupt mid-migration.
Step 6: Test Before You Leap
  • What to Do: Run a dry migration in a sandbox environment.
  • For Engineers: Simulate traffic, check latency, and validate app functionality. Fix bugs now, not later.
  • For SMBs: Confirm your team can still work—test email, customer portals, whatever keeps the lights on.
  • Pro Tip: Use a staging environment that mirrors production as closely as possible.
Step 7: Execute the Migration
  • What to Do: Move your workloads to the cloud, one piece at a time.
  • For Engineers: Schedule off-hours to minimize disruption. Monitor with tools like CloudWatch or Azure Monitor.
  • For SMBs: Communicate with your team—let them know what’s changing and when.
  • Pro Tip: Migrate in phases (e.g., data first, then apps) to keep risks low.
Step 8: Validate and Optimize Post-Migration
  • What to Do: Confirm everything works, then tweak for efficiency.
  • For Engineers: Check performance metrics—CPU, memory, I/O. Shut down unused resources to save cash.
  • For SMBs: Ask employees for feedback. Slowdowns? Glitches? Fix them fast.
  • Pro Tip: Set up auto-scaling early—it’s a quick win for cost and performance.
Bonus: Common Gotchas to Watch For
  • Data Transfer Costs: Moving big datasets can rack up fees—check pricing upfront.
  • Downtime Surprises: Test DNS changes ahead of time to avoid outages.
  • Skill Gaps: If your team’s new to cloud, budget for training or a consultant (hint: we’re here).
 
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