In our Modernization Strategies series, we take a look at the full range of modernization pathways available to organizations that maintain legacy applications.
In this article, we focus on the first and most basic modernization strategy Rehosting, or ‘lift and shift’. We’ll define it, explain the pros and cons, and outline best practices.
What is rehosting?
The ‘rehost’ or ‘lift and shift’ involves moving an application and its associated data from an on-premises environment to the cloud without making any significant changes to the application.
It’s the simplest and most common cloud migration strategy and can be considered a first-phase move to modernization.
While the ‘lift and shift’ strategy has its advantages and disadvantages, it can be an effective first step in a company’s modernization journey.
In more technical terms, it involves copying application and data “bits” from an external environment into the cloud hosting service. The purpose is to replicate the existing system architecture in the new cloud environment as closely as possible, essentially creating an exact copy of the original application or workload, along with its data store.
This strategy is often used by organizations just starting their migration journey, providing significant benefits such as immediate cost savings and operational efficiencies.
Implications
It’s important to remember that while ‘lift and shift’ can be an effective initial step in cloud migration, it might not leverage the full capabilities and advantages of cloud computing.
For instance, the move by itself doesn’t typically involve any application modification to better support the cloud environment or take advantage of cloud-native features and services.
Therefore, further optimization strategies may be employed post-migration for greater efficiency and performance in the cloud.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the ‘Lift and Shift’ Strategy
Advantages
One of the primary advantages of the ‘lift and shift’ strategy is the reduction in costs. By moving to the cloud, businesses can significantly decrease their capital expenditure on hardware and infrastructure, shifting these to operational expenses instead. The scalability of the cloud also means that businesses only pay for what they use, leading to more efficient resource utilization.
Moreover, ‘lift and shift’ is often quicker and less complex than other migration strategies. It doesn’t require changes to the application’s code, which can be time-consuming and risky. This makes it an attractive option for organizations looking to move to the cloud quickly, or those with legacy applications that would be difficult to refactor for a cloud-native environment.
Disadvantages
While ‘lift and shift’ can offer quick wins, it isn’t without its drawbacks. One potential disadvantage is the complexity of migration. Despite its straightforwardness, the process of moving applications and data to the cloud can still be intricate and requires careful planning and execution.
Another potential downside is the impact on application performance. As ‘lift and shift’ doesn’t modify the application to take advantage of cloud-native features, it may not perform optimally in the new environment. This could lead to increased operational costs over time, offsetting some of the initial cost savings.
Best Practices for a Successful Migration
To ensure a successful migration, planning, testing, and monitoring are crucial steps.
Planning:
Understand your current environment, including the dependencies between applications, before starting the migration. This will help identify potential issues early on and ensure a smoother transition. Code analysis tools like CM evolveIT can help you every step of the way, saving time and reducing errors.
Testing:
Test the application in the new environment before going live to verify that it works correctly and performs well under load.
Monitoring:
After the migration, monitor the application closely to detect any issues quickly and troubleshoot them promptly.
Final Thoughts
While the ‘lift and shift’ strategy has its advantages and disadvantages, it can be an effective first step in a company’s modernization journey. A key point to keep in mind: further optimization may be needed post-migration to fully leverage the benefits of the cloud.
If you’d like to learn more about CM evolveIT code analysis capabilities, contact us.
