When to adopt lift and shift migration approach?
Tags: appmodernization, liftandshift, tutorial
Published: 2023-02-10 18:07:02

Lift and shift is a method of moving applications and their related data to a secure and efficient system without changing how they are built.

For example, Cordant Group, a top security management firm, used lift and shift to transfer their operations to the AWS cloud. This included moving their websites, client desktop services, and important SQL databases to a virtual cloud because of the size of their business. This resulted in lower costs, strong backup systems, and advanced features.

The lift and shift approach helps businesses progress towards digital transformation by offering benefits such as lower optimization costs, increased flexibility, improved speed, and increased resilience and innovation.

Lift and shift can help you change the way you pay for using a system. To make sure the move is successful, you should plan it carefully, including everything you need. Here are some situations where lift and shift can be useful:

##When you want to move to the cloud completely

You can use [lift and shift](https://www.simform.com/blog/lift-and-shift/) to switch to a more advanced and flexible platform to manage future risks. You can move the data of your current application before you leave the old data center or end your contract.

Lift and shift moves your app and data to the cloud with little to no changes. You may need to make some adjustments when you move to a new cloud environment. But compared to other methods, lift and shift allows you to move your data to the cloud server quickly and with less investment.

##When you want to save money

Lift and shift can help businesses save money by allowing them to move their workloads to the cloud from their own computers with few changes. And they don't need to renew expensive licenses or hire professionals to make sure their old services are secure and updated.

You can move your apps to the cloud at a lower cost than buying a new and expensive solution. There are many cost calculators available, depending on what type of platform you are moving to. Some companies that offer these calculators include AWS, IBM, Azure, and Rackspace.

##When you don't have much experience with cloud-based solutions

Lift and shift may be a good option when you need a new platform or more storage and your current data system doesn't fit well.

Also, lift and shift can help your business grow smoothly. Today, many companies don't have much experience with the cloud. In these cases, it's important to follow the physical move with steps to modernize the cloud and train employees. 

To be successful in the long run, you'll need expert help, training, and ongoing development.

##When you don't have complete information

Refactoring is a very important part of modernizing applications effectively. Cloud experts break down existing applications or processes into smaller parts to make them more agile. This also gives them a chance to get rid of tech debt and improve some parts with cloud-based solutions.

To do this right, it's important to understand how your app works and what it's made of. You'll need information about the current setup, or you'll need to talk to people who are involved.

If you don't have all the information you need, a lift and shift might be helpful. After your app is in the cloud, you can start improving it or replacing it later.

##Conclusion

The lift and shift migration approach is an effective method for businesses looking to transition their existing applications and data to the cloud. It is an ideal solution for enterprises that need a cloud migration to save on costs, lack expertise in cloud-native solutions, or have limited documentation. This approach enables businesses to rehost their apps in the cloud at a lower cost, with little modifications, and minimal time and investment compared to other migration methods. In case you have any queries related to the topic, feel free to ask me questions in the comments section below.