7 Cloud Migration Strategies: From Lift-and-Shift to Full Re-architecture
Migrating to the cloud is not just a tech trend—it’s a strategic move that enables agility, scalability, and long-term cost savings. But not every application or workload can take the same path. That’s why cloud architects and engineers often follow the “7 Rs of Cloud Migration”—a set of strategies that guide organizations through the transition process based on the app’s current state, future goals, and technical constraints.
In this blog post, we’ll walk through all 7 cloud migration strategies, compare their complexity and benefits, and help you understand which approach fits your use case. We’ll also include a visual diagram that illustrates the relationships and differences among them.
What Are the 7 Cloud Migration Strategies?
These strategies provide a decision-making framework to choose the best path for migrating applications, data, and workloads to the cloud:
1. Rehost (Lift-and-Shift)
Use Case: Migrate quickly with minimal code changes.
Approach: Move your application “as-is” to a cloud environment—usually from on-premise VMs to cloud-based VMs.
Pros: Fast, low-risk, works well for legacy apps.
Cons: Doesn’t leverage cloud-native benefits (scaling, automation).
2. Replatform (Lift-Tinker-and-Shift)
Use Case: Make minor optimizations before migration.
Approach: Modify certain components—such as switching to a managed database, updating the OS, or using a cloud storage service—without rewriting the app.
Pros: Better performance and efficiency than rehosting.
Cons: Still limited in long-term scalability.
3. Repurchase
Use Case: Replace outdated apps with SaaS solutions.
Approach: Instead of migrating, retire your application and subscribe to a third-party SaaS (e.g., Salesforce, Office 365).
Pros: No need to manage infrastructure or updates.
Cons: May involve data migration and training users on the new platform.
4. Refactor / Re-Architect
Use Case: Apps need to scale, auto-heal, or support rapid feature releases.
Approach: Redesign and re-develop your application to be cloud-native, using microservices, containers, and managed services.
Pros: High performance, scalability, resilience, DevOps-friendly.
Cons: High cost, longer development time, requires skilled teams.
5. Retire
Use Case: Legacy apps that are no longer in use or needed.
Approach: Decommission the application completely to reduce costs and complexity.
Pros: Cost savings, simplified operations.
Cons: Must carefully assess dependencies and data retention requirements.
6. Retain
Use Case: Apps that can’t be moved due to legal, compliance, or technical constraints.
Approach: Keep the app in the current environment and revisit it in the future.
Pros: Avoid unnecessary changes.
Cons: May miss out on modernization or performance improvements.
7. Relocate
Use Case: Large-scale migrations needing minimal change.
Approach: Move entire infrastructure environments to the cloud using tools like VMware Cloud on AWS or Azure VMware Solution.
Pros: Maintains consistency, fast infrastructure migration.
Cons: Infrastructure-level move only—no app modernization.
Visualizing the 7 Strategies
To help you understand the relationships between these strategies, here’s a visual diagram:
Tip: Think of these strategies as a continuum—from simple rehosting to complete cloud-native re-architecture. The more you modernize, the more cloud-native benefits you unlock—but also the more effort it takes.
Choosing the Right Strategy
Choosing the right migration strategy depends on multiple factors:
- Business priorities (speed vs innovation)
- Budget constraints
- Application complexity
- Compliance and security requirements
- Team capability and cloud maturity
Hybrid approaches are common—where some apps are rehosted, others refactored, and a few retired altogether.
Final Thoughts
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to cloud migration. By understanding and applying the 7 Rs framework, you can create a flexible and future-ready migration roadmap tailored to your organization’s needs.
If you’re starting your cloud journey or planning your next phase of modernization, bookmark this post and revisit it during your strategy discussions.
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