Azure Cloud Migration & Readiness Checklist

Cloud migration helps your organization to modernize mission-critical applications by increasing agility and flexibility.  

In 2021, worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services is forecast to grow 23.1% to a total of $332.3 billion, according to the latest forecast from Gartner.

Gartner also predicts the future of cloud and edge infrastructure by showing the picture of changing enterprise infrastructure, new opportunities, and new threats for I&O leaders.

According to Gartner’s prediction, enterprise infrastructure will be connected by more than 15 billion IoT (Internet of things) devices by 2029. So, if the I&O leaders don’t properly coordinate when and how they will be connected then all the trusted, untrusted, corporate, and guest devices can pose a risk to the enterprises.

Also, this is common for IT organizations to find the IoT devices on their networks and they can install, secure, or manage themselves. If the enterprises will segment or isolate the devices, then they can save themselves from cyberattacks. 

A dimensional research survey found that less than 5% of cloud migration had been successful and more than 50% were over budget or delayed because of the lack of knowledge or well-developed process. 

But if you don’t want to repeat the same mistakes as others did then you can explore the below cloud migration readiness checklist for migrating the IT system. 

Consider the intended checklist below and address it to maximize your chances of successful cloud migration.

What is Azure Cloud Readiness Assessment and Why It Matters

A Cloud Readiness Assessment is a thorough estimation that explains the company’s ability to transition to cloud computing effectively. It includes analyzing IT infrastructures, security, applications, and compliance to identify potential challenges. 

Why Does Cloud Readiness Matter? 

• Defines methodology to assess IT assets and enables the creation of a migration plan 
• Companies tend to know potential vulnerabilities so that they can address them well before migrating to the cloud.
• Evaluating the existing security posture helps businesses make sure they meet compliance needs.
• Companies can effectively decrease costs after conducting the Cloud Readiness Assessment. 
• Businesses can complete their cloud migration successfully after a thorough CRA. 

Importance of a Cloud Assessment Checklist for Businesses

Cloud assessment is beneficial for modern businesses as it allows them to know about their current IT infrastructure, align the right cloud approach according to their business objectives, and effectively evaluate risks and challenges for cloud migration. 

Step-1: Business Strategy & Planning Checklist

Identify a compelling business reason for migrating to the cloud

Identify and reach out to business stakeholders, IT, executive sponsors throughout your organization for a funding commitment. Ensure you have an executive champion who can help clear roadblocks and other barriers

Do you have the right internal staff to complete a migration project? What resources will you need?

Step-2: Right Migration Partner Search & Support

Find a Microsoft Partner who can help with your migration project to help reduce time to market.

Step-3: Workload/Application Discovery & Assessment

Evaluate your cloud readiness by using the Strategic Migration Assessment and Readiness Tool prescribed by Microsoft. 

Develop a plan for cloud adoption & migration by establishing the objectives and priorities

Step-4: Financial Planning And TCO

Create a personalized business case by using the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculator for potential savings estimation and cost planning

Step-5: Cloud Migration Planning Checklist

Encourage your internal team to complete the following Azure certifications;

1. Azure Fundamentals
2. Solution Architecture
3. Security Fundamentals

to help ensure you are setup for success and can manage your migration long term

Discover and assess your current application server environment and critical dependencies

Assign a project manager and business analyst to the project to develop a detailed scope, project roadmap and detailed work packages

Read and identify your migration & digital estate modernization options such as rehosting, refactoring, rearchitecting

Step-6: Landing Zone Setup Checklist

Set up an Azure landing zone designed to accept the migrated workloads (with some important components such as – networking, identity, management, security, and governance)

Step-7: Cloud Migration Execution Checklist

Train your migration team and check their prior experience in the migration process

Secure your Azure workloads by designing for the following aspects such as – (i) identity & access, (ii) app/data security, (iii) network security, (iv) threat protection, (v) security management

Step-8: Read, Learn, Optimize, Improve

Assess and migrate with low complexity workloads as a pilot for successful migration journey

Run a test migration by using Azure migrate that doesn’t impact on-premises machines & then migrate groups of physical or virtual servers at scale

Use Azure database migration service for database migration from on-premises to Azure

Step-9: Governance And Management Checklist

Monitor Azure cloud spend and recommend the cost-saving options by using the tools

Explore and visit the Azure security center, policy, and Azure blueprints after migration to ensure the resources are deployed in a consistent and repeatable way

Monitor the health performance and enhance the security of your Azure apps, infrastructure, and network

Backup plan for critical data and ensuring disaster recovery objectives

On-Premise to Azure Migration Checklist: Preparing Your Infrastructure

Checklist to consider: 

#1 Preparation of important tools and migration backlog needed in advance: 

For Azure cloud readiness assessment, you must certainly know important tools and create a robust migration backlog from digital estate planning. Here, migration architect and project managers have a vital role to play. 

#2 Pick the Azure regions for the purpose of migration: 

You must know the entire planning process for selecting Azure cloud regions for workload migration to the Azure platform. It is also essential to keep in mind important actions for assessing, migrating, and various other procedures. The cloud operations manager and the landing zone architect play an important role in this process. It is also essential for the Azure cloud migration checklist. 

#3 Aligning roles and the responsibilities: 

It is vital to know the proper role for the entire migration project. Here, the project manager, and the stakeholder play a vital role. 

#4 Integrating skillset readiness for the purpose of migration: 

Learn about proper training and the resources your team requires for migration skills. The project manager plays a vital role in this regard. 

Why Techblocks is Your Ideal Azure Migration Partner

Reasons why Techblocks is the right choice for Azure cloud migration? 

#1 Provides agile delivery: 

Known for agile methodology, TechBlocks make sure that projects run on the schedule and focus on decreasing costs. 

#2 Has global network: 

TechBlocks also has a wide network around the world that eventually enables it to use the proficiency of 2000+ engineers and analysts to solve complicated system issues. 

#3 Better Azure expertise: 

The Techblocks team is adept at perceiving the nuances of the Azure platform and identifying ways to utilize its capabilities for different workloads.

#4 Getting to market: 

Backed by agile methodology, TechBlocks enable businesses to move to market quickly and decrease time and costs.