Short answer: AWS migration means moving your servers, applications, data and workloads from your own premises or another provider into Amazon Web Services. AWS groups the ways to do it into the “7 Rs”: retire, retain, rehost, relocate, repurchase, replatform and refactor. Most small businesses use a mix, choosing the simplest option that works for each application.
Many Queensland businesses still run a file server in a cupboard, an ageing line-of-business application on a single server, or a mix of hosted services nobody fully understands. Moving to AWS can cut hardware worries and improve resilience, but “move to the cloud” is not one decision. It’s a series of small decisions, one per application. The 7 Rs give you a simple way to make them.
What is AWS migration?
AWS migration is the process of moving IT workloads into Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s public cloud platform. A workload might be:
- A file server or shared drives
- A line-of-business application and its database
- A website or customer portal
- Backups and archives
- Development and test environments
A migration usually has three phases: assess (what you have and what it costs), mobilise (plan, design the landing zone, sort out security and networking) and migrate and modernise (move each workload, test, then optimise).
What are the 7 Rs of cloud migration?
The 7 Rs are AWS’s migration strategies. Each application in your business gets one of them.
1. Retire
Switch it off. Most businesses find applications, servers or reports that nobody uses. Retiring them before migration saves money and reduces risk.
2. Retain
Leave it where it is for now. Some systems aren’t ready to move because of licensing, a recent hardware purchase, latency needs or a planned replacement. Retaining is a valid choice, not a failure.
3. Rehost (“lift and shift”)
Move the server as it is onto Amazon EC2, usually with migration tools that replicate it. It’s the fastest way to get out of an ageing server room and suits applications you can’t easily change.
4. Relocate
Move a whole virtualised environment, for example VMware workloads, to the cloud without changing each server. This is more common in larger environments but can suit businesses with a well-organised virtual platform.
5. Repurchase (“drop and shop”)
Replace the application with a software-as-a-service (SaaS) product. Moving from an on-premises email server to a hosted email service is a classic example.
6. Replatform (“lift, tinker and shift”)
Make a few targeted changes to gain cloud benefits without rewriting the application. A common example is moving a database onto a managed database service such as Amazon RDS, so AWS handles patching and backups of the database engine.
7. Refactor (re-architect)
Redesign the application to be cloud-native, for example using serverless or containers. It costs the most up front but can bring the biggest gains in scale and running cost. It suits applications that are core to how you make money.
Which of the 7 Rs is best for a small business?
There is no single best R. For most small and medium businesses, the practical pattern looks like this:
| Situation | Common choice |
|---|---|
| Old server nobody logs into | Retire |
| Legacy app with a vendor that won’t support cloud | Retain (for now) or rehost |
| File server | Repurchase (cloud file storage) or rehost |
| Line-of-business app with a SQL database | Rehost, or replatform the database |
| Email server | Repurchase |
| Custom app that drives your revenue | Replatform now, refactor later |
Start simple. Rehosting gets you off ageing hardware quickly, and you can optimise once the workload is running in AWS.
How long does an AWS migration take?
It depends on how many workloads you have, how they connect to each other, and how much change each one needs. A small environment of a few servers can often be assessed and moved in weeks. Larger or more interconnected environments are usually split into waves so the business keeps running.
What does AWS migration cost?
Costs fall into two buckets:
- One-off project costs: assessment, design, migration work, testing and any application changes
- Ongoing AWS costs: compute, storage, data transfer, backups and support, billed on usage
The way you migrate changes both. Rehosting is cheaper up front but can cost more to run if servers aren’t right-sized. Replatforming and refactoring cost more up front but can lower running costs. Ask for a cost estimate based on your actual usage before you commit.
What should you check before migrating to AWS?
A short pre-migration checklist:
- Inventory everything. List servers, applications, databases and their dependencies.
- Check licensing. Some software licences don’t transfer to the cloud, or cost more there.
- Plan identity and access. Decide how staff sign in and who has admin rights. Turn on multi-factor authentication.
- Design networking. Work out how your offices and remote staff connect to AWS.
- Plan backups and recovery. The cloud doesn’t back itself up by default.
- Set a budget and alerts. Use AWS budgets and cost alerts from day one.
- Agree a cut-over plan. Pick a time, test rollback, and tell staff what changes.
AWS or Azure?
If you’re weighing up platforms, read our comparison of Azure vs AWS migration. Many businesses already on Microsoft 365 look closely at Azure, while others choose AWS for specific services or existing skills.
AWS migration support in Queensland
Loginet Technologies is an AWS Partner, Microsoft Partner and Microsoft Azure Partner, with more than four years helping Queensland businesses. Our team of 20+ IT experts includes staff with AWS certifications, alongside Microsoft, Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet and CEH certifications. We work from Toowoomba and Bundall on the Gold Coast and support Brisbane businesses as well.
Find out more about our Amazon Web Services solutions and our cloud migration services, or see our wider cloud solutions.
Frequently asked questions
What does “lift and shift” mean?
It’s another name for rehosting: moving a server or application to AWS without changing it. It’s quick and low-risk, but it doesn’t take full advantage of cloud features.
Were there originally 6 Rs?
Yes. Earlier versions of the model had six strategies. AWS later added “relocate”, making seven.
Is my data safe in AWS?
AWS secures the underlying infrastructure, but you are responsible for how you configure your accounts, access, encryption and backups. This is called the shared responsibility model.
Can we migrate to AWS without downtime?
Most migrations can keep downtime short by replicating data first and cutting over in a planned window, often after hours. Some legacy systems need a longer outage.
Do we have to move everything at once?
No. Most businesses migrate in waves, starting with lower-risk workloads, and some systems stay on premises (retain) for a while.
Does AWS have data centres in Australia?
Yes. AWS has regions in Sydney and Melbourne, so you can keep your data in Australia.
Ready to plan your AWS migration?
Not sure which R fits each of your applications? Let’s talk and our team will help you assess your environment and build a practical migration plan.
