Application migration has pretty much become the need of the hour with dynamic environments and active scaling up for businesses. A proper application migration project plan is needed for a business to become more flexible and agile.

In this article, you will read more about application migration and its key stages.

What Is Application Migration?

Application migration refers to the entire process of shifting or moving an application to a different computing environment. This often refers to a shift from a public cloud to a private cloud or a server shift for the application. Different approaches to cloud migration can be explored under app migration.

Learn about: Common Cloud Migration Risks And How To Avoid Them

Challenges of Application Migration

While application migration and developing a project plan for application migration are crucial to enhancing the functionality of your app and business, there are several challenges that one might face in the process. Some typical challenges include:

1. Lack of identification of root cause

One of the most common challenges includes a lack of fundamental identification of why you want to make a shift in the first place.

2. Data Migration and System Migration Synchronization

Data migration has its own layer of challenges. This, along with ensuring that a working system is migrated in sync with data requirements, is a key challenge.

3. Maintaining Business Continuity

While a bigger, better, and more robust system is what seems like the way to go, not being able to maintain business continuity with a system too complex for your business operations should be something to consider while making your application migration to cloud project plan.

4. Prompt Planning based on existing system

Last but not least, planning based on existing features and the various risks and challenges of the existing system is something that is often overlooked.

Key Stages of Application Migration Plan

If you’re starting out with a prospective app migration plan, a software migration plan example broad template can be chalked out with the key stages in mind. At Sofyrus Technologies, we follow some key steps to trigger the app migration process.

Let's discuss each step one by one:

Stage 1: Discovery Phase, Migration Planning, and Design

Duration - 2-3 months

Discovery

• This stage begins with a thorough audit of your app and the scope for salability.
• The discovery phase begins with both parties getting an understanding of application modules that are on priority to be migrated and those that can be securely carried out at the current stage.
• We review your current key business processes to ensure these could be supported during migration.
• This phase also includes the compliance and risk analysis for the business application migration and various dependencies that need to be considered before the migration process can be initiated.

Migration Design

• The new target environment is selected, and the most efficient design is chosen to make the shift.
• This is the part where the kind of environment you want to shift to or a hybrid version of it can be considered.
• All the refactoring, rehosting, and platform upgrade designs are considered for migration design.
• Last but not least, we also identify the design aspects or functional aspects that you want to retain and thus keep them unaltered.

Relevant read: Common ERP implementation risks

Migration Planning

• Migration planning involves a full analysis of different dependencies within your existing system. These become relevant to allow the creation of a strategy for migration that considers dependent data flows and hardware/software that are required for mutual operation.
• The exact steps needed to make the shift are drafted so that the migration can be carried out methodologically. This is the core stage of planning with all the necessary information at hand.
• This stage ends with creating a detailed application server migration project plan.

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Stage 2: App Architecture and Code Updates

Duration - Varies depending on the discovery phase

App Architecture for New Environment

• The size and structure of the code need to be altered and made compatible with the new environment.
• In some cases, this might work with the addition of minor patch code, while other cases might require extensive work to update the application architecture.
• This stage also involves the possible integration of application parts or modules that are too risky or extremely expensive to migrate.

Updating the Code for Compatibility

• Conversion tools are employed to adjust the code of the application and update it for suitable integration with the new environment.
• This aspect is crucial before any actual data or testing processes can be initiated. Some manual updates, checks, and monitoring can also be required at this stage.
• New requirements for compatibility with cloud services and the upgraded architecture design are also considered and dealt with at this stage.

Stage 3: Data Migration & Testing

Duration - Varies depending on the data to migrate

Data Migration

• The entire data migration and testing process begins with data extraction, removing redundancies, and data loading.
• This process could be data-intensive for applications that have more simultaneous and dynamic data requirements.
• Migration tools are used to streamline the process. First, a quality check is run to ensure data validity and remove redundancies in the existing data.
• Data migration is carried out and tested with an automated data migration tool.

Mock Migration and Migration Testing

• This is usually carried out first in a beta environment for testing to minimize risks.
• Migration testing goes beyond the regular checks and tests carried out. This stage involves fine-tuning operations by running functional tests on the migrated application.
• Any issues or problems triggered during this stage are identified and fixed before the migration is made live. Monitoring tools are also set up for continued monitoring of operations.
• The final migration with API integrations is then carried out.

Stage 4: Decommissioning Unrequited Aspects & Support

Duration - 2-4 weeks

Eliminating Redundant Features

• The final stage involves a second audit where any unnecessary or irrelevant aspects are removed from the old application.
• This includes removing peripheral requirements of the old application or even parts of the new system that are not seemingly functional or do not seem to be useful after the new audits.
• Typically, the old environment is not completely dismantled at this stage. This acts as a backup for the new system in case any troubleshooting occurs. Having the old environment can assist with testing for such issues as well as act as an intermediary to run business operations meanwhile fixes are made.

Continued Support for the Migrated System

• We also set up infrastructure monitoring tools to keep track of your app operations to continuously render support services.
• The response time, error cases, general performance, and obstacles to usability are considered over a period of time to improve the system.
• Further cost optimization and robust operations can be identified by tracking which aspects are most in use and which of them don’t seem to integrate with the fundamental functionality of your business operations.

How Much Does The Application Migration To The Cloud Cost?

The process of application migration and application migration plan steps for each case or business are bound to be different. In some cases, the cost of app migration to the cloud might be around $1000 per server, while the cost might shoot up to over $15,000 for a more complex application migration test plan.

At Sofyrus, the price range varies simply based on the amount of effort needed for the shift. We can determine the average cost for each case post the audit and selection process.

Application Migration Testing Checklist/ Best Practices

Once armed with an application migration plan example or a general path to carry out the migration, a testing checklist or best practices to follow should be handy right from stage 1. These could include simple practices on the planning level or fundamental practices to carry out complex requirements.

Some top items on your application migration best practices list include:

1. Assess new environment and business functionality

One pivotal best practice is to start out by assessing whether or not the new computing environment you’re planning to shift to is suitable for your fundamental business functionalities.

2. Create a Structured and Dynamic Migration Plan

Having a structured application migration plan that still accommodates your dynamic requirements is recommended. Planning for various aspects of the migration in-depth is something that should surely be on the checklist.

3. Create Backups

This one is extremely crucial for any complexity of application migration. Prior to migration and active testing, always create sufficient backups to prepare for any unwarranted data losses that might occur.

4. Prepare your System for Data Migration

Another commonly overlooked best practice is the lack of preparing your system for data migration. Organizing data and preparing the system for operations while the migration can be carried out can be some aspects to consider.

5. Implement Automation

Implementing automation wherever possible can make application migration a lot easier. Automate manual processes to eliminate errors as far as possible.

Get help in automation services and Improve competitiveness and efficiency by automating repetitive processes and workflows

6. Hold-off migration of semi-developed apps/modules

It is considered best to avoid migration of any applications or modules within it that are still under development. This could have data compromises along with issues with code restructuring.

7. Test before and after migration

Thorough tests should be conducted before and after migration to ensure no aspects are missed out on and the transition is not only successful but also fully functional.

8. Estimate the time for migration

An estimate of the time needed to carry out migration can assist with preparing your business to carry out its operations meanwhile. This is a best practice because if migration takes longer than expected, it could have adverse impacts on the business.

9. Approximate budget before starting out

This is one that gets diluted in the process of app migration and planning. Having a budget for the whole process is also an important checklist item. While this might be decided after discovery, sticking to this budget ensures you’re operating with profitability for your business.

Application Migration Timeline

The timeline for application migration can be as quick as a few weeks in simple cases or might even take 4-8 months for complex structural cases. Your application migration plan example rendered during the discovery phase can help determine the timeline.

In general, the timeline for each distinct phase in the four stages can be approximated as follows:

• Discovery Phase: 2-4 weeks
• Migration Planning and Design: 1-2 months
• Architectural Planning and Updates: 4-8 weeks
• Data Migration: 4-8 weeks
• Migration Testing and API integration: 4-8 weeks
• Eliminating Redundancies: 2-4 weeks
• Support Phase: continued as required.

Tools for Application Migration to Cloud

A variety of tools can be used for application migration to cloud. These would vary depending on the extent of migration and the complexity. Sofyrus uses some cutting-edge tools and frameworks to make the app migration process robust.

These include:

• Azure Migrate
• JIRA Documentation
• AppDynamics
• AWS
• CloudM
• Carbonite Migrate
• Appium
• Galen Framework
• Turbonomic
• Google Migration Services
• Automation frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, Robot Framework, etc.

Final Words

Need help in cloud services? Contact our team of experts and learn how we can help you in cloud migration and cloud app development services.

If you’re still in two minds about how to plan migration to cloud or any other environmental integration for your app, Sofyrus is your key to exploring diverse options.

Ours is a team that focuses on custom panning your application migration steps along with surveying various application migration plan templates to help you make the right pick. Brainstorm with us to explore why you want to make the switch, and we’ll put promising app migration plan options on the platter for you!