AWS Windows Migration Doesn’t Have to be Daunting and Disruptive

SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 were great solutions for their time, but nothing lasts forever, especially in computing. Support for SQL Server 2008 ended on July 9, 2019, and support for Windows Server 2008 will end on January 14, 2020. Is your business prepared for these changes? If not, migrating to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud is an excellent option, as it will give your firm the computing power and functionality needed to support key business objectives and promote growth for years to come. But instead of struggling to handle all the details of an AWS Windows Migration through your in-house IT staff, consider letting an expert AWS Consulting Partner handle the entire job.

Your AWS Windows Migration Doesn’t Have to be a Chore

Engaging an AWS Consulting Partner to perform all stages of your AWS Windows Migration migration removes the hassle of having to do it yourself, gives you a better-performing infrastructure, and cuts costs. You’ll get a cloud environment optimized by AWS experts who have successfully accomplished migrations for many other clients. Because you aren’t just reacting to unsupported software: AWS Windows Migration is an opportunity to transform your business for the better.

When you engage an AWS Consulting Partner they’ll use six tested strategies for performing a seamless AWS Windows migration. Known as “the 6 R’s”, these best practices will bypass migration problems and reduce downtime.

The 6 R’s to Optimize AWS Migration

• Rehost: A means of retaining data while migrating software.
• Replatform: The process of moving from one platform to another.
• Repurchase: Exchanging a current licensing model for a new, upgraded one.
• Refactor/Re-architect: Editing the way an application is architected or developed to add new features or improve performance and scaling.
• Retire: Retiring IT assets that are no longer useful or made redundant by new AWS solutions.
• Retain: Retaining parts of the IT portfolio that still have value.

Along with the 6 R’s to optimize AWS migration, your AWS Consulting Partner will also use the AWS 5 phase approach to optimize each stage of the cloud migration process.

The AWS 5 Phase Approach for Cloud Migration

• Phase 1 - Discovery: Learning which applications can be moved to the Cloud.
• Phase 2 - Assessment: Selecting the appropriate migration methods and best practices.
• Phase 3 - Proof of Concept: Testing proof of concepts for AWS storage to spot benefits and limitations.
• Phase 4 - Migration: Migrating your applications to AWS.
• Phase 5 - Ensure Support: Ensuring long-term, 24x7 support, including system maintenance and on-going upgrades.

The 6 R’s and the AWS 5 phase approach are based on best practices and will make your migration a great success. Therefore, it is crucial to choose an AWS Consulting Partner who uses them both. The right AWS partner will customize and optimize your migration plan by connecting you with a Solutions Architect who will analyze your current environment and create a unique migration plan to fit your business needs.

An Easy AWS Windows Migration Starts by Meeting With a Solutions Architect

Handing your migration over to an expert AWS Consulting Partner begins by meeting with a Solutions Architect. This is a migration professional who will work to understand your business needs and customize the 6 R’s and the AWS 5 phase approach to best support your availability and business needs. A Solutions Architect can not only ensure that your organization does not lose access to business-critical applications during the migration but also ensure you end up with an optimized IT infrastructure that better supports your key business objectives and growth goals.

Your Solutions Architect will begin by accessing your current infrastructure and identifying legacy technology that can be eliminated. If years—or even decades—have passed since your last server architecture redesign, it’s likely there’s AWS or other modern solutions your Solutions Architect can use to optimize your environment and reduce complexity.

Based on a deep understanding of your business needs and goals, your Solutions Architect will develop your optimal migration plan. Employing a variety of tools like AWS Elastic Beanstalk, AWS CloudFormation, and AWS CodeDeploy, to name a few, your Solutions Architect will customize and optimize your AWS Windows migration process.

Furthermore, your Solutions Architect will ensure your AWS Windows migration is executed under the direction of experienced engineers. This is critical, as migrations can sometimes become troublesome, and using experienced engineers will help you avoid technical problems and added costs. Together, a dedicated team of engineers and Solutions Architects will optimize your new AWS environment for high performance and cost savings.

Imagine, you can upgrade from SQL Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 without application service disruptions. And, you’ll end up with a new infrastructure that runs better than your current system, and for less than the cost of migration using in-house staff. An ideal migration is waiting for your firm—only if you choose the right AWS Consulting Partner for the job.

Getting Started

Be prepared for the end of support of SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 by letting Mission migrate all your business-critical applications to the AWS cloud for you. As an AWS managed services and consulting partner, we have the knowledge and experience needed to perform a seamless migration and deliver a high-performance IT infrastructure to support your business needs. How do we know we can help your firm? Because we’ve successfully accomplished migrations for many other clients—including ATCC.

ATCC is a global biological materials resource and standards organization that provides scientists with the materials they need to conduct research. ATCC found itself in a tough situation. Their server host was shutting down, after years of service, and ATCC only had eight weeks to migrate their Windows-based environment—as well as 8 TB of data. Ultimately, they turned to Mission to handle this time-sensitive job.

Mission successfully completed the entire migration within a single day. Using CloudEndure, Mission was able to conduct a rapid, live-site migration and apply CloudEndure’s disaster recovery capabilities. ATCC’s site stayed online and operational throughout the migration, and customers never experienced any service interruptions. Mission enabled ATCC to replicate their systems in real-time, and now they have an infrastructure on the AWS cloud that’s reliable and will meet their requirements for years to come. And if Mission can get these results for ATCC, we can do it for your company, too.

Your AWS Windows migration doesn’t have to be painful. Let Mission’s expert team do all the work while you focus on what your business does best—collecting profits and delighting customers.