How an AWS Migration Readiness Assessment can Ensure Success and Minimize Risk

If you were going on a road trip, you’d take a map app, right? Because believe it or not, migrating a workload to the AWS cloud is no different. In either case, the planning you do in advance is just as important as the journey you take.

A migration readiness assessment (MRA) is a structured, in-depth analysis of the workload being migrated to AWS. It asks a series of detailed questions to prepare you for seamless cloud migration. By following this self-guided checklist, you can ensure no important detail goes overlooked. It offers a methodology based on best practices that can help reduce risk, build a solid infrastructure, and lower migration costs. And by completing an MRA, your resulting AWS cloud environment will be of higher quality in terms of performance, availability, scalability, and cost than if you’d conducted your migration without one.

Don’t embark on your migration journey blindly. Avoid service interruptions, delays, and any of the countless problems that can occur by conducting an MRA with help from an expert AWS consulting partner. Here’s what to expect from an MRA, and how it can increase your AWS migration readiness.

AWS Migration Readiness Prepares You for Anything

The goal of an MRA is to clearly document what you need to migrate your workload to AWS. It will help you anticipate risks, cost, necessary processes, potential migration paths, and post-migration benefits. Essentially, conducting an MRA enhances AWS migration readiness, preparing you for all situations and preventing potential problems before they arise.

With an MRA in-hand, your firm will be fully equipped to make well-informed, data-driven decisions about your migration and learn the answers to your questions. Here are just a few of the important questions a thorough MRA should include:

• Is my workload a good candidate for migration to AWS? Learn if AWS is not the right solution for you before you invest time, work, and money in a migration.
• What, if any, re-architecture is required for my workload to support a move to AWS? If you’re using applications that aren’t easily portable, you must plan and budget for re-architecting accordingly.
• Does a “lift and shift” migration make sense for this workload? If your applications will require extensive redesigning, you may want to consider taking a different approach than AWS.
• How much would a migration to AWS cost? While AWS offers either the compute resources or data storage and transfer pricing models, you may need help in first estimating the costs of the migration itself.
• What would be the benefits of a migration to AWS? AWS offers a wide range of benefits, but it may offer your firm specific benefits based upon your particular computing needs. You’ll need this information to make an informed migration decision.
• What would the cost be for this workload upon successful migration? The cost to run a workload varies, and you’ll need to consider several factors before you can get any accurate cost projections. But having that information is important when budgeting long-term.

In other words, an MRA is the critical first step for an informed cloud migration. And because the above questions can require a complex process involving many different figures to answer, it’s best to consult an AWS consulting partner. They may be able to spot hidden benefits or cost optimization opportunities that may otherwise have gone unnoticed.

Getting Started

AWS has enormous potential to enable your business goals. But first, you need to know where you want your new IT infrastructure to take you. By enlisting an AWS consulting partner’s help in conducting your migration readiness assessment, you can be sure your migration will yield the optimal infrastructure to run your critical applications.

But where can you find the right consulting partner? If you’re looking for one that has performed dozens of successful AWS migrations, look no further than Mission. Our team has developed tested methodologies, documentation, and processes based upon our expertise. Our formalized process reduces risk, shortens timelines, and can enable you to migrate to the Cloud with full confidence. So if your organization needs guidance, let us help. Our solutions architects are happy to give you a free, one-hour consultation and to answer all your MRA-related questions.

FAQ

1. How frequently should a company perform an AWS Migration Readiness Assessment to ensure continuous alignment with AWS best practices and technological advancements?

A company should perform an AWS Migration Readiness Assessment periodically, especially before initiating any major migration project or when significant changes in their IT infrastructure or business strategy occur. Regular assessments, such as annually or biennially, help ensure the company remains aligned with AWS best practices and effectively adapts to new technological advancements.

1. What are the key differences between a Migration Readiness Assessment and a full AWS Well-Architected Review, particularly regarding scope and outcomes?

A Migration Readiness Assessment evaluates a company’s preparedness for migrating to AWS, covering aspects like business planning, readiness planning, and operational capabilities. In contrast, a full AWS Well-Architected Review is broader, assessing the architecture of existing solutions against AWS best practices across five pillars: operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization. The outcomes of each review are tailored to their specific focus areas.

1. Can a Migration Readiness Assessment help identify opportunities for using more cost-effective AWS services that could replace current solutions?
2. A Migration Readiness Assessment can help identify opportunities for using more cost-effective AWS services. By evaluating current infrastructures and applications, the assessment provides insights into alternative AWS services that could offer better performance at a lower cost. This process helps organizations optimize resources and reduce expenses as they prepare for migration.