Lift & Shifts’ Definition & Scope of Work

Objective

VSTECS’ Lift & Shift service aims to modernize customers’ technological backbone to enhance efficiency, reliability, and security while aligning with current industry standards and future scalability needs.

Definition

Lift & Shift, also referred to as rehosting, is a cloud migration strategy that involves moving applications from on-premises environments to the cloud with minimal or no modifications. This method allows for a swift migration by replicating the existing application architecture in the cloud, preserving the current setup and functionality while leveraging the scalability, reliability, and cost-efficiency of cloud infrastructure.

Scope of Work

This project encompasses the comprehensive upgrade of customers’ infrastructure components, including hardware, software, networking, and security systems. It involves phased implementations to minimise operational disruptions and ensure a seamless transition.

Assessment & Planning

  • Conduct a thorough assessment of the current on-premises environment.
  • Identify applications, dependencies, and data to be migrated.
  • Create a detailed migration plan and timeline.

Infrastructure Setup

  • Set up the AWS environment including Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), subnets, security groups, Identity and Access Management (IAM), and other foundational services.

Data Migration

  • Ensure data integrity and security during the migration process.

Application Migration

  • Rehost applications using AWS services such as AWS MGN (Application Migration Service), EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud).
  • Perform necessary configurations to ensure applications run seamlessly in the cloud.

Testing & Validation

  • Conduct comprehensive testing to ensure applications are functioning as expected post-migration.
  • Validate performance, security, and compliance.

Optimisation

  • Optimise the cloud environment for performance and cost efficiency.
  • Implement best practices for monitoring and management using AWS CloudWatch and other tools.

Value Proposition

Cost Savings

  • Reduce capital expenditure on hardware and infrastructure maintenance.
  • Pay only for what you use with AWS’s scalable pricing model.

Scalability

  • Easily scale applications up or down based on demand.
  • Leverage AWS auto-scaling to handle variable workloads efficiently.

Performance

  • Improve application performance with AWS’s robust and high-speed infrastructure.
  • Utilize advanced AWS services to enhance application capabilities.

Security

  • Benefit from AWS’s comprehensive security features and compliance certifications.
  • Ensure data protection with encryption and network security measures.

Business Continuity

  • Enhance disaster recovery capabilities with AWS’s global infrastructure.
  • Ensure high availability and reliability with AWS’s redundant data centres.

Target Customer

Enterprises with Legacy Infrastructure

  • Companies operating with outdated or legacy IT infrastructure that struggle to keep up with modern performance and scalability requirements.

Businesses Facing High Operational Costs

  • Organisations experiencing high costs associated with maintaining on-premises data centers, including hardware, power, cooling, and real estate.

Companies Undergoing Digital Transformation

  • Businesses aiming to modernise their IT landscape as part of a broader digital transformation strategy.

Organisations with Seasonal or Variable Workloads

  • Companies with fluctuating or seasonal workloads that require flexible scaling capabilities.

Start-ups and Growing Businesses

  • Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups looking to scale their operations quickly without heavy upfront investment in IT infrastructure.

 

Architecture Design

High-Level Architecture for Lift & Shift Migration

Networking: Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) with Staging area, Public and Private subnets is configured. Networking between corporate and VPC will be transverse via public internet; however, VPN Gateway can be implemented should there be a requirement for SS.

Compute: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instance is to serve as replication server to replicate on-premises App/DB servers in the Staging Area subnet. Amazon EC2 offers a broad selection of instance types optimised for different use cases including compute-optimised, memory-optimised, storage-optimised, and GPU instances.

Storage: Use Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) for block storage needs. EBS volumes can be dynamically scaled to accommodate growing storage needs without impacting performance.

Security: Implement IAM policies and roles for access management. Configure security groups and Network ACLs for network security.

Customer Engagement

Initial Consultation

  • Understand customer requirements and current infrastructure. Provide a high-level overview of the migration strategy and benefits.

Assessment & Planning

  • Conduct detailed assessments to create a tailored migration plan. Provide timelines, cost estimates, and resource requirements.

Execution

  • Perform the migration in phases to minimize downtime and disruptions. Provide regular updates and reports on progress.

Post-Migration Support

  • Offer support and training to ensure smooth transition and operation in the cloud. Provide ongoing optimisation and management services.

Feedback & Improvement

  • Gather feedback to improve services and address any issues. Continuously improve engagement processes based on customer insights.