Cloud Migration Pattern refers to a reusable, standardized approach for transitioning applications, data, and infrastructure from traditional environments to cloud platforms. These patterns provide structured methodologies for addressing common migration challenges, enabling organizations to select appropriate strategies based on application characteristics, business priorities, and technical constraints.
For architecture professionals, cloud migration patterns form a critical toolkit for planning and executing complex migration initiatives. The most widely recognized pattern framework is Gartner’s “6 Rs”: Rehost (lift-and-shift), Replatform (lift-and-optimize), Repurchase (drop-and-shop), Refactor (re-architect), Retire (decommission), and Retain (keep temporarily). Architects must develop assessment criteria that match applications to appropriate patterns based on business value, technical debt, risk tolerance, and modernization objectives.
Effective migration architectures implement a wave-based approach that groups applications with similar migration patterns and dependencies. Each wave follows a structured methodology: discovery and assessment, detailed planning, migration execution, and post-migration optimization. This approach requires developing sophisticated dependency mapping capabilities that identify application interdependencies, data flows, and shared infrastructure components to prevent unintended disruptions during migration activities.
The governance of cloud migrations demands robust change management and testing frameworks. Many organizations establish migration factories—standardized processes and toolchains that industrialize migration activities through automation and repeatability. These factories typically implement detailed cutover planning processes that minimize downtime through techniques like blue-green deployments, canary releases, and data synchronization patterns. Architects must also design post-migration validation frameworks that verify functionality, performance, and security characteristics before decommissioning legacy environments.
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