The Cloud Migration Journey 6Rs, with Dilip Nath

The Cloud Migration Journey 6Rs

By Dilip Nath, Deputy CIO, Downstate Health Sciences University

The process of migrating to the cloud is complex and multifaceted. While notable advantages include cost savings, increased flexibility, and opportunities for innovation, there are also significant drawbacks such as provider dependency, hidden expenses, and skill gaps. Further challenges may arise, including failed migrations, security vulnerabilities, and licensing complications. Consequently, the narrative surrounding cloud adoption is nuanced rather than purely positive or negative. Achieving a successful transition to the cloud necessitates thorough due diligence.  

The Assessment Phase

The cloud adoption begins with the discovery and assessment. This step is among the most crucial stages since it will give you clarity about the current environment and lay the foundation of a successful migration. Lack of thoughtfulness about infrastructure, workloads and compliance needs can lead to migration resulting in increased costs, technical problems or even legal liabilities.

Assessing IT Infrastructure

The initial stage of the discovery process involves reviewing the existing information technology infrastructure. Organizations typically maintain collections of servers, storage systems, networks, and applications accumulated over time. These systems may include both current and older, yet essential, technologies. Completing an inventory is necessary to identify available resources and their usage.

Performance metrics such as storage capacity, processing power, and network bandwidth are also evaluated during the assessment. These metrics help determine areas where systems are either underutilized or experiencing high demand. For instance, some organizations possess powerful servers that see infrequent use, while others rely on outdated equipment that operates under significant strain. Access to this information assists decision-makers in identifying which systems could be migrated to the cloud, retained on-premises, or decommissioned.

Cost analysis is another important consideration. Maintaining physical infrastructure requires investment in hardware, energy, cooling, and staffing. Cloud migration may be considered when IT expenses do not yield proportional benefits, particularly regarding infrastructure costs. 

Workload and Application Analysis

Infrastructure analysis includes reviewing workloads, which are sets of processes, applications, and data serving business needs. Workloads vary in complexity—simple ones include file storage or email, while complex ones may involve ERP or real-time analytics. Organizations examine application dependencies, since migrating one part (e.g., a customer management app) without related components (such as its database or reporting tools) can lead to system failure. This prevents fragmented migration.

Performance needs also guide decisions: high-processing tasks like video rendering may require specialized cloud services, while predictable, low-demand workloads need fewer resources. Properly matching workloads with suitable cloud solutions avoids both underperformance and unnecessary expenses.

Security and Compliance Checks

The final stage of discovery focuses on security and compliance, especially for sensitive data like healthcare or financial information, which must be handled according to strict regulations. Organizations need to assess current security measures and identify additional requirements for cloud migration, using tools like cryptography, identity management, and monitoring. Compliance varies widely by country and industry—for instance, GDPR applies in Europe and HIPAA in U.S. healthcare—so thorough compliance checks are essential to avoid penalties and build trust. Failing to address these issues during migration can result in legal risks rather than benefits.

Migration Strategies (“6Rs”)

After discovery and assessment, the next step is selecting a migration strategy. The process can be described by the 6Rs: Rehost, Refactor, Rearchitect, Rebuild, Replace, and Retain. Each strategy presents specific advantages and disadvantages under different circumstances, and organizations should select strategies based on their goals, resources, and timelines.

Rehost (Lift and Shift)

Rehosting, or “lift and shift,” is a straightforward migration strategy that moves applications and data from on-premises to the cloud with minimal changes. It’s ideal for organisations seeking quick migrations without system reconstruction, especially for workloads that don’t require major updates. For example, a legacy accounting system can be moved to the cloud to reduce costs while remaining unmodified. However, this method may not fully leverage cloud features. According to Azure migration guidance, rehosting is often preferred for initial cloud adoption when speed and immediate cost savings are priorities over in-depth modernisation (Microsoft Azure, n.d.).

Refactor

Factoring is the small alteration to the applications to facilitate the better use of the cloud. These are not drastic modifications such as reconstruction or architect, but they are nonetheless productive to efficiency. As an example, an application can be modified to shift to the use of cloud bases rather than in-premise bases. The primary benefit of refactoring is that it is cost effective. It enables organizations to increase performance and flexibility, without going through the process of rewriting applications entirely. Nonetheless, there is planning involved in refactoring because seemingly simple changes can have ramifications to the interactions between systems.

Rearchitect

Rearchitecting involves a more comprehensive transformation in which code is rewritten to make use of cloud-native features such as microservices, serverless computing, and containerization. This approach can enhance scalability, resilience, and performance. For instance, an application that was once a single unit can be divided into smaller services that communicate through APIs, allowing each component to scale and update independently. Rearchitecting is frequently associated with broader digital transformation initiatives, as it alters both the operation of applications and related business processes. However, rearchitecting typically requires significant time, resources, and specialized skills. As a result, organizations facing strict deadlines may find this approach challenging to implement immediately.

Rebuild

Rebuilding involves redeveloping existing applications as well as creating new ones within a cloud environment. This strategy is typically adopted when legacy systems are outdated, inefficient, or unable to meet current business objectives. The advantage of rebuilding lies in its ability to offer optimal feasibility and ensure long-term relevance. Nevertheless, this approach demands substantial investment and advanced technical expertise. Consequently, not all organizations possess the resources for full-scale rebuilding, with most opting to focus on a select number of critical systems.

Replace

Replacing legacy systems involves phasing out existing applications in favour of software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions. Rather than maintaining custom-built programs, organisations implement standardised software platforms—such as Salesforce for sales management or Workday for workplace operations—to streamline processes. This strategy reduces both costs and maintenance responsibilities, as updates and enhancements are managed by the service provider. This deployment model is particularly prevalent in sectors like retail and education, where SaaS tools can deliver immediate benefits. As we can observes that industry-specific cloud-based applications are increasingly integral to digital transformation across various industries.

Retain

The final strategy, retain, refers to maintaining certain applications on-premises. Some workloads may be too sensitive or costly to migrate, while others may not require cloud integration. For example, a system supporting a minor internal process that is utilized solely within a small environment can remain onsite until it is no longer needed. Increasingly, hybrid models are being adopted, where components of systems are kept on-premises and integrated with cloud-based solutions. This approach allows organisations to advance strategically while adhering to financial and technical limitations.

About Dilip Nath

Deputy CIO, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Dr. Dilip Nath is a distinguished Technology leader in higher education and healthcare, known for his advocacy in Technology Justice, author of several books including a book on “Delivering Equitable Healthcare through Technology”, 4th Industrial Revolution with AI & Technology Justice, currently serving as an AVP and Deputy CIO for the Downstate Health Sciences University.

With 30+ years of strategic planning expertise, Dilip focuses on using technology to bridge equity gaps in healthcare and education. At 16, Dilip emigrated from Bangladesh to the US, becoming the first in his family to attend college. He lived in Queens for 35 years, earning the trust of his community as a dedicated leader and activist.

Dilip is known for his visionary, team-oriented, and compassionate leadership. He is a respected advocate for various community issues, including healthcare, immigrant rights, and education. He founded NAVA and co-founded ABHF to further his endeavors.

He holds a D.B.A. in Business Administration, and a M.B.A. Technology Management. Dilip was awarded the Executive Certificate in Public Policy Credential.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dilipnath/