Moving from on premise to cloud is about swapping physical servers you own for cloud-hosted resources that scale with your needs.
For many AEC business today, sticking with traditional on-premises systems has become a growing challenge. Many are struggling with slow access to large project files like Revit or AutoCAD. This hinders real-time collaboration between teams in the office, on-site, and with external partners. Add to that the headaches of outdated communication tools and data silos. And you’ve got inefficiencies that can slow down even the simplest tasks.
At Interscale, we’ve seen firms lose hours to slow VPN access, experience delays because project files weren’t syncing properly, or struggle to scale across new locations due to server bottlenecks. This is why we help them make the on premise migration to the cloud smoothly. In this article, we’ll break down what this transition means for you.
On Premise vs Cloud: Understanding Your Infrastructure Options
Choosing between on premise and cloud infrastructure boils down to understanding their core differences. On-premise systems give you full control, but at a cost. You’re responsible for hardware, maintenance, updates, and on premise security. That means significant upfront investment and ongoing management by your internal IT team. Scalability? You’ll need to buy more equipment. Security? That’s all on you, too.
Different from on premise, cloud platforms operate on a pay-as-you-go model. They handle the heavy lifting, from hardware, security updates, backup, and compliance. You scale resources up or down as projects demand, paying only for what you use. This is an OpEx model that’s kinder to tight AEC budgets. Collaboration shines with cloud accessibility, letting teams work from anywhere.
Business Benefits of Migrating from On Premise to the Cloud
The benefits cloud migration brings to the table go well beyond IT upgrades. Lower total cost of ownership is one. You eliminate the CapEx of aging servers, while your provider handles updates and maintenance.
Especially for AEC, the real win is collaboration. Cloud platforms give your teams real time access to hefty CAD or BIM files from any site, cutting version conflicts and delays that eat into profits.
Then you have scalability advantages in the cloud. Scalability lets you scale up during heavy project loads, then scale down when things quieten. Cloud platforms also offer robust backup and disaster recovery by default, with geographic redundancy that’s hard to match on-prem.
And when it comes to security? Cloud providers invest heavily, so long as you manage your part of the shared responsibility model.
Step-by-Step Process for On Premise to Cloud Migration
Making the leap from on premise to cloud is a process. And getting it right means following the logic on premise to cloud migration steps. Here’s a typical flow we follow to make the on premise migration to cloud as smooth as possible.
Assessment
The foundation of any cloud migration is a deep dive into your current setup. Typically, you need to map out servers, networks, and critical AEC apps like CAD or BIM. Then you must pinpoint dependencies and pain points. This step also audits costs, performance needs, and compliance requirements to shape a migration that fits your firm. Simply put, try to answer these questions:
- What are the performance needs?
- What are your cloud security and compliance requirements?
- What specific problems are you hoping this cloud migration will solve?
Planning
Once you know what you’re working with, map out the strategy. Whether it’s rehosting (lift-and-shift) or a deeper replatforming, align the method with your goals. This is also when you set timelines, allocate roles, and plan for user training.
For many AEC firms, the rehosting or replatforming legacy applications in phases is often practical due to complexity and cost constraints. Also, please develop a realistic timeline, allocate resources, and create detailed execution and rollback plans. Don’t forget change management, address staff resistance through clear communication and training.
Choosing a Cloud Provider
Picking the right partner, AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, is a big decision. So you need to consider things like: do they offer powerful enough virtual machines for your graphics-heavy software? Where are their Aussie data centres for best performance and data sovereignty? What’s their cloud security like, and do they meet any specific compliance needs you have? Pricing models vary, too.
So you need to compare those against how you expect to use the resources. For example, if you’re already using Microsoft 365 extensively, Azure offers a smoother integration strategy. Always look at the whole picture to find the best fit.
Data Migration
Getting your data, especially those massive AEC project files, from your servers into the cloud needs careful handling. So, how do you manage this migration from server to cloud? For smaller amounts or live data, you can use secure online transfers. But for terabytes of historical data, uploading over the internet can take forever and cost a bomb.
Often, using physical transfer devices (like AWS Snowball or Azure Data Box) is faster and more secure. In this phase, you must plan the timing meticulously to minimise disruption. All to ensure data integrity is maintained throughout the on prem to cloud transfer.
Application Migration
Migrating applications, especially specialized AEC software, depends on the strategy defined during planning. Depending on the plan, this might mean:
- Lifting existing server setups onto cloud VMs
- Swapping an old tool for a cloud-based alternative
- You can even tweak the applications.
For graphics-intensive applications like Revit or AutoCAD, GPU-enabled instances or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions may be necessary. And you need to check compatibility, test rigorously, and review licensing to avoid surprises during the server migration to the cloud.
Optimisation and Monitoring
In the post-migration phase, you need to fine-tune your cloud setup. Are you paying for server power you don’t need? Can you adjust the settings for better efficiency? Also, keep a close watch on cloud security settings, ensuring everything stays protected and compliant. Here, you can use cloud provider tools to monitor many aspects. This ongoing optimisation helps you get the most value from cloud migration.
On Premise to Cloud Migration Tools
A range of on premise to cloud migration tools are available in the market, each with a job to do. Let’s break several of them:
- During the Assessment Phase: Assessment tools like Azure Migrate or AWS Migration Hub, inventory your servers and apps, mapping dependencies.
- For Execution Phase: Migration tools, such as AWS Application Migration Service or Google’s Migrate for Compute Engine, handle moving VMs and databases. If you’re dealing with serious data volume, AWS Snow Family or Azure Data Box helps you transfer files offline.
- During Post-migration Phase: A cost management tool like Azure Cost Management keeps your OpEx in check, while monitoring tools like AWS CloudWatch ensure performance and security. Third-party options, like Carbonite Migrate, add flexibility for multi-cloud setups.
On the other side, major cloud providers offer several native toolsets. AWS provides Migration Hub, Application Migration Service, and the Snow Family for data transfer. Azure offers Azure Migrate for assessment and migration. Meanwhile, Google Cloud provides Migration Center and specialised tools for compute and database migration.
How Interscale Helps Your Business with On Premise to Cloud Migration?
Interscale cloud migration services are designed with your workflows, timelines, and project complexities in mind. Typically, our cloud migration services start with a thorough assessment, digging into your goals and setup. We craft a tailored plan, whether you’re eyeing Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.
Also, we can be your Azure migration consultant or guide for any platform. During execution, we prioritize data security and minimal downtime, so your operations stay on track. After migration, we stick around, optimizing performance and costs to maximize your cloud’s value.
However, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Every migration we do is grounded in client business needs, clear communication, and honest advice. This means we’ll walk through your current challenges, explore your options, and give you clarity. So, let’s start with a discussion. You can book your free discussion sessions here.
