Cloud adoption today is accelerating across Australia. We saw businesses are seeking a competitive edge to get ahead. This is why a well-planned migration is the key to unlocking that growth.
Yes, we all know the cloud is a great way to achieve these things. Cloud adoption offers everything from scalability and flexibility to cost-efficiency.
But how can we keep up with the latest cloud trends? What is a cloud migration strategy? Why is it so important for businesses to go on this big change journey?
Let’s break down those fundamental questions.
What is a Cloud Migration Strategy?
A cloud migration strategy is a detailed plan for moving digital operations to the cloud. For an Australian business, this plan must navigate local complexities, ensuring the cloud migration aligns with specific market conditions in Australia.
The strategy covers everything from:
- Assessing your current IT setup
- Picking the right cloud provider
- Selecting the best way to migrate each application
- Making sure data security and compliance are covered throughout the process.
The main aim of cloud migration is to make the best use of the scalability, flexibility and cost-efficiency that cloud environments offer.
Every Australian organisation needs to make its own migration strategy to fit its own particular business needs, whether this involves moving a few data points or executing a large-scale migration across multiple data centres. So, this strategic plan is not just a technical blueprint. It’s a vital part of a broader business transformation.
To get a broader overview, you can read “What is Cloud Migration? Definition, Importance, & Types.”
Phases of a Successful Cloud Migration
Moving to the cloud isn’t as simple as just copying and pasting. Understanding the key steps is crucial for a successful cloud transition, especially under Australian data regulations. Typically, your journey is broken down into distinct stages:
The Preparation and Assessment Phase
This initial phase lays a solid foundation for everything. It involves a thorough assessment of your existing IT infrastructure. You must also define security protocols and your migration approach.
Security and compliance frameworks are defined early in this phase. For Australian businesses, this often means aligning with ISO 27001, Essential Eight, and APRA CPS 234 standards. Encryption methods, identity controls, and access segmentation are specified before any workloads are moved.
The migration approach is then mapped to business priorities. Critical workloads are earmarked for earlier pilots, while non-essential systems may be scheduled later. This ensures the organisation balances risk, budget, and service continuity during the transition.
The Migration and Transformation Phase
This is the active stage of moving your workloads. The actual transfer of applications and data happens here. This phase involves orchestrating data replication, network cutover, and application deployment using tools from providers such as AWS Migration Hub, Azure Migrate, or Google Cloud Migrate.
This phase uses strategies like rehosting, replatforming, or refactoring. We’re gonna talk about different common cloud migrations later. But for sure, the goal is to transform your assets for the cloud.
Operational controls are continuously tested during this phase. Teams run validation scripts for data integrity, monitor service availability, and verify security policies. These checkpoints reduce the chance of failures cascading into larger business disruptions.
Post-Migration Management
Once migrated, the work isn’t finished. Your teams monitor application behaviour closely, validating performance against pre-defined service-level objectives. Data consistency checks, error log reviews, and API response times are compared to baselines to ensure stability across the new cloud environment.
Then, optimisation focuses on cost, scalability, and performance tuning. Rightsizing of compute resources, adoption of autoscaling, and review of reserved instances help align spend with actual usage patterns. In Australia, businesses often implement FinOps practices to manage billing transparency and ensure compliance with local tax reporting.
Governance and continuous improvement complete this phase. Security posture is hardened through ongoing vulnerability scans and identity audits. Meanwhile, backup and disaster recovery procedures are tested under real-world scenarios.
Regular optimisation cycles allow teams to refine workloads, adapt to regulatory changes, and capture the full strategic value of cloud adoption.
What are the 6 R’s of Cloud Migration Strategy?
The 6 R’s framework below helps organisations figure out the best way forward for their applications.
Rehosting
Rehosting, which is often called ‘lift and shift’, is the simplest way to move your data. It means copying the existing app to the cloud without making too many changes.
This is a great option for applications that aren’t cloud-native but could benefit from the cloud’s scalability and cost-efficiency. However, please note, rehosting might not fully tap into the cloud’s potential for innovation and agility.
Replatforming
Replatforming, or ‘lift and reshape’, is a bit more involved. It involves making a few minor optimisations to the application to make the most of cloud-native features. This could mean switching to a managed database service or a serverless architecture.
Replatforming is a great way to get some of the benefits of the cloud without completely overhauling your application. This can also mean integrating managed services, like cloud databases, to boost the application’s capabilities without changing its core architecture.
Repurchasing
When you repurchase, you’re swapping out an existing app for a new, cloud-based one. This is often the case when the existing application is out of date or doesn’t fit with the company’s long-term cloud strategy.
As Amdocs says in “Cloud Migration Strategy,” this approach is really effective when you’re moving from old on-site software to modern SaaS solutions. This means organisations can make the best use of the latest tech without having to worry about maintaining old systems.
Refactoring
Refactoring, or re-architecting, is basically rebuilding the application from scratch to make the most of cloud-native tech and design principles. That’s why refactoring is the most complex and resource-intensive of the six Rs.
This method is perfect for companies who want to get the full benefit from their applications in terms of performance, scalability and agility.
As the Hitachi Vantara white paper says, refactoring is often on the agenda for businesses looking to modernise their apps through things like microservices, serverless architectures and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
Retain
The retain strategy is used when an application isn’t ready for the cloud or doesn’t make financial sense to move it. In these cases, the application stays where it is while other applications move to the cloud.
The Successive Cloud approach suggests you can keep certain apps while you move others to the cloud, which lets you focus on the most important stuff first.
Retire
When you retire an application, you’re basically saying that it’s no longer needed or useful. This approach helps organisations get their IT portfolios down to size, cut costs, and get rid of security risks associated with outdated software.
The Amdocs team points out that retiring unnecessary apps frees up resources and makes the whole migration process easier, which is a great move for businesses looking to optimise their cloud environments.
To make this clearer, the table highlights when each path applies, the expected pace, cost profile, and practical examples in Australia business context.
| R | What it does | When to use | Expected speed | Cost | Risk | Typical changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehost | Moves as-is to new infrastructure | Stable app, close timelines | Fast | Low setup | Low to medium | Image, network, storage mapping |
| Replatform | Adopts managed services around core | Moderate change with wins | Medium | Medium | Medium | DB to managed, config tweaks |
| Repurchase | Switches to SaaS alternative | Legacy tool or licence pain | Medium | Subscription | Medium | Data load, process changes |
| Refactor | Re-architects for cloud-native patterns | Scale, agility, resilience goals | Slow | Higher initial | Medium to high | Microservices, serverless, CI/CD |
| Retain | Keeps in current environment | Constraint or low value case | N/A | Existing run | Low | Interfaces and controls only |
| Retire | Decommissions unused systems | Redundant or replaced features | N/A | Cost removal | Low | Archive and access policy |
How to Choose The Right Strategy
There’s no single right way to move your data to the cloud. You need to think about your apps, your business goals and how much risk you can afford to take.
- If you’ve got apps in a stable state but could do with the cloud’s scalability, ‘rehosting’ (or ‘lift and shift’) could be the way to go.
- If you’re looking for quick wins and some cloud optimisation without making major changes, ‘re-platforming’ could be the answer.
- If you’ve got legacy apps holding you back, ‘repurchasing’ with a SaaS solution could be a great way to start afresh.
- If you’re looking to be as agile and innovative as you can be, ‘refactoring’ your applications to be cloud-native could be the transformative step you need.
The most important thing is to look at each application separately and choose the strategy that best fits its specific needs and your overall business goals. So, which strategy you go for depends on a few things, like what your company’s current IT setup looks like, your business goals, Australia regulations, and how complex the apps you’re moving are.
On top of all that, we need to think about how each strategy affects security. For example, replatforming might involve integrating managed services that offer enhanced security features, while refactoring could introduce new vulnerabilities if not managed carefully.
So, a proper risk assessment is essential to make sure you choose the right strategy and that it fits with your security setup and any rules you have to stick to.
For further details on the Azure migration strategy, please refer to “How to Get Right in Azure Migration Strategy: Steps in Developing It.”
Best Practices for Developing a Cloud Migration Strategy
Developing a cloud migration strategy is never just about technical execution. It is a leadership exercise that combines planning, governance, and operational discipline. Below, we provide several best practices for aligning cloud migrations, your workflows, and your tech stacks with your business outcomes.
Set Clear Outcomes and Measurable Targets
By translating goals into cost, reliability, and speed metrics, progress becomes trackable and transparent. Owners and review cadences transform objectives into ongoing accountability. Yup it all begins by bringing clear outcomes that give leadership and teams a compass.
Build a Production-ready Landing Zone First
A migration only scales if the base is strong. Accounts, networks, and identity systems are configured to production standards, often automated through infrastructure-as-code. In Australia, this design embeds compliance with data residency and security frameworks from the very first move.
Sequence by Value and Technical Readiness
Prioritisation ensures momentum. Applications are grouped by dependencies and business impact so early waves deliver visible wins. Complex refactors are reserved for later, allowing confidence to build while risks are gradually reduced.
Automate Pipelines and Repeatable Runbooks
Automation brings consistency to what would otherwise be fragile manual steps. Infrastructure-as-code provisions environments, while pipelines manage validation, packaging, and cutovers. Each wave closes with updated playbooks, ensuring lessons become part of the process.
Harden Security and Compliance from Day One
Security cannot be bolted on afterwards. Least privilege access, encryption, and key management protect assets before workloads are live. Validation through tabletop drills proves data paths and access policies work under pressure.
Design for Resilience and Recovery Objectives
Resilience is engineered, not assumed. Recovery objectives are defined per service, and game days validate failover readiness across Australian regions. Ownership maps and escalation procedures mean incidents trigger fast, coordinated responses.
Implement Cost Management and FinOps Rhythms
Cloud elasticity brings financial complexity, so discipline is essential. Tagging resources ties spending back to business units, while budgets and alerts create guardrails. Regular FinOps reviews align engineering and finance, ensuring the cloud remains predictable and efficient.
Plan Communication, Training, and Support
Technology alone cannot carry a migration. Clear channels prepare teams for releases and incidents, while training builds confidence in new tools. Hypercare support provides a safety net during high-risk go-live periods.
Engage Expert Support when Required
Some workloads demand specialised expertise that internal teams cannot provide. External partners can guide regulated data migrations, complex refactors, or enterprise-scale moves. For sensitive cases, secure cloud migration services in Australia, like Interscale, can help you safeguard compliance and execution quality.
Tips for Choosing the Right Cloud Model and Provider
Selecting a cloud model and provider is a decision with long-term impact. It defines how you manage cost, control, security, and scalability across your digital operations. The choice must be made by matching business needs with the right technical fit.
Understanding Core Cloud Service Models
The public cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP) delivers elastic scale on shared infrastructure, ideal for speed and flexibility. The private cloud offers dedicated resources, giving tighter control and higher security for regulated workloads. A hybrid cloud blends both, supporting phased transitions and varying compliance requirements.
Each model addresses different priorities. Public cloud reduces upfront cost, private cloud protects sensitive systems, and hybrid cloud supports staged modernisation. Selecting the right model ensures your migration steps align with your business strategy.
Evaluating Leading Cloud Providers
Amazon Web Services (AWS) stands out for breadth and maturity across services. Microsoft Azure integrates naturally with Microsoft environments, making it strong for enterprises already invested in that stack. Google Cloud specialises in data analytics and machine learning, offering a competitive edge for data-driven projects.
In the end, each provider has strengths that may or may not suit your portfolio. So please compare service depth, local region availability in Australia, and pricing models carefully. The right choice enables reliable, cost-efficient, and secure cloud migration solutions.
How Interscale Helps You Develop a Suitable Cloud Migration Strategy
At Interscale, we leverage deep experience with major cloud platforms to help clients across Australia. We discuss Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). With those major platforms, we craft tailored cloud migration plans, providing practical solutions that meet local business needs.
That’s why we work closely with you to put together a strategy made just for you, based on what you need and what you want to achieve.
We start by taking a close look at your current IT set-up to see what needs to be fixed. Next, we put together a plan that makes sure your data is secure, you stay compliant, and your operations keep running smoothly.
We’ll help you figure out the best way to get the most out of the cloud. We’ll also make sure your data is secure and compliant throughout the migration, so you can relax while you move to the cloud.
We know our offering might seem a bit complex, and we apologise if that’s the case. Therefore, we truly hope you’ll do your homework, though. We’d be really grateful if you could do a bit of background research, fact-checking and due diligence on us.
We’d recommend you start by looking at our Interscale Cloud Migration Service page.
Or, if you get the chance, let’s grab a coffee and a croissant. We’d love to have a talk about anything you’re struggling with during your cloud migration.
In Closing
By choosing the right strategy and following best practices, you can reduce risks while increasing the value of cloud adoption. That is why it is essential to follow structured steps for cloud migration in the Australian context. This approach ensures digital transformation stays aligned with both operational stability and growth objectives.
Every step should be guided by a well-defined strategy in line with business objectives and capabilities.
So, what is a cloud migration strategy? A cloud migration strategy goes beyond the technicalities and encompasses the vision behind it.
