{"id":8897,"date":"2025-04-26T23:19:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T13:19:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/?p=8897"},"modified":"2025-11-09T17:06:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T06:06:35","slug":"on-premise-to-cloud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/","title":{"rendered":"On Premise to Cloud: Benefits, Migration Steps, and Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#On_Premise_vs_Cloud_Understanding_Your_Infrastructure_Options\" >On Premise vs Cloud: Understanding Your Infrastructure Options<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Business_Benefits_of_Migrating_from_On_Premise_to_the_Cloud\" >Business Benefits of Migrating from On Premise to the Cloud<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Step-by-Step_Process_for_On_Premise_to_Cloud_Migration\" >Step-by-Step Process for On Premise to Cloud Migration<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Assessment\" >Assessment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Planning\" >Planning<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Choosing_a_Cloud_Provider\" >Choosing a Cloud Provider<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Data_Migration\" >Data Migration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Application_Migration\" >Application Migration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#Optimisation_and_Monitoring\" >Optimisation and Monitoring<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#On_Premise_to_Cloud_Migration_Tools\" >On Premise to Cloud Migration Tools<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/on-premise-to-cloud\/#How_Interscale_Helps_Your_Business_with_On_Premise_to_Cloud_Migration\" >How Interscale Helps Your Business with On Premise to Cloud Migration?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving from on premise to cloud is about swapping physical servers you own for cloud-hosted resources that scale with your needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019ve got inefficiencies that can slow down even the simplest tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Interscale, we&#8217;ve seen firms lose hours to slow VPN access, experience delays because project files weren\u2019t 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&#8217;ll break down what this transition means for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On_Premise_vs_Cloud_Understanding_Your_Infrastructure_Options\"><\/span>On Premise vs Cloud: Understanding Your Infrastructure Options<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019re responsible for hardware, maintenance, updates, and on premise security. That means significant upfront investment and ongoing management by your internal IT team. Scalability? You\u2019ll need to buy more equipment. Security? That\u2019s all on you, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s kinder to tight AEC budgets. Collaboration shines with cloud accessibility, letting teams work from anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Business_Benefits_of_Migrating_from_On_Premise_to_the_Cloud\"><\/span>Business Benefits of Migrating from On Premise to the Cloud<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/benefits-of-cloud-migration\/\">The benefits cloud migration<\/a> 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s hard to match on-prem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when it comes to security? Cloud providers invest heavily, so long as you manage your part of the shared responsibility model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step-by-Step_Process_for_On_Premise_to_Cloud_Migration\"><\/span>Step-by-Step Process for On Premise to Cloud Migration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Making the leap from on premise to cloud is a process. And getting it right means following the logic on premise to <a href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/what-is-cloud-migration\/\">cloud migration<\/a> steps. Here\u2019s a typical flow we follow to make the on premise migration to cloud as smooth as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Assessment\"><\/span>Assessment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What are the performance needs?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are your cloud security and compliance requirements?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What specific problems are you hoping this cloud migration will solve?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Planning\"><\/span>Planning<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you know what you\u2019re working with, map out the strategy. Whether it\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019t forget change management, address staff resistance through clear communication and training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Choosing_a_Cloud_Provider\"><\/span>Choosing a Cloud Provider<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s their cloud security like, and do they meet any specific compliance needs you have? Pricing models vary, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So you need to compare those against how you expect to use the resources. For example, if you&#8217;re already using Microsoft 365 extensively, <a href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/azure-migration-strategy\/\">Azure offers a smoother integration strategy<\/a>. Always look at the whole picture to find the best fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Data_Migration\"><\/span>Data Migration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Application_Migration\"><\/span>Application Migration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Migrating applications, especially specialized AEC software, depends on the strategy defined during planning. Depending on the plan, this might mean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lifting existing server setups onto cloud VMs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Swapping an old tool for a cloud-based alternative<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can even tweak the applications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Optimisation_and_Monitoring\"><\/span>Optimisation and Monitoring<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the post-migration phase, you need to fine-tune your cloud setup. Are you paying for server power you don&#8217;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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On_Premise_to_Cloud_Migration_Tools\"><\/span>On Premise to Cloud Migration Tools<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A range of on premise to cloud migration tools are available in the market, each with a job to do. Let&#8217;s break several of them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>During the Assessment Phase: <\/strong>Assessment tools like Azure Migrate or AWS Migration Hub, inventory your servers and apps, mapping dependencies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>For Execution Phase: <\/strong>Migration tools, such as AWS Application Migration Service or Google\u2019s Migrate for Compute Engine, handle moving VMs and databases. If you\u2019re dealing with serious data volume, AWS Snow Family or Azure Data Box helps you transfer files offline.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>During Post-migration Phase: <\/strong>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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Interscale_Helps_Your_Business_with_On_Premise_to_Cloud_Migration\"><\/span>How Interscale Helps Your Business with On Premise to Cloud Migration?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/services\/cloud-services\/cloud-migration-services\/\">Interscale cloud migration services<\/a> 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\u2019re eyeing Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, we can be your <a href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/azure-migration-consultant\/\">Azure migration consultant<\/a> 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\u2019s value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, we don\u2019t 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\u2019ll walk through your current challenges, explore your options, and give you clarity. So, let&#8217;s start with a discussion. You can book your free <a href=\"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/contact-us\/\">discussion sessions here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":8899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[919],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cloud"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8897\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interscale.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}