Cloud migration
Also known as: cloud migration, moving to the cloud, lift and shift, cloud adoption
Cloud migration is the process of moving a business's data, applications, and infrastructure from on-premises servers to cloud services.
Done well, it reduces hardware costs, improves flexibility and remote access, and offloads maintenance. Done hastily, it can cause downtime, surprise costs, and security gaps, so planning and phasing matter.
Cloud migration, explained at three levels
At home
Cloud migration is like moving from a house you own to a managed apartment building. You pack up your belongings, meaning your files, email and software, and move them into space someone else maintains. You stop fixing the furnace and roof, but you pay rent every month. Like any move, it goes best when you plan what to bring, what to replace and when.
At work
Cloud migration is the process of moving a business's data, email, applications and servers from equipment in the office to cloud services like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Azure or AWS. Businesses care because it can remove aging servers, improve remote access and shift maintenance to the provider. Done hastily, it causes downtime, surprise bills and security gaps, so it is usually phased.
At home
A small-business migration usually follows a few steps. First, inventory what you have: email, shared files, business apps and the server running them. Next, decide where each goes, such as email to Exchange Online, files to SharePoint and OneDrive, and an accounting app to its cloud version. Then copy data with migration tools, test it, switch users over, often on a weekend, and keep the old system as a fallback for a while.
At work
Cloud providers describe several strategies, often called the 'Rs'. Rehost, or lift and shift, moves a server as-is to a cloud virtual machine. Replatform makes small changes, like moving a database to a managed service. Refactor rebuilds an app around cloud-native services. Repurchase replaces it with SaaS. Retire switches off what is no longer needed, and retain leaves some systems where they are. Each workload gets its own choice, based on cost, complexity and risk.
At home
The surprise in cloud migration is often cost. Owning a server means a big purchase that then feels free, while the cloud bills every month for computing, storage and data leaving the provider, called egress. A rehosted server that runs all day can cost more than the old one. SaaS replacements usually save more than moving servers. While the cloud is often worth it, in my opinion it pays best when you replace systems rather than just relocate them.
At work
Structured migrations follow frameworks such as the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework or AWS's migration guidance: assess, plan, migrate and optimize. Assessment includes dependency mapping, since apps often rely on hidden connections to file shares or databases. Security is set up first, with identity, MFA, conditional access and logging, because cloud follows a shared responsibility model. Cost governance uses budgets and tagging. Data residency matters too, and Microsoft, AWS and Google all offer Canadian data centre regions.
Real-world examples
At home
Marcus ran an aging office server for files and email that was costly to maintain and inaccessible remotely. His MSP planned a phased cloud migration (email to Microsoft 365 first, then files to SharePoint), testing each step, so staff gained remote access without disruptive downtime.
At work
Nadia's firm faced a looming server replacement. Rather than buy new hardware, their MSP assessed each workload, moved email and files to the cloud, migrated a key application to a cloud-hosted version, and modelled the ongoing costs, retiring the server room while improving remote access and resilience.
Common confusions
- Cloud migration is just copying files to the cloud — It can involve moving applications, reconfiguring security and access, retraining users, and re-architecting workloads. Simple file moves are one part; full migration is a planned project with many considerations.
- Moving to the cloud automatically saves money — Cloud can reduce hardware and maintenance costs, but ongoing subscription and usage costs can surprise the unprepared. Cost modelling and optimization are needed to actually realize savings.
- Once in the cloud, security is entirely the provider's job — Cloud uses a shared responsibility model: the provider secures the platform, but you must configure access, MFA, and data protection. Misconfiguration is a leading cause of cloud security incidents.
For analysts
Approach cloud migration as a phased project, not a one-time copy: assess each workload, decide whether to rehost, refactor, or replace with SaaS, model the ongoing costs, and plan security and cutover carefully. The two most common regrets are surprise running costs and misconfigured security, both preventable with planning.
History & origin
As cloud platforms matured through the 2010s, businesses began moving away from maintaining their own servers toward cloud services: email, file storage, applications, and infrastructure. Early migrations were often 'lift and shift'; approaches matured into structured methodologies weighing cost, security, and re-architecting. Remote work accelerated the trend, and for many small businesses, migrating to cloud services became a natural step managed with an MSP's help.