Replatform migration strategy, often called 'lift, tinker, and shift,' involves moving applications to the cloud while making some optimizations to take advantage of cloud capabilities. Unlike a simple lift-and-shift (rehost) approach, replatforming introduces targeted modifications that improve pe…Replatform migration strategy, often called 'lift, tinker, and shift,' involves moving applications to the cloud while making some optimizations to take advantage of cloud capabilities. Unlike a simple lift-and-shift (rehost) approach, replatforming introduces targeted modifications that improve performance, cost efficiency, or manageability during the migration process.
In AWS context, replatforming typically involves replacing certain components with managed services while keeping the core application architecture intact. Common examples include migrating an on-premises database to Amazon RDS instead of running a self-managed database on EC2, or moving from a traditional web server to AWS Elastic Beanstalk for simplified deployment and scaling.
Key characteristics of replatforming include:
1. **Moderate Effort**: Requires more planning than rehosting but significantly less than refactoring or re-architecting applications.
2. **Tangible Benefits**: Organizations gain operational advantages such as reduced administrative overhead, automated patching, built-in high availability, and improved scalability through managed services.
3. **Minimal Code Changes**: The core application logic remains unchanged, though configuration adjustments may be necessary to integrate with new cloud services.
4. **Risk Mitigation**: By preserving the fundamental application structure, teams reduce migration complexity and potential failure points compared to complete application redesigns.
Typical replatforming scenarios include:
- Converting Windows services to containers running on Amazon ECS
- Migrating message queues to Amazon SQS
- Transitioning caching layers to Amazon ElastiCache
- Moving file storage to Amazon EFS or S3
AWS provides several tools supporting replatform migrations, including AWS Application Migration Service, AWS Database Migration Service, and AWS Schema Conversion Tool. These services help identify optimization opportunities and streamline the transition process.
Replatforming is ideal when organizations want meaningful cloud benefits beyond basic infrastructure hosting but cannot justify the time and resources required for complete application modernization. It serves as a practical middle ground in the migration spectrum, delivering improved operational efficiency while maintaining reasonable project timelines and budgets.
Replatform Migration Strategy: Complete Guide for AWS Solutions Architect Professional
What is the Replatform Migration Strategy?
Replatform, also known as lift, tinker, and shift or lift and reshape, is one of the 7 Rs of cloud migration strategies. It involves moving an application to the cloud while making some optimizations to take advantage of cloud capabilities, but not changing the core architecture of the application.
Unlike a simple lift-and-shift (Rehost), Replatform involves making targeted modifications such as: - Moving from a self-managed database to Amazon RDS - Switching from on-premises load balancers to Elastic Load Balancing - Replacing local file storage with Amazon S3 - Implementing Amazon ElastiCache for session management
Why is Replatform Important?
Replatform strikes a balance between speed of migration and cloud optimization. Key benefits include:
1. Reduced Operational Overhead: By moving to managed services, organizations reduce the burden of patching, backups, and maintenance.
2. Improved Performance: Cloud-native components often provide better scalability and reliability.
3. Cost Optimization: Managed services can reduce licensing costs and infrastructure expenses.
4. Faster Time to Value: Compared to full refactoring, Replatform delivers cloud benefits more quickly.
5. Risk Mitigation: The core application logic remains unchanged, reducing the risk of introducing bugs.
How Replatform Works
Step 1: Assessment Evaluate existing applications to identify components that can benefit from managed services. Use AWS Application Discovery Service to gather data.
Step 2: Identify Optimization Opportunities Common replatforming targets include: - Databases to Amazon RDS or Amazon Aurora - Message queues to Amazon SQS - Caching layers to ElastiCache - Storage to Amazon S3 or EFS
Step 3: Plan the Migration Create a detailed migration plan using AWS Migration Hub. Define which components will be replatformed and the sequence of changes.
Step 4: Execute with AWS Tools Use services like: - AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for database migrations - AWS Server Migration Service for VM migrations - AWS Application Migration Service for application-level migrations
Step 5: Validate and Optimize Test the migrated application thoroughly and fine-tune configurations for optimal performance.
Replatform vs Other Migration Strategies
Rehost: Simple lift-and-shift with no changes. Faster but fewer cloud benefits. Replatform: Minor optimizations while keeping core architecture. Balance of speed and benefits. Refactor: Complete re-architecture for cloud-native design. Maximum benefits but highest effort.
Common Replatform Scenarios
- SQL Server on EC2 to Amazon RDS for SQL Server - MySQL to Amazon Aurora MySQL-compatible - On-premises Oracle to RDS for Oracle - Self-managed Redis to Amazon ElastiCache for Redis - Local NFS to Amazon EFS - Apache Kafka to Amazon MSK
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Replatform Migration Strategy
1. Look for keywords: Questions mentioning minimal changes, managed services, or reduce operational overhead often point to Replatform.
2. Database scenarios: When a question asks about migrating databases while reducing management burden, Replatform with RDS or Aurora is typically correct.
3. Time constraints: If the scenario mentions tight timelines but desires some optimization, Replatform is preferred over Refactor.
4. Cost considerations: Replatform questions often involve reducing licensing costs or operational expenses.
5. Distinguish from Rehost: If the question mentions moving to managed services, it is Replatform, not Rehost.
6. Distinguish from Refactor: If the core application code remains the same with only infrastructure changes, it is Replatform.
7. AWS DMS is key: Questions about database replatforming typically involve AWS Database Migration Service.
8. Watch for hybrid scenarios: Some applications may use Replatform for certain tiers while using other strategies for different components.
9. Consider compliance: Replatform to RDS can help meet compliance requirements through automated backups and encryption.
10. Remember the tradeoffs: Replatform requires more effort than Rehost but delivers faster results than Refactor with moderate cloud benefits.