Master the 7 R's framework and build a bulletproof migration roadmap that saves costs while accelerating growth.
Reduce infrastructure costs by 30-50% while eliminating upfront hardware investments
Deploy new features 5x faster with managed services and auto-scaling
Access enterprise-grade security and compliance without the overhead
Recent surveys show that 94% of startups report improved operational efficiency after cloud migration, with the average company reducing their IT operational costs by 35% while increasing deployment frequency by 300%.
The 7 R's framework, originally developed by AWS, provides a systematic approach to categorize applications and choose the optimal migration strategy based on business requirements, technical constraints, and resource availability.
| Strategy | Description | Complexity | Timeframe | Cost | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehost | Lift-and-shift to cloud infrastructure | Low | 2-4 weeks | $ | Move existing VM to AWS EC2 |
| Replatform | Minor optimizations for cloud benefits | Medium | 1-3 months | $$ | Migrate to RDS instead of self-managed DB |
| Refactor | Re-architect for cloud-native benefits | High | 3-12 months | $$$ | Containerize monolith into microservices |
| Repurchase | Replace with cloud-native SaaS solution | Medium | 1-6 months | $$ | Switch from on-prem CRM to Salesforce |
| Relocate | Move to cloud with minimal changes | Low | 2-8 weeks | $ | VMware workloads to VMware Cloud |
| Retain | Keep on-premises for specific reasons | N/A | N/A | N/A | Legacy systems with compliance needs |
| Retire | Decommission unused applications | Low | 1-4 weeks | Savings | Remove redundant monitoring tools |
Cloud-native from day one with containerized microservices, managed databases, and serverless functions.
Hybrid approach balancing compliance requirements with cloud benefits, focusing on security and audit trails.
GPU-optimized instances, managed ML services, and data pipeline automation for scalable AI applications.
Inventory applications, dependencies, and current infrastructure costs
Rank applications by business value, complexity, and migration effort
Design target architecture with security, scalability, and cost in mind
Start with low-risk, high-value applications to validate approach
Implement IAM, encryption, monitoring, and compliance frameworks
Set up CI/CD pipelines and automated testing for migrated applications
Execute migration in planned waves based on dependencies
Implement FinOps practices and continuous optimization
# Auto-scaling policy example
aws autoscaling put-scaling-policy \
--policy-name cpu-scale-up \
--auto-scaling-group-name my-asg \
--policy-type TargetTrackingScaling \
--target-tracking-configuration '{
"TargetValue": 70.0,
"PredefinedMetricSpecification": {
"PredefinedMetricType": "ASGAverageCPUUtilization"
}
}'Replatforming involves making minor optimizations to applications during migration to take advantage of cloud capabilities without changing the core architecture. For example, migrating to a managed database service instead of running your own database servers.
Cloud migration timelines vary greatly depending on complexity. Simple lift-and-shift migrations can take 2-8 weeks, while comprehensive refactoring projects may take 6-18 months. Most startups complete their initial migration within 3-6 months.
Startups typically see 20-50% cost reduction through elimination of hardware costs, reduced IT staff needs, pay-as-you-use pricing, and automatic scaling. Additional savings come from improved developer productivity and faster time-to-market.
Most startups should start with lift-and-shift for quick wins and immediate cost savings, then refactor applications over time. This approach reduces risk while providing immediate benefits and learning opportunities.
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