Software Development Updates

Organizations often get confused about how to migrate their workloads, digital assets, and data to the cloud. The process of cloud migration can be complicated, with potential problems like security vulnerabilities, downtimes, data leaks, and a plethora of other challenges along the way. 

Any experienced software developer or cloud expert will recommend you assess your requirements and resources before migration. It would help you draw out a detailed migration plan, one that offers step-by-step guidance to an efficient cloud migration process and outlines best practices to avoid potential pitfalls. 

An effective implementation of a cloud migration plan requires the use of appropriate cloud migration tools. Leveraging the right tool can bring in a wide range of benefits for both your project as well as your business. This article lists the leading cloud migration tools along with their features, pros and cons.

1. What is a Cloud Migration Tool?

A cloud migration tool is a software solution that enables you to transfer legacy systems to the cloud infrastructure. From planning to execution, these tools help you at every stage of cloud migration. 

Migrating apps, data, and other workloads is a challenging undertaking, but the entire process can be streamlined using such end-to-end solutions. However, it is important to understand that there is no universal solution or perfect combination of tools for every project. You can only find suitable tools that can fulfill your specific project requirements.

2. Essential Features to Look For in Cloud Migration Tools

When considering cloud migration tools, it is essential to look at the features to ensure a smooth transition to the cloud. So, your tool must have the following features:

2.1 Pre-migration Assessment

This is one of the most important features, that helps you decide which methodologies and resources would be the best fit for your project. The vendors leverage the tool to analyze the maturity of your app infrastructure and provide estimated returns along with tailored recommendations. They also help devise a clear implementation strategy.

2.2 Data Replication

This feature is used to make sure that your app data is copied to the cloud environment securely and accurately. Using data replication during the migration process helps minimize downtime and maintains data integrity. Many cloud migration tools support different data types and structures, providing real-time replication. They also come with a validation mechanism to prevent corruption or data loss during migration and that the cloud receives an exact copy of the original data. 

2.3 Performance Monitoring

You need to track the ongoing cloud migration process continuously to identify and address performance issues in real-time. The performance monitoring features in a cloud migration tool consist of analytical and reporting capabilities that help monitor the application’s performance. It also provides detailed insights that help you steer the migration process as per your predetermined strategy.

2.4 Application Rehosting

Rehosting is the ideal process for moving the app from your existing infrastructure to the cloud environment without implementing large changes. The process allows you to automate the entire process, ensuring a quick and cost-effective cloud migration with minimized disruption. The rehosting features of a migration tool support different app architectures and offer compatibility checks. 

2.5 Application Replatforming

App replatforming involves making minor modifications to the existing apps so that they can be adjusted on a new platform with cloud-native capabilities. They help improve the performance, efficiency, and scalability of the application. For a successful replatforming, a cloud migration tool provides automated testing, integration with cloud services, and guidance for necessary code changes.

2.6 Migration Process Tracking

Gain complete visibility into every step of the cloud migration process with migration process tracking features. It enables you to manage expectations, resources, and project timelines. Migration process tracking streamlines the migration by offering predictive analytics and comprehensive reports that help mitigate risks. These tools have an intuitive UI and high collaboration capabilities that provide real-time tracking, enabling you to manage the migration project effectively. 

2.7 Compatibility with Your Cloud Destination

No matter which cloud migration tool you choose, compatibility with your target environment is important. Some migrations occur from on-premise to cloud, some from a public cloud to a private cloud, or between different cloud platforms. Your tool does not necessarily have to be compatible with all environments, but it must support your targeted migration destination. 

2.8 Data and Content Migration

Cloud migration is not just about moving your app services, it also includes moving all the datasets and content of your application. The right cloud migration tool must be able to migrate all the workloads, data types, and content without disrupting the operational efficiency of the application. 

2.9 End-to-end Migration Support

From planning to execution and maintenance, your cloud migration tool must be useful in every step of the migration process. Picking a tool that supports an end-to-end journey is more efficient than relying on different tools for every other project task.

3. Top Cloud Migration Tools

After discussing essential features, it’s time to take a look at the most popular and widely used cloud migration tools. 

3.1 AvePoint Migration

AvePoint Fly Server is one of the most powerful tools designed for custom cloud migration, particularly with Microsoft 365 environments. It is used to streamline the migration, or restructuring of the cloud content while ensuring data integrity throughout the process. 

It allows the consolidation of content from various sources, such as Box, Dropbox, Slack, and Google, and merges Microsoft 365 tenants. On top of that, AvePoint supports the integration of on-premise resources with Microsoft 365 environments. 

Features: 

• Pre-migration data assessment.
• Pre-scanning to identify potential issues. 
• Supports end-to-end cloud migration.
• Allows content migration and data classification.
• Automated migration process.
• Real-time monitoring of the migration process. 
• Optimization of M365 migration.

Pros: 

• Provides insights for app and infrastructure optimization.
• Supports exporting all reports into CSV format.
• Generates detailed performance reports.

Cons: 

• The pre-scans may sometimes overlook certain problems. 
• Needs a high-speed internet connection for effective data migration.

3.2 AppDynamics

If you are concerned about performance issues during migration, AppDynamics will help. It enables you to continuously monitor the performance of the migration process and allows you to identify and address issues in real-time. AppDynamics conducts a preemptive assessment to identify potential hurdles that could interrupt the migration. Using performance metrics, AppDynamics provides detailed insights into the cause and source of the problems. 

You can also customize this tool to meet your specific project requirements. Using AppDynamics ensures a smoother cloud migration and a better return on investment. 

Features: 

• Pre-migration assessment.
• Performance monitoring and insights. 
• Post-migration validation.
• Real-time Compliance Dashboard.
• Application Dependency Visualization.

Pros: 

• Uses role-based access controls to strengthen data security. 
• Uses ML technologies for comprehensive system analysis.
• Offers full visibility into application performance.

Cons: 

• Works slowly when used in certain browsers.
• Offers limited troubleshooting options. 

3.3 IBM Turbonomic

Turbonomic is a cloud migration tool focused on boosting and streamlining the application transition process. It thoroughly evaluates the project requirements, handles essential resources, and provides a suitable migration strategy, considering factors like cost implications and app performance. 

Regardless of the type of your cloud migration, Turbonomics supports advanced cloud migration features that enhance the overall efficiency of your process. 

Features:

• IT resources management.
• Advanced migration planning.
• Full-stack visualization of apps and infrastructure.
• Performance-driven Storage Scaling.
• Automatic app scaling.

Pros:

• Enhances understanding of interactions between various cloud resources.
• Offers valuable insights into the performance of cloud-based apps. 
• Features an interactive dashboard for real-time visibility of application performance. 

Cons: 

• Expensive. 
• Limited health assessment functionalities. 

3.4 Google Cloud

If you are looking for services that help transition your app efficiently to Google Cloud, then Google Cloud is the best option for you. This comprehensive suite of cloud services includes modern solutions for diverse workloads, apps, and data migration. 

Google Cloud Migration Center is a unified platform for moving apps from on-premise or other cloud platforms to Google Cloud. The Storage Transfer Service helps transfer data from local storage or other cloud environments. 

Empowered by AI technologies, Google Cloud allows you to automate mundane and repetitive tasks during the migration process. This helps streamline operations across every stage and improves the overall project efficiency. 

Features: 

• End-to-end migration support.
• Google Cloud console.
• Tailored migration strategies.
• Data replication.

Pros: 

• Minimized downtime during data migration. 
• Automates repetitive tasks. 
• Flexible migration options.

Cons: 

• Time-consuming for large data sets. 
• Compatibility is limited to Google Cloud environments. 

3.5 Cloudsfer

Cloudsfer is a versatile cloud migration tool designed to fulfill a wide range of data transfer requirements while ensuring a secure and efficient data migration. It allows users to copy, backup, and transfer data files across various storage systems as it supports integration with over 20 popular cloud storage providers, including SharePoint Online, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. 

On top of that, it is compatible with different data formats and structures. Cloudsfer facilitates a simplified data transfer between cloud platforms and from on-premise systems to cloud platforms. It is hailed as an efficient data management solution. 

Features:

• Multi-user data migration.
• Mitigated data transfer risks.
• Cloud backup and migration scheduling.
• Scalable migration handling.
• Data management modernization.

Pros: 

• No limit on file sizes for uploads. 
• Preserves the original metadata during migration.
• Provides access controls for data files. 

Cons: 

• Limited data security options. 

3.6 Carbonite Migrate

Carbonite Migrate is one of the most robust cloud migration tools. It can be employed in transferring workloads across various IT environments like physical, virtual, and cloud. It automates the whole migration process, helping to mitigate security risks and reduce downtime. 

A pre-migration assessment with Carbonite Migrate helps identify common challenges such as compatibility issues, operation disruptors, resource allocation, and potential data loss. 

This tool ensures a smooth cloud migration with minimal interruptions as it continuously keeps updating and replacing the data throughout the process. 

Features:  

• Migration configuration and management.
• Efficient and secure data replication.
• Broad compatibility with various platforms.
• Customized workflow automation.

Pros: 

• Operates with minimal interruptions. 
• Supports cloud-to-on-site migrations.
• Offers real-time monitoring of cloud and data transfer processes. 

Cons: 

• Performance can be slow. 

3.7 Azure Migrate

No matter where your existing app is hosted, may it be on a virtual machine, on a physical server, or on any cloud platform, you can migrate it smoothly to the Azure Cloud using the Azure Migrate service from Microsoft. It caters to both small-scale as well as large-scale migration requirements, making it an ideal option for organizations aiming to shift their systems to Azure. 

Azure Migrate features a centralized dashboard that allows users to monitor migration activities and track progress across a wide range of assets like web apps, SQL servers, virtual desktops, and servers. It provides functionalities to effectively move and optimize application infrastructure and data in Azure. 

Features: 

• Cloud destination compatibility.
• A centralized dashboard to track the migration process.
• Integrated assessment and migration capabilities.
• Performance optimization insights.
• Application modernization.

Pros:

• No expensive updates are required.
• Provides visibility into all assets through a unified portal. 
• Faster disaster recovery processes.

Cons: 

• Heavy data migration can cause site crashes.

3.8 AWS Application Migration Services

AWS Application Migration Service allows you to modernize apps and migrate them seamlessly to the AWS cloud from various source infrastructures. This can be carried out without any manual intervention. 

This tool automates data replication and conversion of source servers, ensuring reduced costs and minimal downtime during cloud migration. 

AWS Application Migration Service provides built-in customization and optimization options for app modernization. Businesses can largely benefit from these services as they help simplify migration complexities, optimize app performance, and increase the efficiency of the migration process. 

Features:

• Server Migration Service.
• Versatile source infrastructure migration.
• Insights on performance optimization.
• End-to-end migration support. 
• Support for data replication.

Pros: 

• Easily migrates large data sets and applications. 
• Creates live server volumes in AMI and AWS as needed.
• Ensures a faster migration process.  

Cons: 

• More often experience glitches in cloud computing. 
• Takes a while to create a data backup. 

3.9 CloudM

CloudM is a data management tool that caters to the cloud migration requirements of enterprises. In addition to providing data backup solutions, CloudM offers different hosting solutions.

Users can either leverage the tool to manage the migration or act under expert guidance from CloudM professionals. In any case, CloudM ensures a seamless data and application transition to the cloud. Its auditing, migration trace, and service log features help identify and address anomalies during the migration process.

Features:

• Live progress reports.
• Versatile migration capabilities.
• Document versioning.
• Document metadata restoring.
• End-to-end migration support.

Pros:

• Live dashboard with a complete overview of the migration process.
• Provides long-term data storage options. 
• Role-based permissions for all tasks. 

Cons: 

• Limited email customization options. 
• Supports only basic troubleshooting. 

3.10 UnifyCloud CloudAtlas

UnifyCloud CloudAtlas is a suite of integrated tools that enables organizations to adopt and optimize cloud infrastructure. You can easily automate the entire data and app migration process with UnifyCloud CloudAtlas. This promises a faster, streamlined migration process with maximum efficiency and security compliance. 

Features:

• Infrastructure assessment. 
• System modernization and migration. 
• Migration optimization and management. 

Pros: 

• Provide detailed performance insights. 
• Security analysis and compliance support. 
• Highly compatible with various cloud environments. 

Cons: 

• Suggests detailed code changes that can be time-consuming to implement.

3.11 Flexera

Flexera is one of the top cloud migration tools designed to help organizations transfer their databases and workloads to the cloud. It comprehensively covers every aspect of cloud migration services, including data assessment, planning, evaluating expenses, and optimizing infrastructure. 

Flexera also offers valuable insights into cloud app security which helps identify and resolve various vulnerabilities in the infrastructure. 

Features: 

• Cloud migration planning.
• Workload placement.
• Cloud cost assessment.

Pros: 

• Provides insights into the migration process. 
• Offers detailed analytical reports that speed up the decision-making process.
• Identifies cost-saving opportunities. 

Cons: 

• Little support available.
• Some features haven’t been upgraded in a long time. 
• Steep learning curve. 

3.12 Dynatrace

Dynatrace is the cloud monitoring platform designed to guide you throughout the cloud migration process from initial planning to performance optimization. It supports various strategies, including cloud refactoring, rehosting, and platforming. With various packages available, you can customize your cloud migration to align with your business goals. 

The data visualization capabilities of Dynatrace enable you to analyze data and identify patterns. Dynatrace supports different cloud environments such as Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and AWS. Additionally, you can easily integrate it with container services such as Kubernetes. 

Features: 

• Real-time application assessment.
• Strategized cloud migration planning.
• Anomaly detection before and after cloud migration.
• Cloud migration optimization. 

Pros:

• Uses automated tests to find cloud architectural regressions. 
• Provides performance metrics that are helpful in capacity planning and application sizing. 
• Offers risk reporting for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs).

Cons: 

• Difficult to use. 

3.13 ScienceLogic

ScienceLogic offers data-driven automation to monitor IT infrastructure and provides visibility throughout the cloud migration process. It automates event handling, maintains workflows, retains data, and monitors both cloud and on-premise storage. 

Using ScienceLogic, you can analyze large datasets, giving you some actionable insights into resolving potential cloud migration challenges. 

Features:

• Network resource management.
• App health monitoring. 
• Virtual machine monitoring. 
• AI-based infrastructure and resource relationship management.
• Tracking application and infrastructure dependencies.

Pros: 

• Real-time monitoring improves the accuracy of the Configuration Management Database(CMDB). 
• Quicker MTTR as it troubleshoots the issues automatically. 
• Anomaly detection with root-cause analysis. 

Cons: 

• Slow automated ticketing.
• ML capabilities couldn’t detect all anomalies.

4. Conclusion

Cloud migration is a complex process. Organizations need robust tools that help them streamline the whole process and enhance efficiency. Many types of cloud migration tools are available in the market, each with its pros and cons and something unique to offer. 

Some tools focus on data relocation, some on cloud migration monitoring whereas some offer automation capabilities to simplify operations. It’s important to assess your specific cloud migration requirements to decide which cloud migration tool will be suitable for your project. It will help you make an informed decision.

FAQs

What is a cloud migration tool?

A Cloud migration tool is a software program that enables you to transfer applications and data from on-premise to a cloud environment or between cloud platforms.

What are the 4 phases of cloud migration?

The four phases of a cloud migration process are: prepare, plan, migrate, operate & optimize, respectively. 

What is an example of cloud migration?

To give an example of cloud migration, Unilever moved more than 500 of their web properties to AWS in 18 months. This led to a 500% increase in digital assets’ speed and a 40% reduction in hosting costs.

Why cloud migration?

There are many benefits of cloud migration including reduced costs, increased efficiency of IT operations, modernizing infrastructure, and more.