Rehosting

Definition

Rehosting, often referred to as 'lift and shift,' is a cloud migration strategy where applications are moved from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud with minimal or no changes to the architecture or code. This approach allows organizations to quickly take advantage of cloud computing benefits without having to redesign or refactor their applications. It’s a popular strategy for businesses seeking immediate cloud benefits while planning for more comprehensive future transformations.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Rehosting typically requires less time and resources compared to other migration strategies, making it an attractive option for organizations with tight deadlines.
2. While rehosting preserves the application’s existing architecture, it may not fully leverage the advanced features and scalability offered by cloud platforms.
3. This strategy can facilitate a quick transition to the cloud, allowing businesses to improve their disaster recovery capabilities and reduce hardware costs.
4. Rehosting can also serve as a stepping stone for organizations looking to eventually refactor or rearchitect their applications for better cloud optimization.
5. Security and compliance considerations are important in rehosting, as moving data and applications to the cloud can expose them to new risks that must be managed effectively.

Review Questions

• What are the main advantages of using rehosting as a migration strategy compared to other methods?
  • The primary advantages of rehosting include its speed and simplicity, allowing organizations to migrate their applications quickly without needing extensive changes. This is particularly beneficial for companies looking to cut costs associated with on-premises infrastructure while still gaining immediate access to cloud resources. Additionally, rehosting minimizes disruption during migration since the existing application architecture remains intact.
• In what scenarios might an organization choose rehosting over refactoring or rebuilding their applications?
  • An organization might choose rehosting when it needs a fast migration due to pressing business needs, such as reducing operational costs or improving disaster recovery capabilities. If the existing applications are functioning well and there is no immediate need for advanced features or optimizations available in the cloud, rehosting provides a practical solution. It serves as an effective initial step before considering more comprehensive changes like refactoring or developing cloud-native applications.
• Evaluate the long-term implications of relying solely on rehosting as a cloud migration strategy for an organization’s IT infrastructure.
  • Relying solely on rehosting can lead to missed opportunities for optimizing performance and scalability within the cloud environment. While it allows for quick migration, applications may not utilize cloud-specific benefits, such as auto-scaling or managed services, which could enhance efficiency and reduce costs in the long run. Over time, this approach may result in technical debt, making future upgrades or transformations more challenging and costly. Therefore, organizations should consider developing a roadmap that includes plans for refactoring or evolving their applications post-rehosting.

Related terms

Lift and Shift: A migration technique that involves moving applications to the cloud without significant alterations, preserving the existing infrastructure and architecture.

Refactoring: The process of restructuring existing computer code without changing its external behavior, often used in cloud migrations to optimize applications for the cloud environment.

Cloud-native Applications: Applications that are specifically designed and developed to operate in a cloud environment, taking full advantage of cloud capabilities and services.