Replatforming

Definition

Replatforming refers to the process of moving an application from one platform to another while making some adjustments to take advantage of the new environment. This often involves migrating applications to the cloud, where businesses can utilize various services and features. By adopting replatforming strategies, organizations can enhance performance, improve scalability, and reduce operational costs while making their applications more flexible and accessible in different cloud environments.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Replatforming is often seen as a middle ground between lift-and-shift migrations and complete refactoring, offering a balance of speed and improvements.
2. This approach allows businesses to take advantage of cloud services such as container orchestration and serverless computing without rewriting entire applications.
3. Replatforming can lead to better resource utilization by optimizing how applications interact with the underlying infrastructure in the cloud.
4. Organizations may choose replatforming when they need to modernize legacy applications while still maintaining some of their original architecture.
5. It helps in reducing technical debt by allowing companies to phase out outdated technologies gradually while enhancing their capabilities.

Review Questions

• How does replatforming differ from lift-and-shift migration strategies?
  • Replatforming differs from lift-and-shift in that it involves modifying an application during migration to better utilize cloud features, rather than simply moving it as is. Lift-and-shift keeps the application's original architecture intact, which may not optimize performance or scalability in a cloud environment. In contrast, replatforming allows organizations to enhance their applications by adopting new cloud capabilities without starting from scratch, making it a more strategic choice for many businesses.
• What are some advantages of choosing replatforming over complete refactoring when migrating applications to the cloud?
  • Choosing replatforming over complete refactoring allows businesses to achieve a balance between time efficiency and modernization benefits. While refactoring can provide the greatest flexibility and performance, it is often time-consuming and resource-intensive. Replatforming allows organizations to improve existing applications and take advantage of new cloud functionalities without needing to rewrite everything from the ground up, helping them to stay competitive while managing resources effectively.
• Evaluate the impact of replatforming on an organization's ability to respond to changing market demands in a cloud environment.
  • Replatforming significantly enhances an organization's agility and responsiveness to changing market demands by allowing them to modernize their applications quickly. By adapting their platforms to leverage cloud capabilities such as auto-scaling and microservices architecture, businesses can rapidly deploy new features and updates. This flexibility not only helps companies meet customer expectations but also positions them strategically against competitors, ultimately driving innovation and growth in a fast-paced market.

Related terms

Cloud-Native: Applications that are designed specifically for cloud environments, allowing them to fully leverage cloud features like scalability and resilience.

Lift-and-Shift: A migration strategy that involves moving applications to the cloud with minimal changes, essentially replicating the existing environment.

Microservices: An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services, enabling more flexibility and easier management in a cloud environment.