🚀Migrating to the Cloud: A Practical Guide for DevOps Engineers

Pratiksha kadamPratiksha kadam
7 min read

Table of contents

Cloud migration is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. As a DevOps engineer, you're at the center of this transformation, ensuring systems shift from legacy infrastructure to flexible, cost-effective cloud platforms. This guide walks you through the migration process step-by-step, providing simplified insights and real-world examples to help you build a reliable migration strategy.

🌐 Why Cloud Migration Matters

Moving to the cloud enables companies to scale services on-demand, reduce infrastructure costs, and improve global access. Here are the top reasons organizations migrate:

  • Scale on demand: Automatically adjust resources based on usage.

  • Save costs: Pay only for what you use.

  • Remote access: Access infrastructure from anywhere.

  • Faster deployment: Roll out applications in minutes.

  • Better disaster recovery: Built-in redundancy and backup options.

Whether it's AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, the cloud offers flexibility and performance gains unmatched by traditional servers.

🔍 Planning Before You Migrate

Before you jump into the cloud, plan thoroughly:

1. Assess Your Infrastructure

Make an inventory of applications, services, and databases. Identify dependencies and prioritize what needs to be moved first.

# Example: Generate a list of running services (Linux)
systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running

2. Select a Cloud Provider

Pick between AWS, Azure, or GCP based on pricing, region availability, and compliance requirements. Evaluate tools like AWS Pricing Calculator or Azure TCO Calculator to compare costs.

3. Build a Migration Strategy

Choose from:

  • Lift and Shift: Move as-is using tools like AWS Application Migration Service.

  • Refactor: Break monolithic apps into microservices using Kubernetes or serverless.

  • Replatform: Make small optimizations without rewriting the entire app.

⚙️ Migration in Action: Step-by-Step

Now that you're ready, it's time to execute the migration in phases:

1. Proof of Concept (PoC)

Pick a non-critical app. Test migration with minimal risk.

# Sample AWS CLI to launch EC2 test instance
aws ec2 run-instances --image-id ami-xxxx --count 1 --instance-type t2.micro --key-name my-key

2. Data Migration

Use tools like AWS Snowball, rsync, or Azure Data Box to move large volumes.

# Example: Sync data to S3
aws s3 sync /local/data s3://my-bucket/data

3. Application Migration

Use services like Azure Migrate or containerize apps with Docker.

# Dockerfile sample for a simple app
FROM node:18
COPY . /app
WORKDIR /app
RUN npm install
CMD ["node", "server.js"]

4. Configure Network and Security

Set up VPC, subnets, and security groups. Connect on-prem with VPN or Direct Connect.

# Create VPC using AWS CLI
aws ec2 create-vpc --cidr-block 10.0.0.0/16

If you want to more about VPC and CIDR here is the best article https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/understanding-ip-addresses-subnets-and-cidr-notation-for-networking

5. Final Testing and Optimization

Run load tests, monitor logs, and optimize costs using Reserved Instances or Autoscaling.

✅ Post-Migration Checklist

After your migration is complete, keep your cloud setup running efficiently with these practices:

1. Monitoring

Use tools like AWS CloudWatch or Prometheus to track performance and usage.

Tools & Examples:

  • AWS CloudWatch: Monitor logs, metrics, and set alarms.

  • Azure Monitor: End-to-end monitoring of applications and resources.

# Example: Create CloudWatch alarm for high CPU
aws cloudwatch put-metric-alarm \
  --alarm-name HighCPUUsage \
  --metric-name CPUUtilization \
  --namespace AWS/EC2 \
  --statistic Average \
  --period 300 \
  --threshold 80 \
  --comparison-operator GreaterThanThreshold \
  --evaluation-periods 2 \
  --alarm-actions arn:aws:sns:region:acct-id:notify-me \
  --dimensions Name=InstanceId,Value=i-0abcd1234efgh5678

🛠️ Example: Set Up Prometheus + Grafana on a Linux Server

Below is a basic example of installing Prometheus and Grafana on an Ubuntu EC2 instance or VM:

Prometheus + Grafana:
For time-series metrics and custom dashboards.
📦 Step 1: Install Prometheus
# Create Prometheus user and directories
sudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false prometheus
sudo mkdir /etc/prometheus /var/lib/prometheus

# Download Prometheus binaries
wget https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/releases/download/v2.52.0/prometheus-2.52.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz
tar xvf prometheus-2.52.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz
cd prometheus-2.52.0.linux-amd64

# Move binaries
sudo cp prometheus promtool /usr/local/bin/
sudo cp -r consoles console_libraries prometheus.yml /etc/prometheus

# Set ownership
sudo chown -R prometheus:prometheus /etc/prometheus /var/lib/prometheus
🧱 Step 2: Create Prometheus Systemd Service
sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/prometheus.service > /dev/null <<EOF
[Unit]
Description=Prometheus Monitoring
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target

[Service]
User=prometheus
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/prometheus \\
  --config.file=/etc/prometheus/prometheus.yml \\
  --storage.tsdb.path=/var/lib/prometheus/ \\
  --web.console.templates=/etc/prometheus/consoles \\
  --web.console.libraries=/etc/prometheus/console_libraries

[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
EOF

# Reload systemd and start Prometheus
sudo systemctl daemon-reexec
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now prometheus

Access Prometheus UI at: http://<server-ip>:9090

📊 Step 3: Install Grafana
# Add Grafana repo
sudo apt-get install -y software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository "deb https://packages.grafana.com/oss/deb stable main"
wget -q -O - https://packages.grafana.com/gpg.key | sudo apt-key add -
sudo apt update

# Install Grafana
sudo apt install grafana -y
sudo systemctl enable --now grafana-server

Access Grafana UI at: http://<server-ip>:3000
Default login: admin / admin

🔗 Step 4: Connect Prometheus to Grafana

  1. Open Grafana in your browser.

  2. Go to Settings → Data Sources → Add data source.

  3. Select Prometheus and set the URL as http://localhost:9090.

  4. Save and test the connection.

2. 💾 Backups and Disaster Recovery

Even in the cloud, data loss is a risk. Implement automatic backups and define a disaster recovery (DR) plan to restore systems quickly in the event of failure or outages.

Steps:

  • Use cloud-native tools like AWS Backup, Azure Backup, or Google Backup and DR.

  • Enable cross-region replication for critical databases.

  • Test restore processes regularly with DR drills.

# Create a snapshot of an EBS volume
aws ec2 create-snapshot --volume-id vol-0abc123def456 --description "Post-migration snapshot"

# Azure CLI: Enable backup on a VM
az backup protection enable-for-vm \
  --resource-group myRG \
  --vault-name myBackupVault \
  --vm myVM \
  --policy-name DefaultPolicy

Resources:

3. 🔐 Security Hardening & Audits

Security doesn't end with IAM roles. After migrating, review and harden your cloud posture. Regular security audits help catch misconfigurations and vulnerabilities early.

Best Practices:

  • Identity & Access Management: Follow least-privilege access, rotate credentials, and enforce MFA.

  • Scan for Vulnerabilities: Use tools like Trivy, AWS Inspector, Azure Defender, or GCP Security Scanner.

  • Enable Logging: Activate AWS CloudTrail, Azure Activity Logs, or GCP Cloud Audit Logs.

# Trivy: Scan a container image for vulnerabilities
trivy image node:18-alpine

# Enable MFA for AWS IAM user
aws iam enable-mfa-device \
  --user-name john \
  --serial-number arn:aws:iam::123456789012:mfa/john \
  --authentication-code1 123456 \
  --authentication-code2 654321

Resources:

4. 💰 Cost Optimization

Without optimization, cloud costs can quickly spiral. Use cloud-native tools and reporting systems to monitor and reduce expenses.

Tips:

  • Use Reserved Instances or Savings Plans for consistent workloads.

  • Set up budgets and cost alerts.

  • Use Auto Scaling to shut down idle resources.

# Example: View estimated charges using AWS CLI
aws ce get-cost-and-usage \
  --time-period Start=2024-06-01,End=2024-06-30 \
  --granularity MONTHLY \
  --metrics "BlendedCost"

Tools:

  • AWS Cost Explorer

  • Azure Cost Management + Billing

  • GCP Billing Reports

Resources:

5. 📈 Performance Benchmarking & Tuning

Once in the cloud, assess whether performance has improved or regressed. Perform benchmarking, analyze latency, throughput, and adjust configurations accordingly.

Actions:

  • Use Load Testing tools like Apache JMeter, Locust, or k6.

  • Configure Auto Scaling groups for apps experiencing variable traffic.

  • Optimize storage and database queries (e.g., use read replicas or cache with Redis).

# Example: Load test using k6
k6 run --vus 50 --duration 30s script.js

Resources:

# Example: Install Prometheus Node Exporter
wget https://github.com/prometheus/node_exporter/releases/download/v*/node_exporter-*.linux-amd64.tar.gz

2. Backups & Disaster Recovery

Automate backups with AWS Backup or Azure Recovery Vault.

# Schedule backup for EC2
aws backup start-backup-job \
--backup-vault-name "my-backup-vault" \
--resource-arn arn:aws:ec2:region:account:instance/i-xxxx \
--iam-role-arn arn:aws:iam::account:role/service-role/AWSBackupDefaultServiceRole

3. Security Audits

Run vulnerability scans using tools like Trivy or services like AWS Inspector.

# Scan Docker image for vulnerabilities
trivy image myapp:latest

🚧 Common Migration Challenges & Solutions

Even the best migrations face obstacles. Here's how to tackle the most common ones:

  • Large Data Bottlenecks: Use phased migrations or AWS Snowball for bulk transfers.

  • Downtime Concerns: Schedule off-hours deployments and use blue-green or canary strategies.

  • Security Issues: Apply strict IAM policies and use encryption for data in transit and at rest.

Cloud migration isn't just about moving apps—it's about transforming how your organization operates. With proper planning, hands-on testing, and a DevOps mindset, you can lead your team into a scalable, agile future.

Stay curious. Keep testing. And always monitor and optimize after the migration. The cloud is ever-evolving, and your skills should evolve with it.

0
Subscribe to my newsletter

Read articles from Pratiksha kadam directly inside your inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter, and don't miss out.

Cloud Migrationmonitoring toolAWSLinuxobservability

Written by

Pratiksha kadam
Pratiksha kadam