Rehosting vs Replatforming: Which is Right for Your Business?

Migrating apps and data to cloud platforms is an important part of digital transformation. However, companies often need help deciding between two popular cloud migration strategies: rehosting and replatforming. We will examine the complexities of both migration choices, including their benefits, limitations, and the elements that should affect your decision-making. By the end of this article, you will have an in-depth knowledge of Rehosting vs Replatforming. It will help you make an informed decision that is consistent with your company objectives and technical needs.

Rehosting

This strategy is also known as "lift and shift." It entails moving apps from their present on-premises infrastructure to a cloud platform without substantially altering its structure or code. This approach is commonly preferred by companies looking for a quick and relatively simple transition to the cloud.

Benefits of Rehosting

Here are some of the advantages of rehosting:

Rapid Migration: It allows for a quick migration process, which can be advantageous for businesses that are short on time or want immediate benefits from cloud adoption.

Minimal Disruption: Rehosting minimizes the risk of introducing new bugs or compatibility issues because the application's architecture and code remain largely unchanged.

Cost Savings: Rehosting is a cost-effective option because it avoids extensive code refactoring or architectural changes. The migration costs can be significantly lower compared to a complete replatforming effort.

Temporary Solution: Rehosting can serve as a temporary solution, and it allows companies to move to the cloud quickly while planning for more comprehensive modernization efforts in the future.

Drawbacks of Rehosting

Rehosting applications to the cloud has various downsides that businesses should be aware of:

Limited Cloud Benefits: While rehosting moves the application to the cloud, you may not fully utilize the cloud's native capabilities and services. Which can limit the benefits of moving to the cloud.

Operational Complexity: Rehosted applications may require manual management and maintenance. Which can be similar to on-premises environments. This can raise operational complexity and potentially balance some of the benefits of cloud adoption.

Vendor Lock-in: Rehosting can lead to vendor lock-in because the application may be tightly coupled with the chosen cloud provider's infrastructure. This can make it difficult to migrate to another cloud provider in the future.

Replatforming

Replatforming is also referred to as "re-architecting." It is a method of moving an application to the cloud while optimizing it to utilize cloud-native capabilities fully. This process typically entails modifying the application's code and architecture to align with the principles and best practices of cloud computing.

Benefits of Replatforming

Replatforming an application can bring numerous advantages.

Cloud Optimization: companies can take full advantage of cloud benefits and advanced features like serverless computing or managed services.

Future-proofing: It ensures that applications are designed with cloud-native architectures in mind, making them more adaptable to future technological advancements and changes within the cloud ecosystem.

Vendor Flexibility: Replatformed applications are typically designed with a high degree of portability. It allows businesses to migrate between cloud providers with relative ease. This versatility decreases the danger of vendor lock-in and enables enterprises to take advantage of competitive offerings from various cloud providers.

Modernization: Replatforming allows you to modernize your applications, incorporating the latest technologies, frameworks, and best practices.

Drawbacks of Replatforming

Replatforming also has some drawbacks that companies should think before making a decision. These include:

High Upfront Costs: Replatforming can be expensive, as it often requires significant code refactoring, architectural changes, and extensive testing and validation efforts.

Longer Migration Timeline: Replatforming typically takes longer than rehosting due to the complexity of modifying the application's architecture and code. This extended timeline can impact business operations.

Potential Disruptions: Depending on the extent of the changes required, replatforming may introduce disruptions to existing workflows, integrations, and user experiences. Detailed planning and testing are vital for minimizing these interruptions and ensuring a seamless transition.

Choosing from Rehosting vs Replatforming

Choosing Rehosting vs Replatforming depends entirely on your company's specific requirements, objectives, and limitations. Rehosting may be the preferred option if you're looking for a rapid migration process with minimal disruption or a temporary solution while planning for future modernization efforts. However, replatforming might be a better choice if you want to fully utilize cloud-native capabilities, future-proof your applications, and prioritize vendor flexibility and modernization.

Furthermore, a hybrid approach is worth considering, where you initially rehost certain applications for quick cloud adoption while simultaneously planning for a phased replatforming of critical applications or components. Cloud migration solutions can assist you in selecting your hybrid approach, and this flexible approach can help you strike a balance between immediate cloud adoption and long-term optimization.