5 Key Considerations to Successful Cloud Modernization

Cloud modernization is not just about technology; it's about rethinking the entire business model to deliver better value to customers faster. 

- Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft 

Cloud modernization is one of the best data preservation and management practices today.  

Modernizing applications helps meet business needs by improving innovation, security, scalability, and cost efficiency. 

Businesses worldwide recognize that updating cloud applications is essential for staying competitive. A report by IBM shows 83% of IT executives feel that modernization is central to their organization’s strategy. Additionally, a report by Gartner states 85% of organizations will modernize their applications with a cloud-first approach by 2025.  

The biggest challenge is knowing where to start.  

Understanding Cloud Migration vs. Cloud Modernization  

Distinguishing between cloud migration and cloud modernization is essential for a successful cloud strategy, as both play critical roles. 

Cloud Migration  

Cloud migration refers to the process of moving an organization's applications, data, and services from on-premises infrastructure to a cloud environment. The primary focus is the transfer process, ensuring that workloads and operations can function in the cloud with minimal disruption. Initial setup typically involves a "lift-and-shift" approach, where systems are replicated in the cloud without significant changes to the architecture.  

Cloud Modernization  

Cloud modernization involves updating and improving existing applications and systems to fully leverage the cloud's capabilities. Additionally, 80% organizations agreed that failing to modernize would hurt their ability to use AI to its full potential.  

Modernization often includes: 

• Re-architecting systems and optimizing workloads for better performance. 
• Integrating new cloud-native technologies. 
• Enhancing functionalities for greater agility and scalability. 

5 Keys to Successful Cloud Modernization    

Key 1 – Assessing Current Infrastructure  

Before starting cloud modernization, evaluating your current systems and applications is vital. Using tools like infrastructure mapping, performance monitoring, and workload analysis gain valuable insights into system readiness for modernization. Some systems may perform better with minor updates, while some may require extensive code changes.  

A few assessment questions to consider during cloud modernization:  

• Which cloud applications and operations need updates, and which can remain as-is?  
• How complex is the modernization for each application?  
• Can the cloud provider offer services to modernize without major reconfigurations?  
• What's the ROI for modernizing each application, and how long will it take?  

Key 2 – Setting Clear Objectives  

Before starting your cloud journey, define clear objectives. Develop your strategy early, prioritizing business goals over technology. Begin by capturing baseline IT metrics like workload mapping, page load times, response times, and CPU and memory usage. Metrics help align your objectives for modernization that emphasize performance, scalability, cost efficiency, agility, innovation, and security. Aligning your goals will result in measurable outcomes such as reduced downtime, faster processing, or cost savings.  

Key 3 – Choosing the Right Cloud Model and Environment  

There are several cloud models to choose from—IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and SaaS (Software as a Service). Each has its pros and cons depending on your business needs.  

It is also equally critical to choose which cloud environment—public, private, or multi-cloud would best suit your application while modernizing. Public clouds are ideal for scalability and cost-effectiveness, while private clouds offer enhanced security. The multi-cloud approach provides flexibility, allowing organizations to optimize workloads across different platforms and avoid vendor lock-in.     

Key 4 – Implementing Agile Practices  

Agile methodologies are essential for cloud modernization, enabling teams to break down tasks, iterate quickly, deploy faster, collaborate better and adapt based on feedback. By dividing the process into smaller parts, agile encourages continuous feedback and improvement, helping to identify and address potential risks early and ensuring optimal application performance.  

Key 5 – Continuous Monitoring and Optimization  

Modernization does not end with system upgrades; continuous monitoring is crucial for ensuring optimal performance, cost efficiency, and security. Tools like cloud analytics, automated scaling, and real-time reporting aid ongoing optimization, maintaining peak performance while preventing cost overruns. Unfortunately, these aspects are often overlooked in first-generation cloud assets, making them an essential strategy for modernization.  

Key components of effective monitoring and observability include:  

Performance Metrics: Collecting data on CPU usage, memory consumption, network bandwidth, response times, and error rates.  

Alerts and Notifications: Configuring systems to alert teams when metrics exceed thresholds, indicating potential issues.  

Dashboards: Using visualization tools to display real-time data on system health and performance.  

Logs and Events Analysis: Collecting and analyzing logs to track events and identify patterns or issues.  

Start your Cloud Modernization Journey  

The cloud modernization journey is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires continuous assessment, optimization, and alignment with business objectives.  

Diane Greene, former CEO of Google Cloud

A cloud transformation is a big step for any organization, involving both technical and strategic changes. Microsoft found that 74% of companies believe modernizing workloads speeds up digital transformation by boosting product innovation and improving user experiences. Cloud migration and modernization also offer strong protection for valuable assets. 

Taking a phased approach and carefully choosing which applications to move helps businesses adopt the cloud smoothly, without long-term disruptions to their operations. 

CTG's Cloud Modernization Services  

CTG brings extensive expertise in cloud modernization, helping businesses transform their legacy systems and leverage the full potential of the cloud. Contact our cloud experts today to discuss how CTG can tailor a cloud modernization strategy to meet your unique business needs.