Integration and Migration to Azure

1. Integration and Migration to Azure

In this video, we’ll focus on the basic principles of system integration and how migration to Azure works.

2. Migration to Azure

Migrating to the cloud is a significant organizational change management project that will span people, processes, and technology. The journey doesn’t end once you transfer to Azure; it’s important to keep refining and optimizing your infrastructure. Migrating to Azure can be split into 3 steps: Planning, Implementation, and Operations.

3. Integration Strategies

Next, we’ll talk about 4 different types of integration strategies. Lift and shift is the path of least resistance by rehosting your existing workload without any modifications - you’re moving the application from your existing server and dropping it into Azure. Refactoring includes making some modifications to maximize some cloud benefits; this means having better options with scalability with a small amount of effort. Rearchitecting means redesigning your workload for the cloud to maximize features and efficiency. Rebuilding is the path with the most resistance as it involves starting new in Azure. It’s an ideal option for outdated apps needing a significant overhaul and allows for a slower migration to Azure.

4. Hybrid Connectivity

Some organizations will opt for a hybrid approach, which is where a VPN is useful for linking on-premise systems to Azure via a secure tunnel over the internet. In Azure, you can use ExpressRoute, which provides a private and direct link between data centers and Azure, bypassing the public internet for improved speed and reliability. Azure Virtual WAN enhances hybrid connectivity, simplifying branch links. It automates and optimizes connections through Azure, directly connecting branch offices for greater flexibility and scalability.

5. Azure Migrate

To aid with the migration, Azure provides a toolkit to help make your journey as smooth as possible. Azure Migrate is a complete solution for migrating your workload. It offers capabilities to assess your on-premises environment, giving guidance on appropriate sizing and cost estimates for Azure. Think of it as a unified dashboard guiding you through your migration, ensuring a smooth transition to the cloud.

6. Azure Site Recovery

Azure Site Recovery is Azure's disaster recovery solution, offering disaster recovery as a service model. It automates the protection and replication of virtual machines, allowing you to bring up your services in Azure during an outage. With failover and failback capabilities, as well as customizable recovery plans, it helps ensure business continuity and minimizes service downtime.

7. Azure Database Migration Service

Azure Database Migration Service simplifies the process of migrating databases to Azure. It supports migration from various database sources and ensures minimal downtime using continuous synchronization. Additionally, Azure provides tools to assess your databases for migration, offering insights and guidance throughout the process. With its focus on security, data migration is ensured to be safe and compliant.

8. Migration Best Practices

Think of Azure migration as a journey on a roadmap, with each milestone requiring careful planning and execution. First, assess the current infrastructure to anticipate upcoming challenges and determine which integration strategy is most appropriate for the application. The first migration should be one or more minor applications or data sets to familiarize yourself with and manage potential mistakes. Once you’ve migrated an application, you should perform tests to analyze optimal performance. You should take a phased approach to migration and always prioritize security from the beginning.

9. Post-Migration

The migration roadmap will continue, so stay vigilant by tracking expenses to meet budgets and upskill teams to maximize Azure’s capabilities.

10. Let's practice!

Let's put your knowledge to the test with some exercises and see how much you've absorbed.

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