Migration
Cloud-Native vs Lift-and-Shift: Which Migration Strategy Saves More Long-Term?
The Migration Spectrum
Migration is not binary. The 6 Rs: Rehost (lift-and-shift), Replatform, Repurchase, Refactor, Retire, Retain.
Lift-and-Shift
Move VMs with minimal changes. Fastest (weeks), lowest risk, no app changes. Does not leverage cloud-native capabilities and costs more long-term.
Cloud-Native
Re-architect with containers, serverless, managed services. Maximum efficiency long-term but high upfront effort and cost.
5-Year TCO — 50-Server Application
| Year | On-Prem | Lift-Shift | Cloud-Native |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yr 0 migration | $0 | $150K | $400K |
| Yr 1 | $900K | $650K | $350K |
| Yr 3 | $950K | $580K | $260K |
| 5yr Total | $4.55M | $3.13M | $1.82M |
Recommended: Hybrid Approach
Lift-and-shift first to exit the data centre and stop hardware refresh spend, then progressively refactor the most cost-impactful components. Captures quick wins while building toward cloud-native target state.
There is no universally correct strategy. TCOIQ assessment tool models both approaches against your specific inventory.
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