Most migration problems are planning problems. A short, honest checklist before the first workload moves will save weeks later.
Start with an honest inventory
List every application, its owner, its dependencies, and how critical it is. Gaps in this list are where surprises hide.
- Who owns each application and its data?
- What does it depend on, and what depends on it?
- What are the availability and recovery requirements?
- Which regulations or contracts apply?
Plan in waves, not in one move
Group workloads by dependency and risk. Begin with something valuable but low-risk so the team practices the process before the critical systems.
Decide what to change on the way
Moving as-is is fastest, but some workloads justify re-platforming or refactoring. Decide per workload, and record why.
