AWS Architecture Learning Hub

AWS Migration Playbooks

Overview

This section documents structured approaches for migrating workloads from on-premises infrastructure to AWS. It outlines migration strategies, execution phases, architectural considerations, and cost optimization opportunities during and after migration.

Migration Strategies (6 R's)

1. Rehost (Lift & Shift)

Move applications to AWS without significant changes. Suitable for quick migrations where modernization is not immediately required.

2. Replatform

Make minimal optimizations such as moving from self-managed database to Amazon RDS without altering core application architecture.

3. Refactor / Re-architect

Redesign applications to use cloud-native services such as Lambda, managed databases, or container orchestration.

4. Repurchase

Replace existing applications with SaaS alternatives.

5. Retire

Decommission unused or redundant applications.

6. Retain

Keep certain workloads on-premises due to compliance or latency constraints.

Typical Migration Phases

  1. Assessment & Discovery – Inventory workloads, dependencies, and infrastructure usage.
  2. Application Dependency Mapping – Identify interconnections between services.
  3. Landing Zone Preparation – Setup AWS accounts, VPC, IAM, security guardrails.
  4. Database Migration – Use AWS DMS or native replication tools.
  5. Application Migration – Deploy compute resources (EC2, containers).
  6. Validation & Testing – Functional and performance testing.
  7. Cutover & Optimization – Switch production traffic and optimize cost.

Architecture Considerations

Security Considerations

Cost Considerations During Migration

Post-Migration Optimization

Key Lessons