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What Are the 7Rs in Cloud Migration Planning? | OpsNexa

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What Are the 7Rs in Cloud Migration Planning?

What Are the 7Rs in Cloud Migration Planning? A Strategic Guide by OpsNexa

As more businesses embrace cloud computing to modernize infrastructure, scale efficiently, and reduce costs, cloud migration planning has become a critical process. But successful migration isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. Enter the 7Rs—a strategic framework that guides businesses through cloud adoption.

At OpsNexa, we help enterprises and SMEs navigate cloud migration with confidence. In this guide, we’ll break down the 7Rs in cloud migration planning, show how each strategy fits into different business contexts, and explain how OpsNexa ensures a seamless cloud transition.

🧠 What Are the 7Rs in Cloud Migration?

The 7Rs are a classification of migration strategies businesses can adopt when moving applications, data, and workloads to the cloud. They include:

  1. Rehost

  2. Replatform

  3. Repurchase

  4. Refactor (or Re-architect)

  5. Retire

  6. Retain (or Revisit)

  7. Relocate

Each approach reflects different levels of complexity, cost, and cloud maturity.

🔍 Why the 7Rs Matter

Cloud migration isn’t just about “moving to the cloud”—it’s about aligning IT decisions with business goals. The 7Rs framework helps:

  • Assess technical readiness

  • Minimize risk

  • Prioritize workloads

  • Optimize cost

  • Maximize cloud ROI

At OpsNexa, we use the 7Rs model to develop tailored migration roadmaps based on each client’s infrastructure, compliance needs, and future growth plans.

✅ The 7Rs of Cloud Migration Explained

Let’s dive into each R with real-world examples and use cases from OpsNexa projects.

1️⃣ Rehost (Lift and Shift)

Definition: Move applications to the cloud with minimal or no changes.

When to Use:

  • Quick wins with minimal disruption

  • Legacy systems nearing EOL (End of Life)

  • Temporary migrations for experimentation

Example:
A law firm needed to move its document management system off-premises quickly. OpsNexa rehosted the system to AWS EC2 with identical configurations, minimizing downtime and cost.

Tools Commonly Used:

  • AWS Application Migration Service

  • Azure Migrate

  • Google Cloud Migrate for Compute Engine

🟢 Pros: Fast, cost-effective, low risk
🔴 Cons: Misses out on cloud-native features, may result in higher long-term costs

2️⃣ Replatform (Lift, Tinker, and Shift)

Definition: Move to the cloud with slight modifications to improve performance or compatibility.

When to Use:

  • Need for moderate optimization

  • Database or OS upgrades required during migration

  • Preparing for future modernization

Example:
An e-commerce business moved its app from on-premise to Google Cloud App Engine, switching the database from MySQL to Cloud SQL for better scalability.

OpsNexa Approach:
We used containerization and CI/CD tools to make the app cloud-ready without a full rewrite.

🟢 Pros: Better performance, lower cloud costs
🔴 Cons: Requires testing and minor refactoring

3️⃣ Repurchase (Drop and Shop)

Definition: Replace existing software with a SaaS version.

When to Use:

  • On-prem apps have robust SaaS alternatives

  • Licensing costs are high

  • Want to reduce management overhead

Example:
OpsNexa helped a client replace its self-hosted CRM with Salesforce, improving integration and user adoption.

SaaS Options:

  • Microsoft 365

  • Google Workspace

  • Salesforce

  • HubSpot

  • NetSuite

🟢 Pros: No infrastructure management, quick to deploy
🔴 Cons: Data migration can be complex, feature mismatch possible

4️⃣ Refactor (Re-architect)

Definition: Rewriting or redesigning applications to be cloud-native.

When to Use:

  • Legacy monoliths need modernization

  • Demand for microservices, containers, or serverless

  • Scalability and agility are top priorities

Example:
A fintech company partnered with OpsNexa to refactor its loan processing system into microservices using Kubernetes on Azure AKS.

Tools & Technologies:

  • Kubernetes, Docker

  • AWS Lambda, Azure Functions

  • Cloud-native databases like Firestore or DynamoDB

🟢 Pros: Optimized for cloud scalability, resilience, and cost
🔴 Cons: High upfront cost, longer implementation time

5️⃣ Retire

Definition: Decommission applications that are no longer needed.

When to Use:

  • App is outdated or underutilized

  • Redundant systems exist

  • Functionality is absorbed by another platform

Example:
During a cloud readiness assessment, OpsNexa helped a client retire 20% of their legacy apps, saving $80K/year in infrastructure costs.

🟢 Pros: Cost savings, reduced technical debt
🔴 Cons: Requires deep knowledge of business processes

6️⃣ Retain (Revisit)

Definition: Keep certain applications on-premises temporarily or indefinitely.

When to Use:

  • Compliance or latency constraints

  • Recent infrastructure investments

  • Still assessing migration feasibility

Example:
A healthcare provider retained its EMR system on-prem due to HIPAA concerns, while migrating non-sensitive workloads to Google Cloud.

OpsNexa Tip:
We often recommend hybrid cloud models when full migration isn’t practical.

🟢 Pros: Maintains business continuity, gradual cloud adoption
🔴 Cons: Adds hybrid complexity, may delay full modernization

7️⃣ Relocate (Hypervisor-Level Migration)

Definition: Move entire VMs from on-premises to cloud without app or OS changes.

When to Use:

  • Data center exit strategies

  • VMware to cloud transitions

  • Minimal app reconfiguration allowed

Example:
OpsNexa executed a VMware-to-AWS VMC migration for a logistics company with minimal service interruption.

Tools Used:

  • VMware Cloud on AWS

  • Azure VMware Solution

  • Migrate for Compute Engine (Google)

🟢 Pros: Fast infrastructure exit
🔴 Cons: Not cloud-optimized, typically a temporary solution

🧩 How OpsNexa Uses the 7Rs to Plan Your Cloud Migration

At OpsNexa, we don’t believe in guesswork. Here’s how we integrate the 7Rs into your cloud journey:

🔍 Cloud Readiness Assessment

We evaluate your current environment—apps, data, security, compliance, and costs—to identify which Rs apply.

🛠️ Migration Strategy

Our architects design a migration roadmap that segments workloads by the most appropriate R strategy.

🚀 Pilot and Execute

We conduct pilot migrations to test assumptions, then execute full-scale migration using cloud-native tools.

📊 Post-Migration Optimization

After go-live, we help fine-tune performance, cost, and security for your new cloud environment.

✅ Quick Comparison: 7Rs Matrix

Strategy Time to Migrate Cloud Benefits Complexity Best For
Rehost Fast Low Low Quick lift-and-shift
Replatform Moderate Medium Medium Moderate modernization
Repurchase Fast High Low SaaS-ready replacement
Refactor Long Very High High Long-term modernization
Retire N/A Cost Savings Low Redundant apps
Retain N/A N/A Medium Compliance or readiness constraints
Relocate Fast Low Low Data center shutdowns

💡 Final Thoughts

Cloud migration isn’t just about moving servers—it’s about evolving your IT to support innovation, scalability, and resilience. The 7Rs give your team the tools to approach cloud transformation strategically.

Whether you’re starting your first migration or scaling an enterprise-wide effort, OpsNexa brings the technical expertise, strategic insight, and hands-on support to make your cloud journey successful.

📞 Ready to Start Your Cloud Migration?

Let OpsNexa guide your team through every “R” of the cloud journey—from planning to optimization.

👉 Contact us today for a free 7Rs assessment and personalized migration strategy session.