Migrate Your Most Critical Workloads into AWS with Confidence - Part Two

This is the second in a two-part series on Migrating workloads into AWS. Previously, we addressed the standard AWS migration phased approach and assessment using the Cloud Adoption Framework consulting with a 10-pillar approach. In this blog, we will go over Mobilization, Migration and Modernization.

Mobilization Phase

The second migration phase focuses on more detailed assessment, rationalization, secure foundation, and business case creation.

Recently we helped assess (Well-Architected Framework) and remediate a client application that was developed by a large international development and consulting firm. The Trace3 team quickly identified areas for optimization in the Cloud, then worked with the client to rapidly implement caching to reduce API calls, resulting in sustained client cost savings of over $200,000 a month! The client used these savings to fund additional Cloud initiatives and reduce their time to market for new customer-facing features.

This migration optimization story is not unusual – we have many client FinOps initiatives in progress today within AWS migration efforts and stand-alone programs. One Trace3 FinOps program in progress is on track to save $15M in 2023 alone! As was the case with this example, many of our clients use multiple on-shore and off-shore consulting, development, and Cloud project delivery partners. Trace3 is familiar and comfortable with these types of collaborative programs in AWS.

Our certified FinOps practitioners engage with your teams during the Mobilize Phase to add a perspective on optimization and how to efficiently manage your Cloud spend. In today’s world, maximizing your return on investment and efficiently managing cloud spend are critical foundations to any AWS environment! The Trace3 FinOps practice educates your teams to operate efficiently and provides valuable ongoing feedback to your Cloud Center of Excellence for continual improvements.

Trace3 creates the detailed business case with our AWS Cloud Architects collaborating with Management Consultants who are digital transformation experts. We don’t just give you a huge document of findings and recommendations. We prefer that our programs include hands-on and collaborative assistance with AWS migration teams to ensure success.

The Mobilize Phase is where Trace3 assesses and/or provisions your organization’s Secure Cloud Foundation with Control Tower to help you scale effectively with a landing zone. We strongly believe in defining and using Service Control Policies (SCPs), Guard Rails, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to make your organization’s compliance process easier and more effective. We have demonstrated success in building Cloud foundations across many industries, including highly compliant environments in Finance, Healthcare, and Federal verticals.

One of Trace3’s large financial customers engaged us to create a customized application rationalization and architecture assessment framework that integrated closely with their Cloud Center of Excellence. After creation of this framework, Trace3 collaboratively demonstrated how to use the assessment for rationalization on several hundred client applications. The client quickly adopted the framework and successfully rolled it out for broad adoption across their teams for thousands of applications within the AWS migration program. The use of this framework accelerated the client to meet their aggressive AWS migration deadlines.

Trace3 applies the proven 7 Rs application rationalization approach.

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/prescriptive-guidance/latest/migration-retiring-applications/overview.html

This approach helps us align the business case to your company’s value drivers:

The identification and association of migration efforts to value drivers help your organization focus on outcomes and define the criteria for success.

Migration & Modernization

Migration of applications to the cloud is the first step on your journey to achieve your business outcomes. As your organization grows, changes, and adjusts to meet demand, refactoring and modernizing your applications will help you succeed in the long term. We know many organizations start with “lift-and-shift,” but we strongly believe you should frequently reevaluate your applications for potential improvements using AWS managed services.

Our ability to provide the ideal combination of architecture, consulting, and hands-on delivery has made Trace3 client programs very successful. A large financial client chose Trace3 when they needed this holistic approach for AWS Cloud migration. As part of the migration program, Trace3 assessed the client’s centralized Identity as a Service (IDaaS) solution, provided best practice guidance on IDaaS integration, assisted with detailed implementation consulting, and provided application rationalization services. This consulting and project delivery work helped the client successfully meet their AWS migration outcomes!

Our Application Modernization team are experts in evaluating your software, implementing best practices (AWS Well-Architected Framework), refactoring for cost saving AWS managed services integrations, and addressing potential security or architectural issues. These services help reduce your time to market and improve your security posture.

Lastly, Trace3 helps your team continue to grow and develop your Cloud Center of Excellence throughout the Migration and Modernization phase. Trace3 is proud of our track record of enabling our clients’ long-term success in AWS by providing the perfect combination of consulting and hands-on delivery.