AWS Migration Part 2: Accelerating Cloud Adoption with the MAP Program

In Part 1, we explored the Optimization and Licensing Assessment (OLA), which establishes a business case for cloud migration, helping undecided customers take the first step. Now, let’s dive deeper into the AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP), designed to accelerate cloud adoption and ensure success at scale.

Table of Contents

1. What’s MAP all about?
2. How does MAP help?
3. How to get started with MAP
4. MAP Phases Overview
   • Assess Phase
   • Mobilize Phase
   • Migrate and Modernize Phase
5. MAP = Acceleration

What’s MAP all about?

The AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) is a comprehensive framework designed to guide businesses through their cloud adoption journey. It provides a structured, phased approach to migrate workloads to AWS, leveraging AWS best practices, tools, and services.

MAP ensures that migration is not just about moving workloads but also about modernizing applications and processes to maximize cloud benefits.

How does MAP help?

MAP provides both technical and business advantages, including:

• Cost Optimization: By leveraging programs like OLA and identifying cost-saving opportunities, MAP ensures you’re migrating efficiently.
• Risk Reduction: Establishing a migration strategy and governance ensures the process is predictable and controlled.
• Enablement: It equips organizations with the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools to operate efficiently in the cloud.
• Scalability: MAP accelerates cloud adoption while ensuring workloads are secure, compliant, and optimized for performance.

image Credits AWS Perspective Guidance

How to get started with MAP

The MAP process begins by understanding your organization’s current cloud readiness and business objectives. This involves engaging with AWS or an AWS Partner, conducting assessments, and creating a migration strategy.

Key steps include:

• Conducting an Optimization and Licensing Assessment (OLA) to build a business case.
• Performing a Migration Readiness Assessment (MRA) to identify gaps and strengths.
• Aligning your goals with the MAP framework to establish a roadmap.

MAP Phases Overview

The MAP framework is divided into three primary phases: Assess, Mobilize, and Migrate & Modernize. Each phase builds on the previous one, ensuring a comprehensive approach to cloud migration.

Assess Phase

The Assess Phase focuses on building a foundational understanding of your current environment, cloud readiness, and business drivers for migration.

Key Activities:

1. Optimization and Licensing Assessment (OLA):

   • Provides a Directional Business Case, comparing costs between AWS and maintaining the status quo.
   • Activities include:
     • Inventory and utilization data collection.
     • Right-sizing assessments and identifying zombie resources.
     • Cost benchmarking and licensing options.
     • Producing TCO comparisons and financial analyses.

2. Migration Readiness Assessment (MRA):

   • Offers insights into your current cloud readiness.
   • Identifies gaps and creates an action plan to address them.
   • Outcomes include:
     • Understanding where the organization stands in its cloud journey.
     • Highlighting areas of strength and weaknesses.
     • Developing an actionable plan for gap closure.

3. AWS Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF):

   • Helps align business and IT strategies with AWS best practices to accelerate outcomes.

4. Migration Portfolio Assessment:

   • Evaluates workloads to determine migration feasibility.
   • Categorizes workloads using the 7Rs:
     • Retire, Retain, Rehost, Relocate, Refactor, Replatform, Repurchase.
   • Prioritizes applications based on business and technical drivers.

Purpose:

To create a comprehensive strategy and high-level migration roadmap.

Mobilize Phase

The Mobilize Phase focuses on building readiness for large-scale migration. This phase ensures your organization is prepared technically and organizationally for the migration.

Key Activities:

1. Detailed Business Case:

   • Refines the financial and operational models created during the Assess phase.

2. Detailed Portfolio Discovery:

   • Identifies dependencies, optimizations, and risks for targeted workloads.

3. Create Workstreams:

   • Workstreams include:
     • Application Migration
     • Migration Governance
     • Landing Zone: Establishes a secure, scalable multi-account environment based on AWS best practices.
     • Security, Risk, and Compliance
     • Operations
     • People Readiness: Skills, culture, change, and leadership alignment.

4. Pilot Migration:

   • Validates migration approaches and processes before scaling.

Migrate and Modernize Phase

The Migrate and Modernize Phase focuses on executing the migration at scale and optimizing workloads for the cloud.

Key Activities:

1. Migration Factory:

   • Standardizes processes and uses automation to accelerate migrations.
   • Develops Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

2. Workload Modernization:

   • Optimizes workloads during or post-migration.

3. Training and Enablement:

   • Ensures your teams are equipped to operate and manage the new cloud environment.

4. Operational Model Execution:

   • Applies learnings from earlier phases to manage and monitor workloads effectively.

Stages:

MAP = Acceleration

By following the MAP framework, organizations can confidently accelerate their cloud adoption journey while minimizing risks and optimizing costs. The structured approach ensures readiness, scalability, and success at every step of the way.

Ready to Migrate?

AWS MAP transforms cloud migration from a daunting challenge into a streamlined process, enabling businesses to unlock innovation and agility. Whether you’re at the beginning of your cloud journey or looking to scale, MAP provides the tools, expertise, and framework you need to succeed.

Check out Part 1 for a detailed look at building your business case, and start your journey with AWS MAP today!