Moving custom applications to the cloud makes a lot of sense. The improved economics, greater operational flexibility, easier scalability, faster performance and enhanced security—all while adapting a single- or multi-cloud strategy—are part of the value proposition to get more from long-standing investments in custom applications.
But making the right choice of a cloud services platform is an essential part of the process. There are many options to choose from, and no two cloud platform providers are the same. For that matter, some providers offer multiple approaches for migrating custom applications to the cloud. It’s important for decision-makers to do their homework and be sure they are comparing apples to apples.
Selecting Your Cloud Partner and Platform: Get Your Priorities Straight
One of the first things to do is set your priorities for your custom applications in terms of how they will be used for optimal benefit moving forward.
For instance, if the applications—even those developed years ago—are serving a valuable purpose and there isn’t much you can do to improve that, then moving those apps to the cloud as is makes a lot of sense. This lift and shift approach is the simplest migration path, offering clear benefit by getting the day-to-day management out of the on-premises data center into a secure, tightly managed cloud environment.
Another option is to actually improve the utility and functionality of your custom apps by upgrading the underlying technology used to create the applications, such as an application server or an autonomous database. This is referred to as move and improve.
The third option, termed modernize, involves rewriting or refactoring application code in a way that it can be developed and deployed as a cloud-native application, often on Kubernetes. Using containers, microservices and other cloud-native development techniques, modernized custom applications represent a major step toward a future-proof application model that delivers enhanced business value over a longer period of time. It’s also part of modern IT models such as DevOps and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD).
Naturally, not every cloud platform provider has the experience, skills and tools necessary to allow organizations to select the right application development and deployment model for their journey to the cloud.
Another key factor organizations should consider is whether their potential cloud partner can offer the underlying infrastructure to ensure high-level application availability and application performance. This is particularly important for custom applications, since they were developed to meet the unique needs of the organization and must perform mission-critical tasks that cannot be impacted by subpar infrastructure performance.
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Download NowWhat Oracle Offers in a Cloud Platform for Migrating Custom Applications
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure offers both high-performance infrastructure—powered by IntelÒ XeonÒ third-generation processors—and the ability to support all three different migration strategies discussed above.
Oracle offers an array of cloud infrastructure, databases, applications, security solutions and development tools, combined with in-depth experience in helping some of the largest and most complex organizations in the world migrate custom applications to the cloud. This combination makes it an excellent partner for organizations looking to implement a long-term strategy for driving more economic and operational benefit from their custom applications.
The cutting-edge performance, security and reliability of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure are essential in ensuring that custom application migration not only takes place smoothly and quickly, but results in a more efficient, secure, high-performance and scalable environment. It also acts as an integral part of organizations’ strategic IT transformation initiatives, including DevSecOps, hybrid cloud/hybrid IT, data center modernization and IT service management.
Want to learn more about what Oracle can do to help your organization migrate valuable custom applications to the right cloud environment for your needs? Please click here.
