Moving applications to the cloud can feel confusing for many teams today because the process includes many steps. Clear cloud migration strategies help companies plan better and avoid unexpected issues during the move. 

These strategies offer simple guidance that supports every decision and helps teams work with confidence. 

Many companies first learned these methods from AWS, but the ideas now work across almost every cloud platform. Today, businesses use these seven strategies to modernize systems, reduce costs, and support steady growth in the future.

For example, a small team might use these steps:

• They review each application to see which one needs faster movement.
  
  
• They update tools that require small changes before the cloud shift.
  
  
• They remove old programs that slow down the entire process.

What Are the 7 Migration Strategies? (Overview Table)

Below is a clear view of the seven strategies used by many companies during cloud moves. These AWS migration strategies shaped the modern the 7R models of migration or 7R migration strategies that guides teams through each important decision. The table helps you understand how each strategy works and when it fits your needs.

A table like this helps teams compare choices quickly and understand the 7R model at a glance.

Why Migration Strategies Matter

Cloud migration strategies matter because they give teams a clear plan that removes guesswork from the entire move. These strategies break a complex process into simple steps that match real business needs. Many companies handle large systems, so clear steps help them avoid confusion and reduce unexpected issues. A defined strategy also keeps teams aligned, which supports better decisions during each phase of cloud migration.

Modern businesses follow these strategies because they want smoother work, safer changes, and stronger results. Cloud journeys often feel overwhelming, but a structured approach helps teams stay focused without rushing important choices.

Key reasons these strategies matter include:

• They reduce costly mistakes that happen when teams skip careful planning steps.
  
  
• They help teams avoid long downtime that affects customers and daily tasks.
  
  
• They guide budget choices with clear direction for tools, storage, and services.
  
  
• They support strong long-term performance by preventing rushed or weak setups.
  
  
• They build a roadmap that aligns technology choices with real business goals.
  
  
• They help teams communicate better because everyone understands the same plan.
  
  

A clear strategy makes the entire cloud migration process faster, smoother, and far less stressful because every step follows a proven path instead of guesswork.

The 7 Migration Strategies Explained (7R Model)

1. Rehost (“Lift and Shift”)

Rehosting is the quickest way to move from on-premise to the cloud. You take your existing applications and move them as-is, with no major code or architecture changes. It’s popular because it reduces complexity and gets companies into the cloud fast, especially when time and resources are limited.

When to Use

• When teams need a rapid cloud migration with minimal disruption.
  
  
• When current applications run well and don’t require upgrades.
  
  
• When IT teams don’t have the bandwidth for deep redesign or refactoring.
  
  
• When the goal is to eliminate on-premise hardware costs quickly.
  
  

When to Avoid

• When applications need significant performance or reliability improvements.
  
  
• When long-term cloud cost optimization is a key priority.
  
  
• When workloads require modern cloud-native capabilities like autoscaling or event-driven processing.
  
  

Example

A company moves its virtual machines directly to cloud VMs to stop maintaining costly physical infrastructure.

2. Relocate

Relocating moves entire environments to the cloud without redesigning them. It is often used by companies that rely on virtualization platforms. This strategy offers a quick, low-risk path because teams shift workloads exactly as they run today. It reduces the need for deep planning and heavy technical changes.

When to Use

• When teams use platforms such as VMware Cloud or similar systems.
  
  
• When migration speed matters more than deep optimization.
  
  
• When companies want a predictable, low-risk move to the cloud.
  
  
• Teams want to reduce hardware dependence quickly.
  
  

When to Avoid

• When applications already need performance upgrades or redesign.
  
  
• When teams want to unlock full cloud-native features soon.
  
  
• When the system is too outdated for long-term cloud value.
  
  

Example

A company moves all VMware workloads to a cloud-based cluster without making technical changes.

3. Replatform (“Lift, Tinker, and Shift”)

Replatforming keeps most of the application architecture intact but makes small improvements during the move. It’s a middle path; you get better performance, easier maintenance, and lower costs without committing to a full rebuild. This approach is trending because it blends speed with meaningful modernization.

When to Use

• When teams want noticeable performance gains without deep architectural changes.
  
  
• When applications can benefit from managed cloud services like managed databases, caching, or autoscaling.
  
  
• When budgets allow for moderate improvements but not a full overhaul.
  
  
• When businesses want a smoother transition to eventually become more cloud-native.
  
  

When to Avoid

• When the system needs complete architectural changes to meet modern demands.
  
  
• When deadlines are tight and even minor adjustments could cause delays.
  
  
• When applications must adopt advanced cloud features that require refactoring anyway.
  
  

Example

A team migrates their self-managed database to a fully managed cloud database (like Amazon RDS) to reduce maintenance and improve reliability, without rewriting the entire app.

4. Refactor/Re-architect

Refactoring rebuilds applications so they can use full cloud-native power. This includes microservices, event-driven designs, managed databases, and serverless computing. It is the most advanced strategy and delivers the best long-term results. But it often requires more time, money, and skilled developers.

When to Use

• When the business needs strong long-term growth and stability.
  
  
• When applications must handle large traffic or millions of users smoothly.
  
  
• When companies want to adopt microservices or serverless designs.
  
  
• When teams need better performance, faster updates, and modern security.
  
  

When to Avoid

• When budgets are tight or timelines short.
  
  
• When the team lacks cloud development experience or DevOps capability.
  
  
• When the application is too small to justify a full rebuild.
  
  

Example

A team rebuilds a legacy monolithic system into microservices to improve performance, scale, and deployment speed.

5. Repurchase (“Drop and Shop”)

Repurchasing replaces existing software with cloud-based SaaS tools. Instead of fixing outdated systems, companies switch to modern platforms that come ready to use. This reduces maintenance work, cuts hardware costs, and gives teams faster access to new features. It’s a popular choice for businesses that want quick improvement without rebuilding everything.

When to Use

• When old tools slow teams down or block growth.
  
  
• When SaaS platforms offer better features and faster upgrades.
  
  
• When the company wants to remove long-term maintenance and hosting tasks.
  
  
• When security and compliance are easier to handle through trusted SaaS providers.
  
  

When to Avoid

• When the organization relies on heavy customization not supported by SaaS tools.
  
  
• When switching or retraining costs are very high.
  
  
• When data migration would disrupt core operations.
  
  

Example

A business leaves its outdated on-prem CRM and adopts Salesforce for better features and easier scaling.

6. Retain (“Revisit”)

Retaining means keeping some applications on-prem for now. Not every system needs an immediate cloud move. Some tools work better in their current environment until stronger reasons appear. This strategy lets teams focus on high-value migrations first while avoiding unnecessary pressure.

When to Use

• When strict compliance rules limit cloud migration options today.
  
  
• When applications rely on tightly connected local systems or hardware.
  
  
• When the migration cost is too high for the short-term value gained.
  
  
• When teams need more time to review long-term cloud plans properly.
  
  

When to Avoid

• When applications need scale that on-prem hardware cannot support.
  
  
• When the system becomes hard to maintain or update locally.
  
  
• When the tool slows down critical business tasks.
  
  

Example

A financial application stays on local servers because compliance rules demand strict data control.

7. Retire

Retiring removes systems that are no longer useful or cost-effective. Many companies discover outdated tools during migration planning. Removing them reduces confusion, trims costs, and simplifies the entire cloud move. This strategy ensures teams only shift what truly matters.

When to Use

• When an application no longer supports current business goals.
  
  
• When old tools drain the budget without delivering value.
  
  
• When cleaning up digital clutter helps teams plan migration better.
  
  
• When duplicate or overlapping systems exist and can be removed.
  
  

When to Avoid

• When the system stores critical historical data.
  
  
• When the tool supports an essential workflow that has no replacement yet.
  
  

Example

A company shuts down an old reporting system to cut storage costs and reduce system complexity.

How to Choose the Right Migration Strategy

Choosing the right strategy requires a clear review of the entire environment. Each application has different needs, limits, and costs. A careful evaluation helps teams pick strategies that match long-term goals. This keeps cloud migration simpler, safer, and more aligned with business plans.

Steps to Choose the Best Strategy

• Check the current system architecture and understand how stable it is.
  
  
• Review all app connections, including workflows and deep dependencies.
  
  
• Compare available migration time with realistic budget limits.
  
  
• Understand the team’s cloud skills, tools, and future training needs.
  
  
• Align technical decisions with the overall business roadmap.
  
  

A structured approach helps teams avoid rushed decisions and reduces stress during migration. It also ensures each step supports lasting performance, better cost control, and clear growth.

Comparison Chart: 7Rs vs. Business Goals

How This Comparison Chart Works:

Use this chart to see how each strategy matches common goals.

Charts like this help teams pick strategies that fit their goals and constraints.

This chart gives teams a quick way to compare all seven migration strategies side by side. Each row shows how a strategy performs against common business goals. 

These goals include cost, speed, risk, and modernization levels. By checking each column, teams can understand the strengths and limits of every strategy. Such knowledge makes it easier to choose the path that supports their plans.

How Each Category Is Differentiated

Cost

This shows how much money the strategy usually requires. Lower-cost options need fewer changes and less work. Higher cost options often involve redesign, new tools, or bigger upgrades.

Speed

This tells how fast the migration can usually happen. High-speed strategies move quickly because they need fewer changes. Lower speed options take longer due to redesign or complex planning.

Risk

This shows how much uncertainty or disruption the strategy may create. Low-risk strategies use simple steps with fewer chances of failure. High-risk paths change many parts, which increases possible issues.

Modernization Level

This tells how much the strategy upgrades or improves the system. Low modernization paths move systems as they are today. High modernization options use cloud-native features for better scale and performance.

Why These Ratings Look Different

Rehost

Rehost has a low cost because it avoids deep changes. It moves fast but carries medium risk because old issues remain. It has low modernization since nothing major is improved.

Replatform

Replatforming costs slightly more because it adds small upgrades. It offers a balanced speed and moderate modernization. Risk stays medium because some changes happen.

Repurchase

Repurchases use new SaaS products, so cost becomes medium. Speed stays medium because switching tools takes time. Risk is lower because vendors handle updates. Modernization becomes high due to new features.

Refactor

Refactoring needs heavy redesign, so cost becomes high. Speed is low because rebuilding takes time. Risk is high due to large changes. Modernization becomes very high with cloud-native features.

Retire

Retire has a very low cost because it removes tools. Speed is high since deletion is simple. Risk stays very low because systems disappear. Modernization stays low because nothing new is added.

Retain

Retain has a low cost because nothing changes. Speed is high since teams keep tools as is. Risk is low because systems stay stable. Modernization stays low because updates are delayed.

Relocate

Relocate has a medium cost because tools shift to cloud platforms. Speed stays high because no redesign is done. Risk becomes medium since environments move together. Modernization stays low because no major upgrades happen.

Common Mistakes When Using Cloud Migration Strategies

Companies often make predictable mistakes when planning cloud migration. Knowing these issues helps teams stay prepared.

Avoid These Mistakes

• Choosing a complex strategy without clear need.
  
  
• Ignoring hidden app connections or dependencies.
  
  
• Underestimating effort needed for refactoring.
  
  
• Skipping performance tests after migration.
  
  
• Moving everything at once without priority levels.
  
  

Good planning reduces these risks and improves project outcomes.

Benefits of Using a Clear Migration Strategy

A defined strategy builds stronger cloud migrations with fewer surprises. It helps teams avoid last-minute issues and budget problems.

Key Benefits

• Faster decisions with clear guidance.
  
  
• Smoother migrations with fewer delays.
  
  
• Lower risk through better planning.
  
  
• Stronger cost control for long-term use.
  
  
• Better performance and stronger scalability.
  
  

A solid strategy supports teams across every migration stage.

Can CausalFunnel Help in This?

CausalFunnel does not manage technical cloud migration tasks directly, but it becomes valuable after the move. Its AI tools study user behavior on cloud platforms and reveal patterns that improve conversions. This helps companies gain more value from their new cloud setup and justify migration costs.

How CausalFunnel adds value after migration:

• It studies user behavior and highlights patterns that increase conversions.
  
  
• It predicts customer actions and guides smarter marketing choices.
  
  
• It reduces wasted ad spend by targeting high-value users better.
  
  
• It boosts retention by showing why users leave or stay on platforms.
  
  
• It personalizes user journeys to increase engagement and performance.
  
  

How it connects to migration planning:

• Migration builds the base, while CausalFunnel improves business performance on top.
  
  
• Teams can track user behavior after migration to measure real impact.
  
  
• Insights reveal issues that appear only after systems move to the cloud.
  
  
• It becomes a natural next step for companies seeking growth after upgrades.

Final Thoughts: Which Strategy Should You Pick?

Different companies need different paths, so no single strategy works for everyone. The right choice depends on your goals, budgets, timelines, and future plans. These AWS migration strategies offer a clear framework to make smarter decisions.

Study your systems carefully and match the correct strategy to each application. This thoughtful approach ensures smoother cloud adoption and a stronger path to growth.