Plan the move
Discover the workloads and their dependencies, choose a path for each, prepare the destination and agree the cutover and recovery approach.
- Dependencies and destination
- A path for each workload
- A cutover and recovery plan
Your application needs to keep working after the move. Plan its dependencies, identity and access together, whether you are moving into Azure, changing tenants, reorganizing subscriptions or leaving AWS.
See how AI migrates
Start with what the application depends on, who needs access and what the destination must support. AI helps organize discovery, estimate, package and validate the work; a person decides each release.
Matt delivered an Azure subscription move in two weeks against a six-week estimate. That is one project against its own estimate, not a rate for every move.
Discovery gives planning a grounded picture of the migration. Identify the work and its dependencies before choosing the delivery approach.
AI can assist with that preparation. People remain responsible for judging whether the plan fits the systems and the business.
Estimates turn the proposed work into a basis for scheduling and decisions. Keep their assumptions connected to what discovery has established.
AI assistance can help organize the material. An estimate still needs review when the scope or understanding changes.
Packaging prepares the migration work for a controlled delivery. It gives validation something specific to examine.
Keep the package aligned with the plan and its assumptions. Preparation is useful when another person can understand what is intended to run.
Validation checks the prepared work before deployment. Its result gives the responsible person evidence for the next decision.
Keep that decision explicit. AI assistance supports the work, while a person decides whether the proposed deployment is ready.
The human decision gates deployment in this pattern. Proceed on the basis of the validated work and the agreed scope.
Keep responsibility visible during the change. A working deployment still needs the handover that lets others understand and operate it.
Handover carries the result of delivery into ongoing use. The receiving team needs to understand the system and the decisions that shaped it.
Keep useful knowledge available after the migration task closes. That continuity supports the next piece of work.
Discovery, planning, estimates, packaging, validation, deployment and handover form one delivery path. AI assists across the work while the deployment decision remains human.
Judge the approach by the evidence for the actual migration. The diagram describes a working pattern without promising a particular duration or saving.
Discovery gives planning a grounded picture of the migration. Identify the work and its dependencies before choosing the delivery approach.
AI can assist with that preparation. People remain responsible for judging whether the plan fits the systems and the business.
Estimates turn the proposed work into a basis for scheduling and decisions. Keep their assumptions connected to what discovery has established.
AI assistance can help organize the material. An estimate still needs review when the scope or understanding changes.
Packaging prepares the migration work for a controlled delivery. It gives validation something specific to examine.
Keep the package aligned with the plan and its assumptions. Preparation is useful when another person can understand what is intended to run.
Validation checks the prepared work before deployment. Its result gives the responsible person evidence for the next decision.
Keep that decision explicit. AI assistance supports the work, while a person decides whether the proposed deployment is ready.
The human decision gates deployment in this pattern. Proceed on the basis of the validated work and the agreed scope.
Keep responsibility visible during the change. A working deployment still needs the handover that lets others understand and operate it.
Handover carries the result of delivery into ongoing use. The receiving team needs to understand the system and the decisions that shaped it.
Keep useful knowledge available after the migration task closes. That continuity supports the next piece of work.
Discovery, planning, estimates, packaging, validation, deployment and handover form one delivery path. AI assists across the work while the deployment decision remains human.
Judge the approach by the evidence for the actual migration. The diagram describes a working pattern without promising a particular duration or saving.
The on-premises estate includes servers, applications, documents and data. Discover what each workload depends on before deciding how it should move.
Files and content are part of the application story. Include them in the plan so the destination supports the work people actually do.
The migration plan connects discovery with target preparation, replication and testing. Use it to make the dependencies and readiness decisions explicit.
Testing needs to cover the application and its content together. A completed transfer is only one part of deciding whether the workload is ready.
The Azure environment brings virtual machines, managed disks and a configured virtual network together. Prepare those components around the application requirements.
Check that the workload can use its data and required connections in the destination. That evidence informs the decision to release it.
Discovery, preparation and testing connect the existing estate to its Azure destination. The application and its content remain part of one migration plan.
The practical question is what must work when people return to the application. Start the plan with those expectations and the dependencies behind them.
The on-premises estate includes servers, applications, documents and data. Discover what each workload depends on before deciding how it should move.
Files and content are part of the application story. Include them in the plan so the destination supports the work people actually do.
The migration plan connects discovery with target preparation, replication and testing. Use it to make the dependencies and readiness decisions explicit.
Testing needs to cover the application and its content together. A completed transfer is only one part of deciding whether the workload is ready.
The Azure environment brings virtual machines, managed disks and a configured virtual network together. Prepare those components around the application requirements.
Check that the workload can use its data and required connections in the destination. That evidence informs the decision to release it.
Discovery, preparation and testing connect the existing estate to its Azure destination. The application and its content remain part of one migration plan.
The practical question is what must work when people return to the application. Start the plan with those expectations and the dependencies behind them.
Find what keeps the application running: its database, overnight jobs and the systems that call it. Decide, against the deadline, what moves as it is and what to modernize. For a law firm, Matt converted 10 C# web parts and 3 web-service applications to Azure Functions and SharePoint Framework.
A change of tenant changes the identity boundary around a workload. This example rebuilds the destination, then moves the applications and data with a separate plan for access.
Establish what belongs in the destination before moving it. The new tenant has to support the business responsibilities the source currently carries.
Re-create the environment the applications will need in the destination tenant. This provides a deliberate target for the migration.
Review the destination against the source requirements. Rebuilding an environment also exposes choices that need to be confirmed rather than inherited unnoticed.
Migrate the applications and data into the prepared environment. Their relationship matters because an application needs the right information to do useful work.
Validate the result in the destination tenant. Use the expected business workflow to judge whether the migrated application is ready.
Map source identities to the destination and configure the permissions they need. Application identities and grants belong in that review alongside people.
Test access against the intended responsibilities. Moving data does not settle who should be able to use it in the new tenant.
The migration combines environment recreation, application and data movement, and identity reconfiguration. Each part contributes to a destination the business can use.
This is a different operation from a supported resource move within one tenant. Scope the plan around the actual tenant boundary and the work that must continue.
A change of tenant changes the identity boundary around a workload. This example rebuilds the destination, then moves the applications and data with a separate plan for access.
Establish what belongs in the destination before moving it. The new tenant has to support the business responsibilities the source currently carries.
Re-create the environment the applications will need in the destination tenant. This provides a deliberate target for the migration.
Review the destination against the source requirements. Rebuilding an environment also exposes choices that need to be confirmed rather than inherited unnoticed.
Migrate the applications and data into the prepared environment. Their relationship matters because an application needs the right information to do useful work.
Validate the result in the destination tenant. Use the expected business workflow to judge whether the migrated application is ready.
Map source identities to the destination and configure the permissions they need. Application identities and grants belong in that review alongside people.
Test access against the intended responsibilities. Moving data does not settle who should be able to use it in the new tenant.
The migration combines environment recreation, application and data movement, and identity reconfiguration. Each part contributes to a destination the business can use.
This is a different operation from a supported resource move within one tenant. Scope the plan around the actual tenant boundary and the work that must continue.
A merger or divestiture can change both the application owner and the directory that controls access. Review workloads and identities together, and plan how people and applications regain access, how the destination is tested and how much interruption the business can accept.
The source and destination subscriptions share one Microsoft Entra tenant. The change concerns the subscription scope around the resources.
Keep that boundary clear when planning the work. A same-tenant move and a cross-tenant migration involve different decisions.
Validate whether the actual resources can move and which dependencies must move with them. For a virtual-machine workload, review its network and disks together.
Confirm that the destination is ready before proceeding. The resource types and their relationships determine the move that can be performed.
The destination subscription receives the supported resource set. Keep the VM, network and disk relationships visible when reviewing the result.
Check the workload against its intended use after the move. A change in subscription scope still needs a clear owner for acceptance.
The subscription scope changes while the Microsoft Entra tenant stays the same. Validation connects the source workload to a prepared destination.
Begin with the resource inventory and dependencies, then confirm the supported move. Some resources or configurations may require a different approach.
The source and destination subscriptions share one Microsoft Entra tenant. The change concerns the subscription scope around the resources.
Keep that boundary clear when planning the work. A same-tenant move and a cross-tenant migration involve different decisions.
Validate whether the actual resources can move and which dependencies must move with them. For a virtual-machine workload, review its network and disks together.
Confirm that the destination is ready before proceeding. The resource types and their relationships determine the move that can be performed.
The destination subscription receives the supported resource set. Keep the VM, network and disk relationships visible when reviewing the result.
Check the workload against its intended use after the move. A change in subscription scope still needs a clear owner for acceptance.
The subscription scope changes while the Microsoft Entra tenant stays the same. Validation connects the source workload to a prepared destination.
Begin with the resource inventory and dependencies, then confirm the supported move. Some resources or configurations may require a different approach.
Moving resources between subscriptions can separate costs, reorganize ownership or divide production from development. Check resource eligibility and dependencies, prepare the destination and review access before scheduling the move.
People, ownership, requirements and the existing estate shape the landing zone. Decide what the platform must support before selecting its structure.
The starting context gives the design a reason for each shared capability. It also identifies who will make and maintain those decisions.
The platform landing zone brings identity, connectivity, security and management together. These capabilities support more than one application environment.
Define ownership for the shared platform. A workload team needs to know what the foundation supplies and which responsibilities remain with the application.
Application landing zones hold the applications and their data. Each environment draws on the shared platform while serving its own workload.
Use the workload requirements to shape the environment. Shared foundations can coexist with different application needs.
A further application environment can use the same platform capabilities. Its application and data remain a distinct area of responsibility.
Review the boundary between shared and workload decisions as the estate grows. Reuse works best when ownership remains understandable.
Starting context informs the shared platform, and the platform supports the application environments. The design connects business ownership to the systems that carry the work.
The important question is which responsibilities should be shared. Answer that alongside the requirements for each workload.
People, ownership, requirements and the existing estate shape the landing zone. Decide what the platform must support before selecting its structure.
The starting context gives the design a reason for each shared capability. It also identifies who will make and maintain those decisions.
The platform landing zone brings identity, connectivity, security and management together. These capabilities support more than one application environment.
Define ownership for the shared platform. A workload team needs to know what the foundation supplies and which responsibilities remain with the application.
Application landing zones hold the applications and their data. Each environment draws on the shared platform while serving its own workload.
Use the workload requirements to shape the environment. Shared foundations can coexist with different application needs.
A further application environment can use the same platform capabilities. Its application and data remain a distinct area of responsibility.
Review the boundary between shared and workload decisions as the estate grows. Reuse works best when ownership remains understandable.
Starting context informs the shared platform, and the platform supports the application environments. The design connects business ownership to the systems that carry the work.
The important question is which responsibilities should be shared. Answer that alongside the requirements for each workload.
A landing zone settles the shared identity, network, security and management decisions that applications need. Agree who operates the shared platform and who owns each application before more workloads arrive.
Identity, networking, security and management form the shared platform. Explicit virtual-network connections support the application environments.
Keep those connections aligned with the workload requirements. A running application depends on more than its compute and data.
Another application environment uses its own connection to the platform. Its application and data have their own operating needs.
Review those needs before applying one recovery design everywhere. Similar infrastructure can support work with different consequences when interrupted.
Prepare a recovery copy for the workload and decide what it must support during an interruption. Replication needs to match that recovery plan.
Backups also feed the recovery plan. Confirm the required coverage and the relationship between the protected data and the recovered application.
A recovery test examines the copy that would support the workload. Use it to check whether the recovered system meets the intended need.
Let the result inform the plan and its next correction. The presence of a backup or replica alone does not establish successful recovery.
Shared platform services, application environments and recovery infrastructure have different roles. Connect them through an explicit plan for the workload.
Choose the recovery target and test the required coverage. The business needs to know what it is preparing to recover.
Identity, networking, security and management form the shared platform. Explicit virtual-network connections support the application environments.
Keep those connections aligned with the workload requirements. A running application depends on more than its compute and data.
Another application environment uses its own connection to the platform. Its application and data have their own operating needs.
Review those needs before applying one recovery design everywhere. Similar infrastructure can support work with different consequences when interrupted.
Prepare a recovery copy for the workload and decide what it must support during an interruption. Replication needs to match that recovery plan.
Backups also feed the recovery plan. Confirm the required coverage and the relationship between the protected data and the recovered application.
A recovery test examines the copy that would support the workload. Use it to check whether the recovered system meets the intended need.
Let the result inform the plan and its next correction. The presence of a backup or replica alone does not establish successful recovery.
Shared platform services, application environments and recovery infrastructure have different roles. Connect them through an explicit plan for the workload.
Choose the recovery target and test the required coverage. The business needs to know what it is preparing to recover.
Plan connectivity and recovery together. Agree how much data loss and downtime the business can tolerate, then use those limits to choose and test the backup and recovery approach before cutover.
The AWS source contains an EC2 application and its application data. Understand their dependencies before choosing the migration approach.
This scenario concerns an EC2 workload moving to Azure virtual machines. Other AWS services need their own assessment.
The migration sequence separates replication, testing and cutover. Testing gives the team evidence before committing the workload to its destination.
Plan the cutover around that evidence and the business need. Copying data starts the transition; it does not decide readiness by itself.
The Azure destination supplies a virtual machine, virtual network and managed disk. Prepare them to support the assessed application and its content.
Validate the workload in that environment before release. The target needs to support the connections and data the application actually uses.
Assessment and preparation connect the EC2 source to its Azure VM destination. Replication, testing and cutover provide the sequence for the change.
Keep the scope specific to the workload being moved. A familiar cloud label does not make every dependency equivalent.
The AWS source contains an EC2 application and its application data. Understand their dependencies before choosing the migration approach.
This scenario concerns an EC2 workload moving to Azure virtual machines. Other AWS services need their own assessment.
The migration sequence separates replication, testing and cutover. Testing gives the team evidence before committing the workload to its destination.
Plan the cutover around that evidence and the business need. Copying data starts the transition; it does not decide readiness by itself.
The Azure destination supplies a virtual machine, virtual network and managed disk. Prepare them to support the assessed application and its content.
Validate the workload in that environment before release. The target needs to support the connections and data the application actually uses.
Assessment and preparation connect the EC2 source to its Azure VM destination. Replication, testing and cutover provide the sequence for the change.
Keep the scope specific to the workload being moved. A familiar cloud label does not make every dependency equivalent.
Assess each workload before choosing its Azure destination: a virtual machine, a managed service and the data they share may need different approaches. Plan dependencies and replacement access controls together, and test before cutover.
Bring the systems you need to move, the deadline and what cannot break. We identify what needs investigating before the scope is agreed.
Discover the workloads and their dependencies, choose a path for each, prepare the destination and agree the cutover and recovery approach.
Package, validate and deploy the move with AI-assisted tooling and expert review, with a person deciding each release.
Applications running in Azure, with the decisions behind them written down.
At enterprise scale, Matt plans and shadows while a larger firm implements. Smaller scopes can be built directly with AI-assisted tooling and expert review. Remote first, with visits across Toronto, Mississauga and the Golden Horseshoe.
Tell Matt what needs to move and what has to keep running.