Top cloud migration service providers and how to choose one

Comparing major cloud migration service providers

Cloud migration services are a broad category that includes many kinds of services and capabilities. Some offerings handle the process of moving workloads to the cloud, while others focus on helping organizations to plan, monitor or validate migration, as opposed to performing it. Some cloud migration products do all of the above. Some provide hands-on guidance and services, while others are simply tools that businesses must use on their own.

For these reasons, deciding exactly what counts as a cloud migration service provider -- let alone what the most significant offerings are -- is challenging and inherently subjective. The following list, which is based on analyst reports about the ecosystem of cloud migration providers and their market shares, includes several types of products that have an established presence in the market.

The list is in alphabetical order and certainly not an exhaustive list of the migration services and tools available today. Think of it as a starting point for identifying the best option for your business.

1. AWS

AWS Application Migration Service (AWS MGN) is AWS' main cloud migration offering. It works by automatically analyzing on-premises workloads and servers and then generating their equivalent in the cloud.

One of the main advantages of AWS MGN is its ability to support virtually any type of application, so no matter which language your apps are based on or which OSes host them, the tool can help move them to the cloud. In addition, the product offers capabilities designed to help improve application performance and reliability as part of the migration process. For instance, you can automatically integrate disaster recovery features.

On the other hand, AWS MGN is designed for lift-and-shift approaches to cloud migration -- meaning ones where your goal is simply to take an on-premises workload and move it to the cloud with minimal changes. As a result, it's not ideal if you plan to refactor the application or make major changes to the configuration of the application's hosting environment beyond simply replacing an on-premises server with a cloud server.

In addition, while AWS says MGN provides capabilities like reducing application costs, it is referring to the product's ability to help automate the migration process, which translates to reduced IT staff time. MGN doesn't right-size your applications to optimize costs, although AWS offers other tools, including Compute Optimizer, for that purpose.

Like other major cloud providers' migration tools and services, AWS MGN only works with AWS. It's free to use, but you have to pay for the cloud infrastructure consumed during the migration process.

2. Azure

Azure Migrate, the main cloud migration tool on Microsoft Azure, is arguably one of the most comprehensive and feature-rich migration options. It covers three main functions: identifying which workloads to migrate, deciding how best to migrate them and then executing the migration itself. It also provides insights like the estimated costs of running workloads in Azure post-migration based on the particular configuration.

These capabilities mean Azure Migrate requires a more hands-on approach than offerings such as AWS MGN. It requires migration teams to make decisions about how they'd like to migrate. You might see this as an advantage because it provides more control over the migration process and enables much greater leeway to modify and optimize workloads. On the other hand, if you just want to migrate as quickly as possible and with as little effort as possible, without making major changes to the workloads, Azure Migrate might be less attractive.

As you might expect, Azure Migrate only supports migrating workloads to Azure, not other clouds. The product's core assessment and migration features are free, but optional capabilities and integrations might cost money.

3. Accenture

Accenture, the global consulting and services company, offers cloud migration services that support the three major public cloud platforms: AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. Its offerings cover assessing whether and how to perform a migration, optimizing workloads during the migration process and performing the migration itself.

Accenture provides some tools, such as myNav, which assesses workloads and generates migration guidance, to help automate some aspects of cloud migration. However, the company's migration services largely center on hands-on guidance from Accenture consultants.

That might make Accenture attractive to organizations that want to outsource much of the cloud migration process to an external provider. However, if you just want some help with automating the process and plan to manage it yourself, you probably don't need the level of service that Accenture provides -- and you'll likely end up paying a lot more than you would if you chose free or lost-cost cloud migration tools.

Note that most other large consulting firms, such as Deloitte and McKinsey, whose portfolios include technology services, also offer hands-on cloud migration guidance and implementation. Accenture is on this list only as an example of this type of cloud migration service provider.

4. Adastra

Adastra, which provides a broad range of data analytics and cloud management services, offers cloud migration guidance and implementation for businesses that want to move workloads to AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.

Unlike some other cloud migration service providers, Adastra doesn't focus on automated migration tools. Instead, it offers hands-on migration planning, execution and validation in a manner comparable to Accenture.

In fact, the cloud migration services offered by Adastra and Accenture are similar in many respects, although one notable difference is that Adastra is a company that specializes in the cloud, unlike Accenture, which has a broad and sprawling portfolio of services and tools. Adastra doesn't provide direct access to cloud migration tools.

As such, Adastra is likely to be an attractive choice for businesses that want to undertake a bespoke cloud migration project involving a great deal of complexity, as well as those seeking to optimize workloads as part of migration. The fact that Adastra also offers cloud management services may be a boon to organizations that want to outsource management of their workloads post-migration, too.

That said, Adastra may be overkill for businesses aiming to lift and shift standard workloads into the cloud. And, while the company doesn't publish public pricing for its cloud migration services, it is a safe bet they are pricier than automated migration tools.

Many other cloud service companies offer migration services similar to Adastra's. Adastra is highlighted here because it's one of the biggest cloud service providers that specializes in these services and because it supports all the major cloud platforms. Some other providers specialize in one or two.

5. Carbonite

If you want the comprehensive cloud migration capabilities and automation of tools like Azure Migrate but don't want to be tied to a specific cloud, Carbonite Migrate is a good choice. The product can automatically assess on-premises workloads, move them to the cloud using a replication process that prioritizes reliability and then automatically redirect traffic to your new, cloud-based applications to complete the migration process.

Carbonite Migrate supports all the major public clouds and can migrate workloads between various types of on-premises systems.

A potential downside is that Carbonite Migrate offers little in the way of workload right-sizing or optimization. In fact, its focus is on replicating workloads as exactly as possible during migration, so modifying workloads in ways that could improve performance is, in a sense, the opposite of what the product aims to do. This means it is not likely to be ideal if you want to make extensive changes to your applications.

But, if you just want to migrate quickly and with a high level of automation, it can be valuable.

Unlike the public cloud providers' migration services, Carbonite Migrate isn't free, but it is relatively inexpensive, with pricing starting around a few hundred dollars for multilicense offerings.

6. Datadog

Datadog, an application observability platform, is an example of a product that wasn't designed primarily for cloud migration, but which can help to plan and validate migrations.

It does this in two main ways. First, you can use Datadog to collect data about your on-premises applications and then use the insights to inform decisions about whether and how to migrate to the cloud. For example, Datadog can monitor on-premises app performance to help you determine which apps might perform better in the cloud. Second, after migration, you can use Datadog to monitor workloads to ensure they are working properly.

Datadog doesn't provide any explicit features to assist with executing a migration. Also, it doesn't tell you how best to refactor or reconfigure workloads during migration, although the insights you get from monitoring could help with those decisions.

So, while you shouldn't think of Datadog as a cloud migration service provider per se, it can be useful as a complementary tool. And the fact that it is relatively low in cost, with a pricing model based mostly on how many hosts are monitored, means you can use it without incurring high expenses.

Datadog is just one example of an observability tool that can assist with cloud migration in this way. Other popular observability platforms, such as Splunk and AppDynamics, can serve an equivalent purpose.

7. IBM

The main purpose of IBM Turbonomic is to optimize the performance of workloads. However, the platform also provides migration assessment features that can be helpful for determining how to configure workloads as they move into the cloud, with the goal of achieving the best tradeoff between cost and performance.

In this respect, Turbonomic is somewhat similar to observability tools like Datadog. But, because Turbonomic focuses on optimization specifically -- and provides more explicit guidance on how to optimize workloads, as opposed to collecting data that users need to interpret themselves to find optimization opportunities -- Turbonomic and other optimization tools fall into a different category than observability tools when it comes to cloud migration.

Don't expect Turbonomic to help streamline all aspects of cloud migration. Consider using it or a similar tool if workload performance and cost optimization are priorities.

Key factors to consider when choosing a cloud migration provider

Given that cloud migration providers vary widely in what they offer, choosing the best one for your needs can be challenging. To make the right choice, consider the following factors:

• Which cloud platform(s) you need to support. Some providers only support certain clouds, while others are cloud-agnostic. This is a primary factor to consider because you should choose a tool or service that works with whichever cloud or clouds you intend to use.
• Hands-on support requirements. Another key distinction between providers is how much hands-on support they offer. If you want to engage with human beings who are experts in cloud migration, choose a provider that focuses on offering comprehensive cloud migration services. If you just want some automated tools to assist your own team in performing a migration, choose a provider that just sells cloud migration software.
• Pricing model. Cloud migration provider pricing is complex, and even with services whose core offerings are free, there can be added fees, depending on such factors as how long you use the service or which features you choose. Research pricing details carefully before committing to a provider.
• Customizability. Some migration service providers focus on supporting mainstream kinds of migration, such as lifting and shifting a workload into the cloud without major changes. Others offer more bespoke services that can accommodate highly complex or customized migration scenarios.

How to choose the best cloud migration provider for your company

There is no single best cloud migration provider. There are many providers offering different kinds of solutions with different pros and cons.

As you weigh the offerings, start by deciding which type of cloud migration provider you need. For example, if you're looking for guidance that walks you through every step of the migration process, go with a consulting or cloud services company. If you just want basic insights to help you plan a migration on your own, you might only need standard monitoring or observability tools.

Think as well about cost. Cloud migration services can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars if you hire a large consulting company to undertake a massive cloud migration project. Or they can cost nothing if you use free tools to manage a migration yourself. Obviously, the former approach is more appropriate if your company has substantial funds to invest in cloud migration and if its need for outside guidance can justify the cost.

Finally, spend time validating potential cloud migration providers, especially when choosing a provider that offers more than just tools. Interview them, ask about their process and discuss how they'd handle any unique migration challenges your organization faces. Requesting information about migrations they have successfully completed for other companies is also appropriate. In many respects, there is just as much -- if not more -- on the line when choosing a cloud migration provider as there is in hiring employees, so think of the selection process as a sort of job interview for your migration service partner.

Chris Tozzi is a freelance writer, research adviser, and professor of IT and society who has previously worked as a journalist and Linux systems administrator.