I'm working at a company that's thinking about switching from AWS for our cloud services. We likely won't transition everything right away, but a significant portion could change. I'm curious if anyone here has gone through a migration to other providers like GCP or Azure? What was your experience like? Was it difficult? Did you find it worth it in terms of costs or other reasons for the switch? Additionally, if anyone has insights on transitioning from another provider back to AWS, I'd love to hear if that experience was similarly challenging or if it's just AWS that's notoriously tough to manage during a switch.
5 Answers
Before making such a big decision, it's crucial to ask why you're considering this transition. If your goals are cost-related, check you've optimized everything you can in AWS first. Migrations can be lengthy and expensive – it might take years to reach your destination, and you could just be digging yourself deeper into budget issues.
Great point! People often underestimate the time and money it takes to migrate!
From my experience, moving clouds rarely pays off. Often, companies go through migration for the wrong reasons like management pressure or trying to chase credits, which doesn't help the end goals. I've seen people make the move, but it usual ends poorly - either they end up with new complexities or just a different set of services that aren't much better. It's a tough pill to swallow, honestly.
Sounds about right. I'm currently in a similar boat; no solid plan, just moving for credits. It's chaos, and it doesn't feel like it's going to end well.
Could you elaborate on 'playing data center'? Isn't the whole point of AWS that you don't have to manage hardware?
The reality is that switching cloud providers often equates to starting over. If there aren’t strong reasons behind the move, it can end up being more trouble than it's worth and can drain time and resources. However, it could be a chance to redesign your systems better, providing opportunities for optimization. Just be cautious before making any big leaps!
Agreed! Sounds like hasty decisions often lead to regrets.
What would you say are the main drivers that justify a shift like this?
In my experience, moving to Azure feels like a downgrade compared to AWS. The integrations might work better for some Microsoft products, but I've struggled with performance issues and the lack of straightforward operations. While some things in Azure are better, the overall toolset just isn't as polished as AWS. Also, many seem to switch to Azure because of licensing incentives rather than genuine fit.
Is there a significant difference between Azure and GCP in your opinion?
That’s what I’ve heard too. There are tales of Azure inexplicably shutting down services without warning!
I’ve done quite a few migrations and moving away from AWS often leads to higher costs rather than savings. Azure, in particular, can be pricey. A common misconception is that switching clouds will magically reduce your expenses; you’ve gotta really understand FinOps first. If you're worried about vendor lock-in, just know that changing clouds can create a new form of lock-in with the new provider.
I don't get it. Can't tools like Terraform help with lock-in issues?
Yeah but, moving to Azure can feel like a marketing trick. Unless you have specific needs, you're likely not saving money!
I've seen too many decisions influenced by board members who don't understand the actual costs of migration.