Last time, we looked at some of the signs that your business might be ready for integration modernisation. Let’s say you wanted to take the next step. What would the migration process look like?
This article gives you a quick overview of the BizTalk Service migration process to the cloud.
First, important news: Microsoft recently announced the upcoming release of a migrator tool to help businesses with BizTalk Server to simplify their move to Azure Integration Services.
This migration tooling will generate a report from your BizTalk applications to show how ready your current setup is for moving to the cloud.
Even if the BizTalk Migrator tool says that a migration will be straightforward, you’ll still need to be sure that the code solution presented is fit for purpose. If you are sure of this and your migration looks headache free, it’s entirely possible that you won’t need any external help.
For everything else, we’re here to support you in making a seamless transition between integration systems.
OK, let’s assume that your setup means you could benefit from leaning on our experience in dealing with integration systems. What might a migration project look like?
Impact assessment
Our process starts with an impact assessment for undertaking a migration.
We’ll get a feel for the scale and complexity of the project by looking at the number, size and complexity of applications you use that would need to go through the migration process. This involves understanding the impact of migrating each application into the cloud.
Getting this done means we can give you honest advice on what needs to happen next, based on our experience of dealing with a variety of BizTalk Server migrations and assessing and migrating dozens of applications.
Planning
We’ll use small applications as our proof of concept before we think about scaling up.
We plot a pathway to going live, so that we can show you the route from testing through to deployment. That means you can be confident about how your setup will behave when it’s migrated to the cloud.
We’ll also make an assessment of the operating costs associated with making a transition to the cloud.
Implementation
Our implementation plan is based on conversion, testing and deployment.
Conversion
With the proof of concept done and a path to live agreed, we can start ordering which bigger applications should be moved next, so that we can get started with conversion.
The best approach we’ve found is to start with the apps where modernisation can provide the biggest or quickest return on investment, so that we can deliver major cost savings for our clients. To give an example, we’re currently working on a project that will save one client an upfront capital investment of £20 million.
Testing
Any tests that would be adequate for your existing on-premises installation of BizTalk Server will need to be turned into a test pack that’s fit for purpose in a cloud-based test environment.
With the right tests in place, we can be confident of proceeding with live deployment.
Deployment
Having started with the highest impact items, we then cycle through to move all of your applications into deployment.
Unsurprisingly, simple applications migrate more readily than complex ones. A simple setup might involve an accounting or order system that outputs a file once a day into a warehouse system. For a task like that, a BizTalk Server to Azure Integration Services cloud migration might take only a couple of weeks.
In comparison, a complex setup with hundreds of applications might take many months – possibly even a couple of years – to migrate. If ever you need to check what your migration needs might be, we’re always here for a chat. This is what we do, day in, day out.
Because we deal with integration all the time, we’ve developed faster and more repeatable processes than anyone else. Other service providers might need to rewrite all your applications, which isn’t repeatable and certainly isn’t cheap.
On the other hand, we look for smart ways to avoid reinventing the wheel, so that your migration can be as painless and cost-effective as possible. It’s not in our nature to charge you for a new bathroom sink when all you need is a replacement washer on one of your taps.
Watch our webinar series
If you need a hand with migrating your BizTalk Server setup to the cloud, we’re here to help.
You can always get in touch for a no-strings chat, but now you can also learn even more about our work in the integration modernisation space by joining one of our free webinars.
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