One-line summary
Decide per application whether to move it as-is, move the whole platform, make limited changes, re-architect, replace, retain, or retire it.
The 7Rs
| Strategy | Decision rule | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| Rehost | Little or no change; lift and shift | On-premises VM → EC2 |
| Relocate | Move an entire platform as a unit | VMware estate → equivalent AWS environment |
| Replatform | Limited optimization without changing the core architecture | Self-managed MySQL → RDS |
| Refactor / Re-architect | Change code and redesign | Monolith → Lambda or microservices |
| Repurchase | Replace the product with SaaS | Self-hosted CRM → SaaS |
| Retain | Keep running for now | Compliance or dependencies are unresolved |
| Retire | Shut down an unneeded system | Decommission an obsolete application |
Common distinctions
- Rehost moves an application or server; Relocate moves the whole platform.
- Replatform makes bounded improvements; Refactor changes code and architecture.
- Retain means keep it running for now; Retire means stop it.
- MGN commonly supports Rehost; moving a database VM to RDS is commonly Replatform.
Key takeaway
Rehost as-is, Relocate the platform, Replatform with limited change, Refactor deeply, Repurchase the product, Retain for now, Retire when unneeded.