Since the launch of AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud in the mid-2000s, cloud adoption has continued to surge. As of 2025, 94% of enterprises use cloud services, and over 76% of organisations now operate in multi-cloud environments, according to recent data from Flexera and Gartner.
In fact, chief information officers (CIO) believe cloud migration remains a top IT investment priority—71% of CIOs list public cloud adoption as their biggest driver of IT spend in 2025, reflecting a continued shift away from traditional on-premises infrastructure.
With more businesses accelerating their move to the cloud, it’s a good time to revisit what a successful migration involves – especially if you’re considering Google Cloud as your platform of choice. That’s why we’ve put together this guide: a practical overview of what it takes to complete a smooth and effective Google Cloud migration.
Why Google Cloud?
While AWS and Azure remain dominant in the cloud space, Google Cloud continues to stand out for its appeal to SMBs and growing mid-sized businesses. Its flexible pricing model, intuitive interface, and deep integration with Google’s wider ecosystem make it a strong choice – particularly for teams already using Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Meet.
It’s also built with cloud-native operations in mind. Tools like Google Cloud AutoML allow businesses to harness machine learning without needing in-house data science expertise—making advanced technology more accessible to smaller teams. Meanwhile, native integrations with platforms like Google Workspace make it easier to streamline day-to-day workflows, boost collaboration, and reduce friction.
So, what makes Google Cloud such a compelling platform for growing businesses? Let’s take a closer look:
Some other benefits for Google Cloud are:
- Global Infrastructure: Operating in over 200 countries, Google Cloud provides extensive coverage.
- Seamless Integration: It offers smooth integration with Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Docs, and Meet, enhancing productivity and collaboration.
- Advanced Data Analytics: Services such as BigQuery enable efficient handling of complex data analytics and machine learning tasks, empowering businesses to derive valuable insights.
Preparing the migration
Whether you’re moving from a traditional on-premises setup, private infrastructure, or even another public cloud provider, your migration approach will depend heavily on your current IT environment. While smaller-scale migrations can be completed in a matter of weeks, large enterprise systems – especially those built on legacy technology – may take months or even years to fully transition.
To plan effectively, it helps to understand where you’re starting from. Most businesses fall into one of three categories:
- On-premise or private hosting with legacy workloads: Typical organisations that developed their entire IT estate before the cloud era – using systems line on-site CRMs, POS systems, or customer databases.
- On-premise or private hosting with cloud-native workloads: Common in businesses that rely on cloud-based software but still host some infrastructure privately or on-site.
- Public cloud or private hosting with legacy workloads: Often seen in companies that have moved infrastructure to the cloud but continue to run legacy applications that haven’t yet been modernised.
Each scenario comes with its own challenges – whether that’s dealing with outdated systems, ensuring regulatory compliance, or managing service continuity during migration.
To give your project the best chance of success, follow these three key steps:
- Assess Your Current Infrastructure: Take stock of your environment, including applications, data, and dependencies. This will help identify what’s ready for the cloud and what needs work.
- Define Clear Objectives: What do you want to achieve from the migration? Whether it’s cutting costs, scaling operations, or tightening security, your goals will shape the process.
- Develop a Migration Plan: Map out your timeline, allocate internal resources, and prepare for potential roadblocks. This should also include strategies for testing, backup, and post-migration support.
Migration Strategies
Choose a strategy that aligns with your business needs:
- Lift and Shift: Move applications without modification, suitable for quick transitions.
- Refactoring: Modify applications to leverage cloud-native features for improved performance and scalability.
- Replatforming: Make minimal adjustments to optimize applications for the cloud environment.
Let’s take a closer look at what each method involves.
Cloud Migration Strategies: Which Approach is Right for You?
When migrating to Google Cloud, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The best method depends on your current infrastructure, business goals, and the complexity of your existing systems. Below are the three most common cloud migration strategies – each with its own pros and cons.
1. Lift and Shift (Rehosting)
What is it?
The lift and shift approach involves moving applications to Google Cloud with minimal or no changes to the existing architecture. This method is ideal for businesses looking to migrate quickly without the need to redesign or reconfigure their systems.
Even legacy workloads that rely on specific hardware can often be migrated using cloud-based virtual machines.
Benefits:
- Fastest migration method
- Lower upfront cost
- Minimal disruption to operations
- Ideal for off-the-shelf applications
Limitations:
- Applications remain non-cloud-native
- May lead to inefficiencies in performance and cost
- Security limitations if systems aren’t optimised for cloud
- Less suitable for heavily customised apps
Best for: Organisations with stable, low-complexity workloads that need to migrate quickly without a major overhaul.
2. Improve and Move (Replatforming)
What is it?
Also known as replatforming, this approach upgrades and modifies existing applications during the migration to make them more compatible with cloud-native technologies. Instead of replicating the original environment, you improve its efficiency and performance along the way.
For example, a traditional SQL-based relational database could be migrated and redesigned to take advantage of Google Cloud’s BigQuery.
Benefits:
- Optimised for cloud performance and scalability
- Enables better use of Google Cloud features
- Improved long-term cost efficiency
Limitations:
- May require moderate refactoring
- Can increase project complexity and time
- Teams may need to upskill to manage new systems
- Risk of over-investment in apps nearing end of lifecycle
Best for: Businesses looking to modernise their infrastructure while migrating – without starting completely from scratch.
3. Remove and Replace (Refactoring)
What is it?
The remove and replace approach involves completely decommissioning legacy applications and replacing them with cloud-native solutions. This often means re-architecting apps from the ground up to fully leverage Google Cloud’s capabilities.
If apps cannot be refactored – due to closed-source code or outdated architecture – they’re often replaced entirely with new, cloud-ready alternatives.
Benefits:
- Fully cloud-native architecture
- Long-term scalability and cost benefits
- Enables adoption of cutting-edge technologies (eg. containers, AI, serverless)
Limitations:
- Most time- and resource-intensive method
- Higher upfront investment
- Complex for systems with many interdependntetn applications
- Requires significant technical planning and staging
Best for: Organisations undergoing full digital transformation or modernisation, particularly when legacy systems are outdated, unsupported, or no longer meeting business needs.
Choosing the right migration path is key to a successful cloud journey. Whether you need a fast transition or a full infrastructure redesign, each method plays a critical role in aligning your IT with your long-term goals on Google Cloud.
The Four Key Stages of a Google Cloud Migration
A successful migration to Google Cloud requires a structured approach. While smaller businesses with simpler workloads may progress through the process in a linear fashion, larger SMEs and enterprises typically tackle migration in iterative stages. Below are the four essential phases of the Google Cloud migration journey:
Step 1. Assess
Start by auditing your current IT environment. This includes infrastructure, hosting environments, application dependencies, data warehouses, and business-critical systems.
What to do:
- Inventory all apps, databases, VMs, and hardware.
- Identify which workloads are cloud-ready and which need refactoring.
- Map application dependencies to determine the correct migration order.
- Highlight “quick wins” – apps that can be moved with minimal changes.
- Define your migration goals and budget.
- Brief internal teams and consider bringing in a Google Cloud partner for expert guidance.
For example, if you rely on SQL-based data warehouses, plan for their conversion into Google BigQuery equivalents.
Step 2. Plan
With a clear assessment in hand, build a detailed migration roadmap that prioritises business continuity and minimal disruption.
What to do:
- Create timelines and communicate them with relevant stakeholders.
- Set up foundational infrastructure: Google Cloud identities, Workspace domains, IAM roles, and access controls.
- Design your cloud network topology.
- Connect existing environments to Google Cloud using options like VPN, Interconnect, or peering.
Effective planning reduces friction and sets the stage for a smooth deployment.
Step 3. Deploy
Now it’s time to configure and migrate workloads, starting with those that are most critical or easiest to move.
- Set up deployment pipelines using tools like Cloud Build or Google Deployment Manager.
- Begin with low-risk, high-priority applications.
- Use configuration management tools to safely test and validate before going live.
- Choose an appropriate deployment model:
- Automated (recommended for most cases)
- Semi-automated
- Manual (only when no automation is feasible)
Avoid deploying untested applications—validation and configuration are key to avoiding downtime and data loss.
Step 4. Optimise
Optimisation begins post-deployment and often continues for weeks or months. The goal is to fine-tune performance, reduce costs, and scale efficiently.
What to do:
- Monitor performance using Google Cloud Monitoring dashboards.
- Codify infrastructure to support repeatability and disaster recovery.
- Adjust resources using horizontal and vertical scaling to meet demand.
- Continue refining configurations based on real-time feedback.
- Train internal teams to make the most of the new cloud environment.
By continuously evaluating your cloud setup, you’ll unlock the full value of your Google Cloud investment.
Simplify Your Google Cloud Migration with the Right IT Partner
Cloud adoption is now the standard for businesses of all sizes—and for good reason. The benefits are clear: increased scalability, better collaboration, and more advanced tools for data-driven growth.
While AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud lead the market, Google Cloud continues to close the gap, thanks to growing demand for BigQuery, seamless integration with Google Workspace, and low-code tools for AI and machine learning. For many businesses – especially those already invested in Google’s ecosystem – it’s fast becoming the platform of choice.
That said, the complexity of your existing systems will shape your migration journey. A newer, cloud-native tech stack may migrate with minimal disruption. But if you’re running legacy infrastructure, custom applications, or on-premises workloads, the process becomes more intricate and requires strategic planning.
That’s where we come in.
At Dr Logic, we help businesses plan and deliver smooth, secure migrations to Google Cloud. Whether you’re moving from on-premise, private hosting, or another cloud provider, we’ll work closely with your team to minimise disruption, reduce risk, and unlock the full value of cloud.
Let’s make your migration a success.
Get in touch to speak to one of our cloud specialists about your goals.
