What is the difference between rehosting and refactoring?
When an organization decides to move its data or applications into a cloud service provider (CSP) such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), or Microsoft Azure, it is termed cloud migration.
The following are three methodologies frequently used when moving to the cloud:
Rehosting
Refactoring
Replatforming
These three strategies have distinct advantages, challenges, and use cases.
Rehosting
Rehosting, often referred to as lift and shift, involves moving applications from a current environment to the cloud without modifying their design. It’s similar to picking up a house and moving it to a new location without changing its structure or interior layout. The main aim is to replicate the same system in a new hosting environment.
Refactoring
Refactoring or rearchitecting, on the other hand, is the process of modifying the existing code base to improve its structure, efficiency, or readability without changing its external behavior. When applied to cloud migration, refactoring involves making changes to the application so it can take advantage of cloud-native features.
Replatforming
Replatforming, sometimes referred to as lift, tinker, and shift, involves minor upgrades to leverage some cloud functionalities without changing the core architecture of the application. It’s like moving a house to a new location and then changing the interior design slightly to take advantage of the features of the new location. The main goal is to gain some tangible benefits from the cloud without the cost of significant changes or full refactoring.
Benefits and drawbacks
The benefits and drawbacks of rehosting and refactoring are:
Benefits and Drawbacks
Rehosting | Replatforming | Refactoring | |
Speed and Time | Faster to implement | Moderate | More time-consuming |
Cost | Lower upfront costs | Moderate upfront costs
| High upfront but lower operating costs |
Efficiency | Less efficient | More efficient than rehosting but less than refactoring | Highest efficiency |
Complexity | Lower complexity | Moderate complexity | Higher complexity |
Cloud-Native Features | Limited utilization | Partial utilization | Full utilization |
Conclusion
The choice between rehosting, replatforming, and refactoring depends on several factors, including the nature of the application, the organization’s goals, the time and resources available, and the specific features of the cloud service being used.
Rehosting: If the primary goal is a quick migration with minimal changes and disruption, rehosting might be the best choice.
Replatforming: If the aim is to leverage some cloud capabilities without significant changes, replatforming might be a good option.
Refactoring: If the objective is to fully exploit the capabilities of the cloud environment for performance, scalability, and cost benefits, refactoring might be the better option.
In reality, many organizations adopt a hybrid approach, rehosting some applications for quick wins, replatforming others for moderate benefits, and refactoring others over time to gain more significant benefits. This way, they can balance the need for speed and simplicity with the desire to optimize for the cloud environment.
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