Automatic cloud migration with Cloudogu LowOps Platform

How does automatic migration work?

The technical basis is Kubernetes, which has become the de facto standard “operating system of the cloud” due to its widespread use. The LOP can be installed on Kubernetes, i.e., on-premises and with any cloud provider that offers Kubernetes.

The automatic migration is implemented through optional components of the LOP. It is configured in the source instance (at the existing cloud provider) and the target instance (at the future cloud provider) and then runs automatically and incrementally. The data is, of course, transferred encrypted.

Incremental means that the migration is performed automatically on a regular basis. While the first run of the migration copies all data and therefore takes longer, subsequent runs (delta migrations) are much faster. This makes it possible to test the new system at an early stage and minimize downtime during the final migration.

The final migration proceeds exactly like a delta migration, except that at the end, the domain of the target instance is reconfigured to that of the source instance. With a simultaneous change to the DNS entry, the source instance becomes the target instance without users noticing any difference. After the final migration, maintenance mode is automatically activated in the source instance to prevent it from being accidentally reused.

Finally, here is a practical example: With an instance for more than 50 users and more than 250 GB of data, the first migration takes less than an hour with a suitably designed network connection, and delta migrations take 5 minutes in the best case.

This means that the change of cloud provider can be carried out with only 5 minutes of downtime and without any changes for users: digital sovereignty in practice. The LOP makes it possible to retain data sovereignty with low operating costs.

More detailed technical information, comprehensive documentation, and instructions can be found in our documentation on automatic migration.

Conclusion

The automatic migration of our LowOps platform enables you to switch cloud providers with minimal technical and organizational effort. Thanks to delta migrations, the switch can be prepared in the background, and thanks to the integrated DNS change, users of the tools won't even notice the move.