Cloud Migration Services UAELift, Replatform, Refactor & Rebuild

Name: Artiflex IT
Address: AE

Lift, replatform, refactor or rebuild, we map every workload to the right migration pattern and execute in phased waves with zero unplanned downtime.

Azure Migrate, AWS Application Migration Service (CloudEndure), Google Migrate, VMware HCX, Carbonite Migrate (OpenText), Zerto for Migration. Workload discovery, TCO modelling, wave planning, database migration, network and identity cutover, and post-migration FinOps. Most projects come in on-time, on-budget, and surface 15 to 30% of waste in assessment alone.

Compare Migration Tools Read Evolution Story

Migration Tools

Six migration platforms, picked per source-target

Native cloud tools (Azure Migrate, AWS MGN, Google Migrate), VMware-native (HCX), and cloud-agnostic (Carbonite, Zerto). The right choice depends on source, target and DR strategy.

★ Recommended

Azure Migrate

Microsoft Azure Migrate

Native Migration to Azure

Best for

Recommendation #1 for Azure-Bound Workloads

Why it wins

Free Microsoft-native discovery, dependency mapping, sizing and migration tool. Covers Windows / Linux servers, VMware and Hyper-V VMs, SQL Server, web apps and Azure VMware Solution. Integrated with Azure Site Recovery for cutover replication. The default tooling for any Azure migration; no licensing cost beyond the destination Azure consumption.

Consider

Azure-only target. For multi-cloud or AWS-bound workloads, pair with cloud-agnostic tooling. Best leveraged when Azure is the chosen target.

★ Recommended

AWS MGN

AWS Application Migration Service (CloudEndure)

Native Migration to AWS

Best for

Recommendation #1 for AWS-Bound Workloads

Why it wins

Originally CloudEndure (acquired by AWS in 2019), now AWS Application Migration Service. Continuous block-level replication of physical, virtual or cloud servers into AWS, with cutover in minutes and rollback if needed. Free for the first 90 days of migration per server. Integrated with AWS Migration Hub for portfolio tracking. Default tooling for any AWS migration.

Consider

AWS-only target. Best paired with AWS Migration Hub and AWS Application Discovery Service for full lifecycle.

VMware HCX

vSphere-Native Migration

Best for

Best for VMware-to-VMware Cloud (AVS / VMC / GCVE)

Why it wins

VMware-native large-scale migration tool that vMotions on-premises VMs into Azure VMware Solution, VMware Cloud on AWS or Google Cloud VMware Engine with zero application refactoring. Supports bulk migration, replication-assisted vMotion and OS-assisted migration. Strong fit for VMware-heavy estates moving to a VMware-on-cloud destination as a transitional architecture.

Consider

Requires source VMware vSphere and a VMware-on-cloud destination. Best as part of a phased lift-leave-modernise plan, not a final destination.

Carbonite

Carbonite Migrate (OpenText)

Cross-Platform Migration

Best for

Best for Heterogeneous, Multi-Target Migrations

Why it wins

OpenText (formerly Carbonite, formerly Double-Take) provides cloud-agnostic continuous-replication migration from any source (physical, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure, GCP) to any target. Supports Windows, Linux, even older OS versions that native cloud tools refuse. Strong fit for heterogeneous estates migrating to multiple targets, or for older workloads that the native cloud migration tools will not handle.

Consider

Per-server licensing. Best where native cloud migration tools are insufficient or the source / target combination is unusual.

Zerto

Zerto for Migration

Replication-Based Migration & DR

Best for

Best for Combined Migration + Long-Term DR

Why it wins

Zerto (HPE) delivers continuous block-level replication originally built for DR, repurposed brilliantly for migration. Move VMs from VMware or Hyper-V on-premises into Azure, AWS or another VMware estate with seconds-level RPO and one-click cutover. Same platform you keep running for DR after migration completes; no separate procurement.

Consider

Premium pricing relative to one-time migration tools. Best where the customer already needs Zerto for DR or wants one platform for both.

Google Migrate

Google Migrate to Containers / Cloud Migrate

Native Migration to GCP

Best for

Best for GCP-Bound Workloads & Modernisation

Why it wins

Google Cloud's native migration tooling: Cloud Migrate (formerly Velostrata) for VM-to-VM migration into Compute Engine, and Migrate to Containers (formerly Migrate for Anthos) for converting VMs into containers running on GKE. Strong fit for GCP-bound workloads or container-modernisation projects.

Consider

GCP-only target. Best when GCP is the chosen destination, particularly for container-led modernisation.

What We Deliver

Migration, delivered end-to-end

From workload discovery through TCO, pattern selection, wave planning, database and network cutover, and post-migration optimisation.

Workload Discovery & Dependency Mapping

Automated discovery of every server, VM, database and application. Dependency mapping shows what talks to what, so wave planning does not break a critical chain.

Total Cost Modelling

Migration Pattern Selection

Security & Compliance Re-Baselining

Database Migration

Wave Planning & Zero-Downtime Cutover

Decision Guide

Which migration tool fits your scenario

Scenario	Our recommendation
Microsoft / Windows / Hyper-V or VMware bound for Azure	Azure Migrate + Azure Site Recovery (free Microsoft-native)
Linux / Windows servers or AWS-native bound for AWS	AWS Application Migration Service (CloudEndure) + AWS Migration Hub
Container-led modernisation onto GKE	Google Migrate to Containers + Cloud Migrate
VMware estate moving to AVS, VMC or GCVE	VMware HCX with replication-assisted vMotion
Heterogeneous estate migrating to multiple cloud targets	Carbonite Migrate (OpenText) cloud-agnostic continuous replication
Combined migration + ongoing DR requirement	Zerto for Migration (same platform stays for DR after cutover)

Comparison

Azure Migrate vs AWS MGN vs Google vs VMware HCX

Dimension	Azure Migrate	AWS MGN	Google Migrate	VMware HCX
Best target	Azure	AWS	GCP	VMware-on-cloud
Source support	VMware, Hyper-V, physical	Any (incl. AWS / Azure)	VMware, physical	vSphere only
Cutover RPO	Minutes	Seconds	Minutes	Seconds
Pricing model	Free (Azure consumption)	Free 90 days / server	GCP consumption	VMware licensing
Best for	Azure migrations	AWS migrations	GCP / containers	VMware lift-leave

Migration Patterns

The eight patterns we use to classify every workload

Every workload gets mapped to one pattern. The right pattern delivers the right balance of speed, cost and modernisation.

Rehost (Lift-and-Shift)

Move VMs as-is to cloud IaaS. Fastest path; no app changes. Best for legacy workloads where modernisation ROI is low or refactor cost is high. Typical 6-week timeline for 30 servers.

Replatform (Lift-Tinker-Shift)

Move with minor changes (database engine swap, OS upgrade, managed-service substitution). Captures cloud-native economics without full refactor. Most common pattern in real migrations.

Refactor (Re-Architect)

Rewrite parts of the application to use cloud-native services (managed databases, serverless, containers). Highest ROI for high-traffic apps; longest timeline. Reserved for the workloads that justify the engineering investment.

Rebuild (Replace)

Replace the application with a SaaS equivalent (e.g., on-prem CRM to Salesforce, on-prem mail to M365). Eliminates the workload from the migration entirely.

Retire

Decommission instead of migrate. Most assessments find 10 to 20% of workloads that nobody uses anymore. Retirement is free savings.

Retain (Revisit)

Workloads that should not move yet (specialised hardware, contractual restrictions, end-of-life applications mid-replacement). Tagged for re-evaluation in the next cycle.

Database Modernisation

Oracle to Aurora / Azure SQL, SQL Server to managed instance, MySQL to Cloud SQL. Schema conversion (AWS SCT, Azure DMA), data sync and cutover orchestration.

Network & Identity Cutover

ExpressRoute / Direct Connect provisioning, DNS strategy, identity sync, conditional access policy alignment. Often the longest single workstream in any migration.

UAE Compliance

Compliance baked into the migration design

Identity, encryption, network segmentation, audit logging and immutable backup are re-applied at the destination as part of the landing zone build, not as a post-migration retrofit. We deliver pre-built compliance evidence for NESA Levels 3-4, ADHICS, NCA ECC, CBUAE, SAMA, PCI-DSS and PDPL from cutover day one.

NESA Levels 3-4NCA ECCADHICSCBUAESAMAISO 27001PCI-DSSUAE PDPL

Free 30-minute Migration Discovery Call

We map your workloads, model TCO across the realistic destinations, and surface the three highest-impact migration recommendations. Most assessments find 15 to 30% of waste in the discovery phase alone.

FAQ

Cloud migration questions UAE buyers ask

The questions we hear most often from UAE businesses planning cloud migration.

Assessment and planning is typically 4 to 8 weeks. A 10 to 30-server migration in phased waves runs 8 to 16 weeks. 30 to 100 servers run 16 to 28 weeks. 100+ workloads run 28 to 52 weeks. We deliver in waves so you see early value rather than waiting for a big-bang cutover at the end.

If Azure is the destination, use Azure Migrate (free, native, well-integrated with ASR). If AWS is the destination, use AWS Application Migration Service (free for 90 days per server). Use Carbonite, Zerto or VMware HCX when the source-target combination is unusual or when the same platform is required for ongoing DR.

Rehost moves VMs as-is to cloud IaaS (fastest, no app changes). Replatform makes minor changes like managed database substitution or OS upgrade (most common). Refactor rewrites parts of the application to use cloud-native services (highest ROI, longest timeline). We map every workload to the right pattern in the assessment phase.

Homogeneous migrations (same engine) use native replication tools (SQL Server AlwaysOn, Oracle Data Guard, MySQL replication). Heterogeneous migrations (engine change) use AWS Schema Conversion Tool, Azure Database Migration Assistant or Google Database Migration Service for schema conversion and data sync. Cutover is orchestrated with minimal-downtime patterns.

The top three failure modes we see: 1) lift-and-shift without rearchitecting, which surfaces unexpected cost and performance issues post-cutover; 2) wrong cloud model selected per workload (IaaS where PaaS fits); 3) hidden costs like egress, premium support, and forgotten test environments that inflate bills 20-30%. We start with workload classification and TCO modelling before any byte gets migrated.

Compliance is part of the migration design, not a post-migration retrofit. Identity, encryption, network segmentation, audit logging and immutable backup are re-applied at the destination as part of the landing zone build. We deliver pre-built compliance evidence for NESA Levels 3-4, ADHICS, NCA ECC, CBUAE, SAMA, PCI-DSS and PDPL.

Yes. Post-migration optimisation typically delivers 15 to 25% savings on initial cloud spend through right-sizing, reserved instance / savings plan purchase, idle resource cleanup and tagging discipline. Most customers stay on a managed services + FinOps agreement after cutover. See our [Cloud Cost Optimization](/cloud-solutions/cloud-cost-optimization) page for depth.

Yes. Cloud-to-cloud migration (Oracle to AWS, AWS to Azure, on-prem VMware to AWS, etc.) is a common engagement. We use cloud-agnostic tooling (Carbonite, Zerto, VMware HCX) and the destination cloud's native services to deliver these without taking the workloads offline.

Migrate once. Optimise forever.

Cloud migration to Azure, AWS, GCP or VMware-on-cloud, planned in waves, executed with zero unplanned downtime, and tuned by FinOps from cutover day one. Most assessments find 15-30% of waste in the discovery phase alone.