Challenges of migrating enterprise data management to the cloud

Why a “Lift and Shift” Approach to the Cloud is Risky

Cloud adoption has become one of the most significant challenges and opportunities in the data management space. While many organizations are under strategic pressure to migrate core applications like enterprise data management (EDM) to the cloud, the reality on the ground is far more complex. Often, IT and business teams lack the necessary skills, experience, or readiness to manage such a transition effectively.

The Illusion of Simplicity in a “Lift and Shift”

The most common and seemingly simplest approach is "lift and shift," where monolithic, on-premises applications are rehosted in the cloud with minimal changes. On paper, this seems straightforward. In practice, it's fraught with risk.

Monolithic architectures bundle all application components into a single, tightly integrated unit. While this may have worked in a traditional environment, it becomes a liability in the cloud. These systems are difficult to scale efficiently, inflexible in the face of change, and often incompatible with cloud-native features.

Even when technically possible, moving a monolith to the cloud involves navigating a maze of internal approvals, policy exceptions, and integration challenges. The unknowns are considerable, and the only path forward often involves costly trial and error.

The Case for Microservices and Cloud-Native Architecture

In contrast, a microservices-based architecture is inherently more suited to the cloud. By decomposing an application into smaller, independent services, organizations gain the ability to:

• Scale services independently to meet fluctuating demands.
• Deploy and update components faster, without affecting the entire system.
• Reduce costs through efficient resource allocation.
• Lower cost for disaster recovery 

Cloud-native platforms can take advantage of Kubernetes and OpenShift benefits. They offer auto-scaling, self-healing, and built-in load balancing. As demand grows, new instances are spawned automatically; during low usage, they scale down to conserve resources optimizing both performance and cost.

Container platforms not only simplify deployment but also streamline development. By packaging microservices in containers, teams can ensure consistency across environments and accelerate time-to-market. This is especially valuable in data-centric applications where speed, reliability, and scalability are critical.

A Truly Cloud-Ready Alternative: Gresham Prime EDM

Despite the clear advantages of microservices and cloud-native design, many enterprise EDM vendors continue to offer monolithic solutions. These outdated architectures fail to deliver the flexibility, cost savings, and innovation the cloud can provide.

Gresham Prime EDM stands apart by delivering a cloud-agnostic, microservices-based solution that can be deployed on any cloud platform or even a private cloud. Built with open-source technologies like PostgreSQL and Cassandra, Prime EDM lowers the total cost of ownership without sacrificing performance.

Conclusion

While “lift and shift” may appear to be a quick route to the cloud, it often results in greater long-term cost, complexity, and frustration. Instead, organizations should consider rearchitecting for the cloud from the outset, using containerized microservices on platforms like Kubernetes and OpenShift.

Gresham Prime EDM exemplifies what a modern, cloud-ready data management solution should look like: flexible, efficient, and truly designed for the future.