Cloud Migration Checklist: Moving from On-Premises to Azure in India 2026
Migrating from on-premises infrastructure to Microsoft Azure is one of the most transformative IT projects an Indian enterprise can undertake. When done right, Azure migration reduces infrastructure costs by 30–50%, improves scalability and resilience, and enables modern workplace capabilities. This comprehensive checklist guides Indian IT teams through every phase of an Azure cloud migration.
Phase 1: Pre-Migration Assessment (Weeks 1–4)
Inventory Discovery: Use Microsoft Azure Migrate or Movere to automatically discover and inventory all on-premises servers, VMs, databases, and applications. Map dependencies to understand which workloads can be migrated together without breaking application connectivity.
Workload Categorisation: Classify workloads into: (1) Migrate — lift and shift VMs to Azure IaaS, (2) Modernise — re-platform to Azure PaaS (Azure SQL, Azure App Service), (3) Retire — decommission unused applications, (4) Retain — keep on-premises (latency-sensitive or compliance-constrained).
Compliance & Data Residency: Identify workloads subject to Indian data residency requirements (CERT-In, RBI, SEBI). Plan to use Azure India regions (Central India – Pune, South India – Chennai) for regulated data. Document data classification and residency requirements for each workload.
Azure Sizing & Cost Estimate: Use Azure Migrate’s assessment feature to get right-sized Azure VM recommendations and TCO estimates. Compare Azure costs over 1, 3, and 5 years versus current on-premises infrastructure costs.
Phase 2: Foundation Setup (Weeks 4–8)
Azure Landing Zone: Set up Azure Landing Zone — a well-architected Azure environment with proper governance, networking, security, and identity foundations. This includes Azure Management Groups, Subscriptions, Resource Groups, Azure Policy, RBAC, and Azure Security Centre.
Networking: Configure Azure Virtual Network (VNet), ExpressRoute or Site-to-Site VPN for hybrid connectivity, Azure DNS, Network Security Groups (NSGs), and Azure Firewall or third-party NGFW.
Identity: Configure Azure Active Directory (Azure AD/Entra ID) with hybrid identity using Azure AD Connect for on-premises AD synchronisation. Enable MFA and Conditional Access policies before migration.
Backup & DR Foundation: Configure Azure Backup vault and Azure Site Recovery for VM replication to a secondary Azure region before migrating production workloads.
Phase 3: Migration Execution (Weeks 8–20)
Pilot Migration (Wave 1): Start with 5–10 non-critical VMs to validate the migration process, networking, and backup. Use Azure Migrate for agentless VMware or Hyper-V VM replication.
Application Migration (Waves 2–N): Migrate applications in dependency-grouped waves. Test each application post-migration before proceeding to the next wave. Maintain on-premises systems in parallel for a minimum 2-week validation period.
Database Migration: Use Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) for SQL Server to Azure SQL or Azure SQL Managed Instance migration. For Oracle, use Azure Database Migration Service or third-party tools.
Phase 4: Post-Migration Optimisation
After migration: right-size Azure VMs based on actual CPU/memory utilisation, implement Azure Advisor recommendations, configure auto-shutdown for dev/test VMs, purchase Reserved Instances for predictable workloads (30–40% savings), implement Azure Cost Management budgets and alerts, and complete Azure Security Centre recommendations.
Common Cloud Migration Mistakes in India
- Migrating without a proper dependency map — resulting in broken applications
- Not validating compliance and data residency before migration
- Over-sizing Azure VMs (lift and shift without right-sizing) — 40% cost waste
- No backup and DR strategy before migration
- Migrating all workloads at once without a wave approach
- Not training IT staff on Azure operations before migration completes
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does an Azure migration take for a 50-server environment?
A 50-server Azure migration typically takes 12–16 weeks including assessment, landing zone setup, and phased migration. The timeline depends on application complexity, network connectivity, and change management requirements.
Q: What is the Azure migration cost in India?
Azure migration project costs in India range from ₹5–₹25 lakh depending on scope, number of servers, and services required. Virajo AutoSoft provides detailed project proposals with fixed-price migration milestones.
Ready to migrate to Azure? Contact Virajo AutoSoft for a free cloud readiness assessment and Azure migration proposal.