Modernizing Microsoft environments often raises many important questions. Upgrading legacy software and migrating infrastructure to the cloud is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning and execution. At ClearScale, we frequently address these challenges as part of our Microsoft modernization service. Here are five of the most common questions we encounter regarding Microsoft modernization on AWS.

Can we bring our Microsoft licenses to AWS?

Yes. You can bring your own licenses to Amazon Web Services (AWS). There’s actually a term for it in the cloud computing world: BYOL. AWS is a Microsoft Authorized License Mobility Partner, which means you can transfer eligible licenses to AWS on shared tenancy. Furthermore, your AWS instances can also include the cost of licensing.

Bringing your Microsoft licenses to AWS is a great option if you want to continue on existing licenses while taking advantage of cloud computing efficiencies. It’s also a viable way to extend the lifecycle of your Windows software without needing to invest in more hardware.

If you want to move away from Microsoft licenses, you could switch over to AWS-provided licenses. Doing so means you forgo upfront costs, long-term commitments, and scalability limitations. You also gain control over when you’re billed and can let AWS handle licensing management on your behalf.

One way to figure out which path is best is to conduct an AWS Optimization and Licensing Assessment (OLA). AWS partners like ClearScale can use the results of your OLA to help you make the best decision for your business.

How can we optimize the cost of our Windows Server?

One of the biggest benefits of moving to AWS is having a wide range of compute options available. AWS has more than 750 generally available compute instances – all of which are secure and resizable. This wide selection is what makes it possible for AWS to support so many use cases for organizations of all types.

After deciding on an instance type with the right CPU, memory, storage, and networking capacity, AWS makes it easy to optimize costs. You can use tools like AWS Cost Explorer to understand how you’re spending money on AWS over time or Instance Scheduler to start and stop compute according to your company’s needs. You can set up alerts and monitor your applications closely using Amazon CloudWatch and use AWS Trusted Advisor to get recommendations on how to cut unnecessary spending.

These are just a few ways to optimize Windows Servers on AWS. After doing an OLA, it’s easier to know where to focus efforts to optimize Microsoft resources.

Can we automate the migration of our Microsoft?

AWS continues to make it easier for organizations to migrate to the cloud. While there is no such thing as a fully automated migration, there are tools available that streamline the process depending on the level of complexity. For example, the Cloud Migration Factory on AWS is well-suited for large-scale migrations.

Soon, AWS Migration Hub Automation will be generally available to automate even more migration tasks. The AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) for Windows also comes with services to automate migration planning.

Can we run our .NET applications on AWS?

Yes. In fact, you can run both legacy and modern .NET applications on AWS. You have many options when it comes to bringing .NET assets to the cloud. You can rehost with a service like AWS Elastic Beanstalk or migrate to Amazon EC2 instances or execute a bigger digital transformation project. The right approach depends on your goals, timeline, and cloud capabilities.

For instance, you could containerize .NET applications on AWS and implement CI/CD pipelines with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) automation. You could also break up monolithic applications into microservices and set up serverless architecture that is more cost-effective and scalable. Whatever your .NET modernization goal, AWS has purpose-built services that can speed up and simplify any transition.

Can we run Windows Server containers on AWS?

You can run Windows Server containers on the AWS cloud, and there are many advantages to this approach. Containers provide better isolation for mission-critical applications and can be more cost-efficient than virtual machines. It’s also easier to automate your software development lifecycle when applications are containerized.

For those who want to establish a sophisticated DevOps practice, containers are crucial. Additionally, containers are highly scalable, secure, and maintainable on modern cloud infrastructure.

Modernize Legacy Microsoft Workloads with ClearScale and AWS

IT leaders have many things to consider when dealing with Microsoft modernizations. For those who have to get a Microsoft modernization project down right the first time, ClearScale can help. As an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner with over a decade of Microsoft migration and modernization experience, we know how to take advantage of the biggest opportunities and overcome common challenges. And we know the top concerns executives have when deciding to shift away from outdated Windows IT to the AWS cloud. Since 2011, we’ve helped companies in every industry update legacy Microsoft workloads for the cloud, as demonstrated by our AWS Microsoft Workloads competency.

For example, we helped a provider of digital advertising solutions migrate from a Microsoft SQL Server database to Amazon Aurora, AWS’ fully managed relational database service. By making the switch, our client avoided expensive licensing fees and improved scalability, availability, and durability. Overall, our cloud data engineers refactored 600 stored database procedures and moved 15 TB of source data over 100 hours.

Another one of our clients in the safety and compliance risk management space needed to upgrade on-premises applications to run on Windows Server 2019. To take full advantage of the situation, we migrated and modernized key elements of the client’s IT infrastructure on AWS, taking advantage of AWS’ shared storage solution, Amazon FSx, a new networking tier, and IaC-based architecture. After the project, our client’s Windows infrastructure was more resilient, cost-efficient, and performant.

Legacy Microsoft workloads holding you back? Start by reviewing our eBook Running Microsoft Workloads on AWS: Your Questions Answered.

Then, schedule a call today to learn more about our Microsoft modernization on AWS services.