AWS Consulting Service
AWS Cloud Modernization
Move legacy applications off EC2 and onto managed AWS services containers, managed databases, and modern networking without a full rewrite and without a maintenance window.
What is cloud modernization?
Not lift-and-shift. The operational burden moves too.
AWS cloud modernization is the process of moving legacy applications from outdated infrastructure onto modern AWS compute, data, and networking services without a full rewrite. Modernization covers replatforming monolithic apps to containers (ECS, EKS), migrating self-managed databases to RDS or Aurora, refactoring components where the architecture change delivers clear operational or cost benefit, and setting the infrastructure up for future scale. It is distinct from a simple lift-and-shift: the result is a system that is easier to maintain, cheaper to run, and more resilient under load. An EC2 instance running a self-managed PostgreSQL database is not cloud-native infrastructure it is the same server operational burden you had on-premise, now running in AWS. Modernization eliminates that burden by moving to services that handle patching, failover, scaling, and backup at the platform level. Forged Concepts takes a pragmatic approach: we modernize what is worth modernizing and leave what is working alone. No rewrite religion, no unnecessary rearchitecture, no big-bang cutovers.
4–8 wk
Typical single-service replatform
10–15%
Typical cost reduction vs. self-managed EC2
< 5 min
Cutover window with DMS replication
Zero
User-visible downtime on a zero-downtime cutover
What we deliver
From discovery through post-migration optimization.
- Migration path assessment using the 6 R's framework every workload classified by Rehost, Replatform, Repurchase, Refactor, Retire, or Retain before a line of code is written.
- EC2 / bare-metal to ECS (Fargate) or EKS containerized workloads with managed task scheduling, no instance patching, and full CI/CD integration.
- Self-managed database to RDS / Aurora (Multi-AZ) zero-downtime migration using AWS DMS for continuous replication, automated backups, and failover built in.
- Monolith decomposition (where ROI is clear) strangler-fig extraction of well-defined bounded contexts while the monolith continues running.
- Zero-downtime cutover plans blue/green deployments and Route 53 weighted routing so production users are never affected during the switch.
- IaC for the post-migration state (Terraform / CDK) every resource in the new environment defined as code, version-controlled, and reproducible from scratch.
How we work
Four phases from discovery to optimized production.
Discovery: inventory workloads, map dependencies, classify by 6 R's
We audit your current environment every EC2 instance, self-managed database, manual deploy script, and undocumented dependency. Each workload is assigned a migration strategy based on its complexity, business value, and the operational benefit of modernization.
Architecture design: target state + migration runbook
We document the target environment in detail: ECS task definitions or EKS manifests, RDS or Aurora configuration, VPC networking, IAM roles, and the migration runbook with rollback steps at every phase.
Phased migration: test environment first, then production cutover
We build and validate the new environment alongside the existing one. The new stack receives synthetic validation or a copy of production traffic before any real user is affected. Migration is phased, not big-bang.
Post-migration: optimize, monitor, document
After cutover, we tune resource sizing, verify observability coverage, decommission legacy infrastructure, and hand over documentation. You leave with a modernized environment and the runbooks to operate it.
Migration framework
The 6 R's: how we classify every workload.
| Strategy | What it means | When Forged Concepts recommends it |
|---|---|---|
| Rehost (lift-and-shift) | Move to EC2 with minimal changes | Quick wins, compliance deadlines |
| Replatform | Move to managed services (RDS, ECS) | Operational overhead reduction, the most common recommendation |
| Repurchase | Switch to SaaS alternative | Legacy software with a clear SaaS replacement |
| Refactor / Re-architect | Redesign using cloud-native services | High ROI, significant scalability requirement |
| Retire | Decommission unused workloads | Cost reduction, environment simplification |
| Retain | Keep on-premises for now | Regulatory or technical constraints make migration premature |
Forged Concepts primarily operates in Replatform and Refactor. We do not recommend Rehost as a final destination it moves your operational problems to a different data center without solving them.
Who this is for
The signals that mean modernization will pay off.
Slow release cycles caused by a fragile monolith that requires full redeploys for small changes.
Self-managed databases on EC2 that your team patches, backs up, and monitors manually.
Compliance requirements (HIPAA BAAs, PCI encryption, SOC 2 logging) that managed services satisfy natively but your current stack does not.
EC2-based systems that are expensive to scale. Adding capacity means provisioning and configuring instances manually.
No disaster recovery. A failed EC2 instance or EBS volume means manual recovery with no tested runbook.
On-call burden from infrastructure that was never designed to be operated at scale.
FAQ
Common questions about AWS cloud modernization.
What is the difference between lift-and-shift and cloud modernization?
Lift-and-shift (rehost) moves your workload to AWS with minimal changes. You get the cloud's reliability and billing model, but not its operational efficiency. Modernization (replatform or refactor) moves workloads onto managed services like RDS, ECS, or Lambda reducing operational overhead, improving resilience, and often reducing costs. Forged Concepts recommends modernization where the operational payoff justifies the migration effort, and lift-and-shift where speed or compliance deadlines make it the right call.
How long does a cloud modernization project take?
A single-service replatform (e.g., moving one app from EC2 to ECS with an RDS migration) typically takes 4–8 weeks. A full environment modernization covering multiple services, data layers, and networking typically takes 3–6 months depending on complexity.
What is zero-downtime migration?
A zero-downtime migration runs the new and old environments in parallel, progressively shifts traffic using Route 53 weighted routing or Application Load Balancer target groups, validates the new environment under production traffic, then decommissions the old one all without a maintenance window or user-visible outage.
Do you modernize databases?
Yes. Forged Concepts migrates self-managed MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server instances to RDS or Aurora (Multi-AZ). The migration uses AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for continuous replication during the cutover window, minimizing downtime to minutes.
What is the 6 R's framework for cloud migration?
The 6 R's (Rehost, Replatform, Repurchase, Refactor, Retire, Retain) is a classification system for each workload in a modernization project. Each workload gets assigned a strategy based on its complexity, business value, and the operational benefit of modernization. This prevents teams from defaulting to full rewrites when a replatform delivers 80% of the benefit.
Do you modernize monolithic applications?
Yes, selectively. Forged Concepts decomposes monoliths where the operational benefit (independent scaling, independent deploys, team autonomy) clearly justifies the migration effort. We don't recommend microservices for their own sake a well-containerized monolith on ECS is often the right answer.
Can you modernize HIPAA or PCI-regulated environments?
Yes. Forged Concepts has modernized HIPAA-regulated healthtech environments and maintains compliance continuity throughout the migration: BAA coverage, encryption at rest/in transit, CloudTrail audit logs, and access controls stay intact through every phase.
Ready when you are
Need senior AWS expertise without building a full internal team?
Forged Concepts helps growing companies improve AWS performance, control cloud costs, modernize infrastructure, and build with confidence. If your team needs stronger cloud architecture, better operations, or a clearer path forward on AWS, let's talk.