Network Design & Architecture

Lift and shift migration moves an existing application or workload to cloud infrastructure with limited changes to its code and architecture.

The approach, also called rehost migration, can help organizations leave a data center, replace aging infrastructure, or meet a migration deadline without redesigning the application first. It can reduce the initial effort required to move a workload, but it may also carry existing technical and operational problems into the cloud.

Software Defined Networking and traditional networking is not a binary technical preference: it is a strategic question about which architecture aligns with how a modern enterprise needs to operate across distributed teams, hybrid cloud environments, and increasingly complex security requirements.

This article defines both approaches clearly, compares them across the dimensions that matter most to technology leaders, and provides a framework for determining which model or which combination fits the specific profile of a given organization.