AEM empowers businesses to deliver exceptional experiences across all touchpoints, from web to mobile to IoT devices and Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) as a cloud service emerges as the best choice for developers and marketers seeking to maintain a competitive edge. AEM cloud services boast distinctive features including potency, extensibility, and swift deployment through modern cloud-native architecture. Many brands have grown and paved the way by reshaping their infrastructure with AEM, meeting and surpassing the evolving demands of their customers.

In this article, we will discuss

• Why migrating from On-Premises to AEM Cloud is time-sensitive
• The procedures needed to effectively transition from AEM On-Premises to the Cloud.
• Facts to think about while preparing for an AEM On-Premises to Cloud migration.

Advantages of Migrating from AEM On-Premises to Cloud

It is essential for an organization to emphasize the return on investment (ROI) of every major upgrade or migration. Benefits of migrating from AEM On-Premises to the Cloud include the following:

Website Availability

The availability and optimal performance of your website are guaranteed by AEM as a cloud service. It enables vertical and horizontal operational growth to consistently provide engaging experiences. AEM Cloud efficiently manages even the highest traffic loads, guaranteeing optimal uptime without causing your team any unnecessary stress. In fact, you don't need to spend extra money on infrastructure or hardware because you can scale up or down depending on client needs.

Enhanced Security

Safeguarding security has consistently been a top priority for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, you can anticipate strong security measures to safeguard your infrastructure and client data when using AEM Cloud migration. Adobe itself frequently publishes bug fixes and security patches, keeps a close eye on the infrastructure, and offers prompt assistance if a security risk is discovered.

Streamlined Content Management

When compared to on-premises deployments, cloud-based AEM management is frequently easier to understand and more efficient. Cloud providers take care of upgrades, backups, and infrastructure upkeep, freeing up IT professionals to work on more strategic projects.

Reduction in overall costs of ownership

When used as a cloud service, AEM significantly lowers mid-term ROI and TCO. Because the cloud model is based on usage, businesses can reduce fixed hardware expenses and save money on licensing. Businesses use AEM as a cloud service to leverage environment management and automated version upgrades, saving money on Adobe managed services and guaranteeing that you are always using the most recent version of the CMS. Additionally, you can scale up or down in response to organizational needs.

Infrastructure and hosting expenses were eliminated as another significant cost factor. It significantly lowers your mid-term return on investment because you don't have to pay a fortune for on-premises hosting or managing your equipment. Naturally, there will be expenses involved with moving from on-premises to the cloud, but these are primarily one-time fees.

Better Performance

When it comes to performance and dependability, cloud platforms frequently outperform on-premises alternatives. Businesses may guarantee low-latency access for users in various locations by utilizing cloud providers' worldwide infrastructure.

A complete guide for migrating from AEM on-premises to AEM as a cloud service

It requires proper planning and strategic steps to assist businesses in successful migration from on-premises to cloud. Our expert team follows and sticks to the scheduled plan.

1. Examine, evaluate, and keep track of the proceedings

The first step is to examine AEM as a cloud service, consider how the changes might affect your present operating environment, identify available and unavailable functionality, and work with your Adobe Experience Manager service provider to address any requirements.

The primary points of discussion

• Separate Mutable and Immutable Filters: Organize filters into distinct packages for better manageability and performance in the cloud.
• No Custom Run modes: Custom run modes are restricted in the cloud, necessitating configuration adjustments.
• Sling Content Distribution Preference: Favor Sling Content Distribution over Replication Agents for efficient content distribution in the cloud.
• CDN Options: Utilize the built-in CDN or opt for your own for improved content delivery in AEM cloud deployments.
• Asynchronous Operations Priority: Prioritize asynchronous operations for better efficiency and resource utilization in the cloud.
• File IO and Disk Usage Management: Manage file IO and disk usage carefully for optimal performance and cost-effectiveness in cloud-based AEM.
• Transition to Cloud Manager Pipeline Execution: Use Cloud Manager Pipeline Execution as the primary deployment method in AEM cloud environments.
• CRX/DE and Package Manager Changes: Expect adjustments in CRX/DE and Package Manager functionalities when migrating to the cloud.
• Long Running Jobs Implementation: Reconfigure long running jobs for the cloud environment.
• Token-based Authentication: Implement token-based authentication for secure access to AEM resources in the cloud.
• DAM Update Asset Workflow Enhancements: Experience changes and enhancements in DAM Update Asset Workflow functionalities in the cloud.
• Workflow Launchers Modifications: Modify Workflow Launchers to meet cloud-specific requirements.
• Authentication Changes: Adjust authentication mechanisms to align with cloud security protocols.
• Dispatcher Configurations and Caching: Reconfigure Dispatcher settings and caching for optimal performance in the cloud.
• Non-configurable Maintenance Tasks: Certain maintenance tasks may not be configurable in the cloud, requiring alternative approaches.
• Custom Rendition Steps: Update Custom Rendition Steps for seamless functionality in the cloud.
• Supported Workflow Steps and Asset Upload Methods: Verify supported workflow steps and asset upload methods for compatibility with AEM as a Cloud Service.
• Backup and Restore Procedures: Adapt backup and restore procedures for the cloud environment's architecture.
• Changes to Publish Repository: Expect changes to the Publish repository structure and management in the cloud.
• Content Search and Indexing Optimization: Optimize content search and indexing for cloud infrastructure capabilities.
• Architecture Adjustments for Horizontal Scaling: Adjust architecture for automatic horizontal scaling in cloud deployments.
• Project Code Structure Adaptations: Modify project code structures for cloud deployment best practices.
• Dispatcher Configuration Enhancements: Enhance Dispatcher configurations for cloud-based caching and delivery mechanisms.
• Network, API, DNS & SSL Configuration: Reconfigure network settings, API connections, DNS, and SSL configurations for seamless cloud operation.
• Integration with CI/CD Pipelines: Integrate AEM deployments with CI/CD pipelines for streamlined development and deployment.
• AEM Author Access via Adobe Account: Authenticate AEM author instances through Adobe accounts in the cloud.
• User Groups & Permissions Adjustments: Adjust user groups and permissions for proper access control in cloud-based AEM setups.

It is essential to inform your partners, stakeholders, and the Adobe team when planning a migration. This should cover the necessary efforts, the tasks at hand, the deadlines, the teams engaged, etc. Your Adobe POC will make sure you have the right subscriptions and license agreements for AEM as a cloud service.

2. Code And Environment Preparation for AEM Cloud Service

This is a technical process that requires preparing your AEM setup for cloud computing. The Adobe Best Practices Analyzer is a related product that Adobe offers. It evaluates your present AEM configuration and makes recommendations for improvements and best practices. With access to the report, certified AEM specialists can offer advice on how well your present AEM setup is doing as well as recommendations for Cloud modifications.

To guarantee a smooth transition to the cloud and boost efficiency, AEM teams will also sort out code and other outdated components. The next stage would be to launch AEM as a cloud service and configure the core component, AEM Cloud Manager.

It is obvious that your AEM migration service provider will extensively test everything after the migration, but it's crucial to make sure AEM is set up well for cloud services.

3. Project and code migration to the AEM Cloud

Your code has now been optimized and cleaned to run on both your cloud-based and existing AEM instance. Make sure that all your environments—production, staging, etc.—are prepared for use and have been set up for the cloud. Your code only needs to be pushed to the Cloud GIT repository at this point. It is advised that you refrain from making any significant code modifications currently.

4. Verifying the integration of core services and external systems

It is possible to optimize performance by integrating your website through APIs with other services. It is also essential that these services are also easily connected to your AEM Cloud setup. It is necessary to perform all necessary configurations in AEM Cloud Manager. Additionally, AEM is a cloud service that comes with a static IP that you must authorize on your end. This enables our on-site programs to communicate with your website.

5. Combining Adobe Experience Cloud with other apps

You can also use other AEC tools, such as Adobe Analytics and Adobe Target, for your website, while this is not a necessary step. You may use these technologies to personalize every experience and gain insights from web analytics because the integration process is quite simple.

6. Content Migration

Content covers all assets, data, and webpage content. You may transfer your content from on-premises to the cloud with ease by using Adobe's Content Transfer Tool. This program makes sure that any changes you make to the content in your production process also appear in the cloud.

7. Evaluate The Migration

This is the UAT session where you test your whole AEM environment. Since the marketing and content team (writers) will be the ones working on it the most and deciding how each component should work, onboarding business users and QA teams is also useful in this step and plays a major role.

After extensive testing, you should be able to continue operating in the new setting and provide your guests with interesting experiences. It is now time for the launch.

8. Training to teams on latest version

Your authors won't notice much of a difference because the admin interface stays the same. It is imperative, therefore, that you inform them about Adobe Cloud Manager. The DevOps or IT teams should also manage this new technology. Our AEM experts are available to instruct your teams on the new setup and respond to their questions.

The retention of the on-premises setup is dependent on your scalability goals. While it's advisable to maintain the on-premises instance for a few weeks post-migration, serving as a backup in case any issues arise with the AEM Cloud migration architecture.

Conclusion

We have tried to address the functional aspects of migration; the procedure is complex and necessitates the knowledge of certified AEM professionals. We understand the entire process as an expert Adobe Solution Partner, and we can assist in a quick migration from AEM On-Premises to the Cloud. Our AEM developers can plan every step of the migration process and offer managed solutions, training, and after support.

Ready to elevate your AEM experience? Start your journey to the cloud with expert team at SurekhaTech