A Typical Cloud Migration Timeline
Clients often ask how long a cloud migration takes. The honest answer is ‘it depends’, but there is a recognisable shape to most projects. Knowing the phases helps you plan resources and set expectations internally.
This article sets out a typical journey from first conversation to switching off the old systems.
The Phases
- Discovery: audit current systems, dependencies and goals.
- Planning: design the target setup and the migration approach.
- Pilot: move a low-risk system to prove the plan.
- Migration: move the rest in waves, verifying each.
- Optimisation: right-size, tidy up and decommission the old environment.
What Drives the Duration
The biggest factors are how many systems you run, how tangled their dependencies are, and how much you choose to re-architect versus lift-and-shift. A clean estate moves quickly; a complex, interconnected one takes longer and more care.
Keeping It Predictable
We break the work into clear waves with checkpoints, so progress is visible and the business can plan around each step. You always know what is moving, when, and what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you give a rough timescale up front?
After discovery, yes — we provide a phased plan with indicative dates once we understand your estate.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.