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The original was posted on /r/azure by /u/RE_H on 2023-09-04 15:15:55.
I find myself in an urgent predicament and could use the collective wisdom of this community. My organization has two locations with servers running a mix of Windows Server 2008 and 2012. Given the age of this infrastructure, I am increasingly concerned about the potential for hardware or system failures. We have decided to migrate to Azure, but I want to ensure we do it right!
Background:
- Two physical locations.
- Mix of Windows Server 2008 and 2012.
- Objective is not just to "lift and shift", but rather to utilize best practice architectures for the cloud.
- Cost-effectiveness is a primary concern.
Primary Questions:
- What's the best approach to migrate these old versions of Windows Server to Azure?
- Are there Azure-native tools or third-party solutions that you'd recommend to ensure a smooth migration?
- For a mixed environment like ours, what architecture in Azure would be both robust and cost-effective?
- Given that Windows Server 2008 has reached its end of support, what's the recommended path? Should we consider upgrading first or does Azure offer compatibility layers/solutions?
- How can we optimize cost post-migration? I've heard about Reserved Instances, Hybrid Benefits, etc. Are there any other strategies you'd recommend?
I know I'm asking for a lot, but time is of the essence. The last thing we want is to be caught off guard by our on-prem infrastructure failing before we've made the leap. Any advice, recommendations, or experiences shared would be hugely beneficial.
Thank you all in advance for your guidance and insights!