VM Application Migration with Controlled Cutover

Use case

• Category: Application stack migration
• Typical source: Existing VM-based runtime
• Typical target: VM runtime on STACKIT with standardized operations handover

Prerequisites

• Dependency map completed: Interfaces, schedules, and critical upstream/downstream systems are documented.
• Landing zone readiness: Network, IAM, monitoring, backup, and logging controls are available.
• Cutover governance: Approved window, freeze rules, and business sign-off path are defined.
• Rollback readiness: Source restore path and technical rollback trigger are tested.

Not suitable when

• Heavy redesign is required: Significant architecture changes are expected in the same wave.
• No rollback option exists: Source cannot be kept stable for fallback during cutover.

Implementation template

Phase 1: Prepare target runtime

1. Provision target VM baseline and apply security controls.
2. Install runtime dependencies and deploy the application artifact.
3. Configure environment, certificates, and endpoint integration.
4. Validate observability baseline (metrics, logs, alerts).

Phase 2: Align data and configuration

1. Freeze non-essential writes on the source.
2. Run final data synchronization.
3. Validate integrity and application readiness on target.

Phase 3: Run cutover

1. Stop source service according to cutover governance.
2. Activate target service and verify health checks.
3. Activate the approved target endpoint or traffic path and run business-critical validation.
4. Start stabilization watch and complete evidence log.

Validation checklist

• Functional readiness: Core user journeys pass.
• Data readiness: Consistency checks meet acceptance criteria.
• Security readiness: Access controls and TLS chain verified.
• Operations readiness: Runbook, alerts, and escalation ownership confirmed.

Evidence template

Swipe sideways to see the whole table

Checkpoint	Owner	Result	Evidence
Target runtime ready		Pass/Fail
Data sync validated		Pass/Fail
Traffic switch completed		Pass/Fail
Stabilization accepted		Pass/Fail