MIG-11 · EXPERIENCE
I run migrations and cutovers with the rollback ready before I touch production.
I move systems without drama. Whether it is on-prem to on-prem, on-prem to cloud, or a version upgrade, I write the change plan and the rollback first, then cut over inside a window we agree on and validate against clear gates. If a gate fails, I roll back. That part is mine to own, not yours to discover at 2 a.m.
01 · What I do
The actual work
- Migrate on-prem workloads between hosts, clusters, and datacenters with P2V and V2V moves, minimizing downtime.
- Lift on-prem systems to cloud, including app, data, DNS, and identity dependencies, not just the virtual machine.
- Run version upgrades for operating systems, hypervisors, and core services with a tested back-out path.
- Write the cutover sequence and the rollback before anything production changes, so both directions are on paper first.
- Define the maintenance window, the validation gates, and who signs off at each one.
- Migrate storage and data with checksums and reconciliation, so nothing silently drops in transit.
- Re-validate hardening and configuration after the move, so the new environment is not weaker than the old one.
02 · What you get
What you are left with
- A documented change plan and a written rollback, both reviewed before the window opens.
- A clean cutover inside the agreed window, validated against gates instead of guesswork.
- A back-out path that actually works, owned by me if a gate fails.
- Post-migration evidence that the new environment is configured and hardened correctly.
- Handover notes your team can read and rerun, so the knowledge does not leave with me.
03 · Tools and knowledge
What I work with here
04 · How I approach it
Planned, scoped, and owned
It starts with a 30-minute scoping call and a same-day written read on whether this is a clean fit. From there I map the real dependencies, not just the obvious server, and write an ordered change plan with the rollback attached before a single production system moves. We agree on the window, the validation gates, and the back-out criteria up front, so there is no improvising mid-cutover. I cut over inside that window, check each gate, and if one fails I roll back to the known-good state. When it is done you get the evidence and the written procedure, so the next person can follow the same path.
05 · Questions
Good questions, straight answers
How do you keep downtime predictable?
By cutting over inside a defined window with a fixed sequence and clear gates. We know before we start what success looks like at each step and how long each step should take, so the window is planned rather than hoped for.
What happens if the migration goes wrong mid-cutover?
I roll back to the last known-good state using the back-out path that was written and reviewed before we started. The rollback is decided up front and it is my job to execute it, not something we figure out under pressure.
Can you do on-prem to cloud, or only on-prem to on-prem?
Both, plus version upgrades. On-prem to cloud gets extra attention on identity, DNS, data movement, and dependencies, since those are where cloud migrations usually break rather than the workload itself.
06 · Related experience
Adjacent work I do
Need this handled?
Tell me what you are trying to move and where it is stuck. A few sentences is plenty to start, and it goes straight to my inbox.