Approach

RefugeX treats cloud exit as an engineering discipline: staged, reversible, and validated. The goal is not “move fast and hope” — the goal is a controlled transition that preserves uptime and leaves you with infrastructure you own.

Principles

  • Reversibility — no irreversible cutovers until acceptance criteria are met
  • Parallel running — new systems run alongside existing systems during validation
  • Incremental change — move services in stages, not as a single event
  • Operational clarity — monitoring, logging, and runbooks are part of delivery
  • Exit-oriented design — the resulting system must be supportable without RefugeX

What “done” looks like

  • Production runs independently of hyperscale cloud dependencies
  • Costs are predictable and capacity planning is explicit
  • Backups are offline-capable and restores are tested
  • Monitoring and alerts are actionable (with runbooks)
  • Documentation is complete and operators can run the system confidently



The delivery model

RefugeX engagements are structured to reduce risk. We don’t “flip” production. We design migrations that can be rehearsed, validated, and rolled back.

  1. Assess

    We establish a shared understanding of the current environment: architecture, dependencies, costs, data flows, operational constraints, and compliance requirements. This phase identifies what is easy to move, what is hard to move, and what must be redesigned.

    • Dependency inventory (including managed services and hard lock-ins)
    • Cost baseline and key drivers (6–12 months where possible)
    • Data gravity analysis (size, churn rate, residency/compliance constraints)
    • Availability and performance requirements (what cannot break)
  2. Plan

    We design a staged exit path with explicit sequencing and rollback criteria. This phase produces the runbooks and acceptance checks that prevent “panic cutovers”.

    • Target architecture options (tool-agnostic, exit-friendly)
    • Migration sequencing (service-by-service, dependency-aware)
    • Parallel-run plan (validation periods and cutover windows)
    • Rollback paths and “stop conditions”
    • Risk register with named owners
  3. Migrate

    Execution is incremental. Systems are moved in controlled stages with continuous validation of data integrity and behaviour. Cutover happens only when acceptance criteria are met.

    • Infrastructure provisioning and configuration (repeatable)
    • Continuous replication or staged sync (snapshot + delta)
    • Functional parity checks and performance envelope validation
    • Canary routing or phased cutover where appropriate
    • Rehearsed rollback before final production switch
  4. Support

    A migration is only valuable if the result is sustainable. We ensure your environment is supportable, documented, and operable — then we step aside.

    • Monitoring, alerting, and logging definitions
    • Backup/restore design with restore drills
    • Operational runbooks and incident playbooks
    • Knowledge transfer and handover

Controls that keep exits safe

The difference between a safe exit and a risky one is discipline: validation, observability, and reversibility. RefugeX bakes these into delivery.

Parallel running

New systems run alongside existing systems during validation. This reduces pressure and keeps business risk low.

  • Side-by-side service verification
  • Safe windows for cutover
  • Clear rollback routes

Data integrity

Data migrations are validated continuously, not “assumed correct”. We treat restore capability as a requirement.

  • Checksums and parity checks
  • Read-only validation before write cutover
  • Restore drills as evidence

Operational readiness

Self-hosted success depends on clarity: alerts must be actionable and systems must be understandable.

  • Monitoring tied to runbooks
  • Logging suitable for audit needs
  • Documented failure modes

What we deliver

RefugeX deliverables are designed for handover. Everything we produce should still be useful after we’re gone.

Technical artefacts

  • Dependency map and exit feasibility matrix
  • Target architecture and migration sequencing
  • Migration runbook + cutover checklist
  • Risk register with mitigation ownership
  • Backup/restore plan (with restore testing)
  • Monitoring and alerting definitions

Operational artefacts

  • Runbooks for routine operations
  • Incident and recovery procedures
  • Access model and role mapping
  • Documentation suitable for audits
  • Operator training and handover sessions

We do not prescribe a single stack. Tooling is selected using open standards, replaceability, and operational clarity as decision criteria.

Want a clear exit plan?

If you’re considering a cloud exit — or you just want a sober view of options, risks, and realistic timelines — start a conversation.

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