Kubernetes migration: Strategies, tools, and best practices

Why migrate to Kubernetes?

Enterprises and startups alike are turning to Kubernetes because it addresses the limitations of traditional infrastructure and early-generation container solutions. Some of the most common drivers include:

• Portability across environments: Kubernetes provides a consistent platform that works the same way on-premises, in the cloud, or across multiple providers. This makes hybrid and multi-cloud deployments practical and future-proof.
• Scalability and elasticity: Applications running on Kubernetes can automatically scale up or down based on demand. This avoids overprovisioning resources and helps control costs.
• Resilience and self-healing: Kubernetes automatically restarts failed containers, reschedules workloads, and distributes traffic, ensuring minimal downtime. For businesses with customer-facing apps, this translates directly into higher availability.
• Faster development cycles: By integrating seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines, Kubernetes accelerates deployment frequency and shortens release cycles, helping teams deliver features and fixes more quickly.
• Optimized resource utilization: Kubernetes dynamically allocates CPU, memory, and storage to workloads. This efficiency reduces infrastructure waste, especially in cloud environments where resources are billed per use.
• Future readiness: Migrating early positions companies to leverage the Kubernetes ecosystem, which continues to evolve with tools for observability, security, and cost management.

Of course, not every application is a good candidate. Legacy monoliths with deep hardware dependencies, strict licensing models, or applications requiring very low-latency bare-metal performance may not benefit from Kubernetes migration. However, for the majority of modern workloads, the advantages outweigh the risks.

Key considerations when migrating to Kubernetes

A successful Kubernetes migration requires much more than simply lifting applications into containers. It involves rethinking infrastructure, people, and processes. Rushing the process without preparation can lead to downtime, cost overruns, and failed deployments. 

Below are the most critical factors to evaluate before starting.

1. Assessing your current landscape

• Application audit: Identify which workloads are stateless (easier to migrate) versus stateful (databases, queues, storage-heavy apps). According to the CNCF Annual Survey 2023, 55% of organizations cited migrating stateful workloads as their top Kubernetes challenge.
• Dependencies: Map out third-party integrations, networking rules, and external services. Applications tightly coupled to legacy infrastructure may require refactoring before migration.

2. Team skills and culture readiness

• Kubernetes has a steep learning curve. Teams must understand YAML manifests, container orchestration concepts, and monitoring/observability stacks.
• A Red Hat report showed that 46% of IT leaders consider “lack of in-house expertise” the main blocker for Kubernetes adoption. Investing in training or working with a managed services partner is often necessary.

3. Infrastructure and platform design

• Networking: Plan for ingress controllers, DNS management, and load balancers. Kubernetes networking can differ significantly from VM-based systems.
• Storage: Persistent volumes must be mapped to reliable backends (e.g., AWS EBS, GCP Persistent Disks, Ceph). Data migration is usually one of the most complex steps.
• Security & governance: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), secrets management, and network policies should be designed upfront to avoid vulnerabilities.

4. Downtime and rollback planning

• Downtime windows: Define acceptable SLAs. Mission-critical apps may require zero-downtime strategies like blue/green deployments or canary releases.
• Rollback strategy: Every migration stage should have a tested rollback plan. According to Gartner, 70% of failed migrations are due to lack of validated fallback procedures.

5. Version compatibility and lifecycle management

• Kubernetes APIs evolve quickly, with deprecations every few releases. Ensure your applications, operators, and third-party tools are compatible with the target Kubernetes version.
• Plan for upgrades beyond the initial migration. Kubernetes releases new minor versions roughly every 4 months, and each version is supported for about a year.

6. Cost and resource optimization

• While Kubernetes can reduce costs through better resource utilization, poorly tuned clusters may drive up cloud bills. Tools like Kubecost or Prometheus-based monitoring should be part of the migration plan to avoid overspending.

Kubernetes migration strategy options, pros and cons

There is no one-size-fits-all Kubernetes migration strategy. The right approach depends on workload complexity, available resources, and business priorities. Below are the main strategies used in practice:

1. Lift-and-shift (rehosting)

Applications are containerized with minimal changes and deployed directly on Kubernetes.

• Pros: Fastest path, minimal refactoring, lower upfront cost.
• Cons: Legacy inefficiencies remain, limited benefits from Kubernetes features.
• Best for: Organizations needing quick migration to the cloud with short-term goals.

2. Replatforming (repackaging)

Applications undergo partial modifications (e.g., using Kubernetes-native storage or service discovery) while retaining core architecture.

• Pros: Balances speed and modernization, unlocks some Kubernetes-native benefits.
• Cons: Requires moderate code changes, potential for integration issues.
• Best for: Teams with limited time but looking for meaningful improvements.

3. Refactoring (re-architecting)

Applications are redesigned into microservices and optimized for Kubernetes.

• Pros: Full advantage of Kubernetes — scalability, resilience, observability
• Cons: Most expensive and time-consuming, requires skilled teams.
• Best for: Strategic, long-term modernization of critical applications.

4. Incremental / hybrid (strangler pattern)

Components are migrated in phases while the legacy system continues running.

• Pros: Reduces risk, allows gradual skill-building, easier rollback.
• Cons: Longer timeline, operational complexity of hybrid environments.
• Best for: Large organizations with complex systems and high uptime requirements.

5. Cluster-to-cluster migration

Moving workloads between Kubernetes clusters (e.g., upgrading versions or changing cloud providers).

• Pros: Minimal changes in applications, well-supported by tools like Velero.
• Cons: Data-heavy workloads may be difficult, requires strong networking setup.
• Best for: Teams already on Kubernetes but seeking modernization or new platforms.

Strategy comparison 

Migration between Kubernetes clusters (cluster-to-cluster)

Not all migrations mean moving from virtual machines or legacy infrastructure. In many cases, organizations already using Kubernetes need to migrate workloads between clusters. 

This happens when:

• Upgrading to a newer Kubernetes version.
• Switching cloud providers (e.g., AWS EKS → GCP GKE).
• Moving from managed Kubernetes to on-prem or hybrid.
• Consolidating multiple clusters into one for cost or governance reasons.

This type of Kubernetes migration is often less about application refactoring and more about infrastructure portability, data transfer, and avoiding downtime.

Key challenges

• Data movement: Persistent volumes tied to one provider (e.g., AWS EBS) must be mapped to equivalent storage classes in the new cluster.
• Networking: Rebuilding Ingress, LoadBalancer, and DNS configurations.
• Secrets & Configs: Ensuring RBAC policies, service accounts, and secrets are properly transferred.
• Downtime: Aligning cutover windows, especially for stateful applications.

Tools commonly used

• Dysnix –  full-service provider covering audits, containerization, Helm charts, Terraform, cluster transfer, and support with a proven track record of 100+ projects.
• Velero – backup and restore Kubernetes resources and persistent volumes.
• Kubernetes Cluster API – manage cluster lifecycle and enable workload migration.
• KubeADM + etcd snapshots – a manual but flexible method for replicating clusters.
• GitOps tools (ArgoCD, Flux) – redeploy workloads consistently across clusters.
• Trilio for Kubernetes – an enterprise-grade disaster recovery and migration solution.

Cluster-to-Cluster Migration Summary

Tools for Kubernetes migration

Each tool addresses a specific set of challenges, ranging from migrating workloads between clusters to managing stateful data and ensuring long-term observability. 

Dysnix

Dysnix is not just a tool, but a full-service provider for Kubernetes migration. The company specializes in guiding enterprises through the entire migration lifecycle, from initial planning to ongoing support, ensuring that workloads move smoothly, securely, and with minimal downtime.

Key capabilities:

• End-to-end expertise: Dysnix covers every stage of migration, including infrastructure audit, application containerization, Helm chart development, Terraform automation, cluster transfer, and long-term maintenance.
• Proven track record: Over 100 projects completed, resulting in $20M+ saved on infrastructure costs and enabling clients with a combined capitalization of over $10B.
• Zero-downtime focus: Strategies are designed to keep mission-critical workloads online, leveraging blue/green, canary, and hybrid rollout approaches.
• Cost optimization: Dysnix engineers apply FinOps practices to ensure efficient use of cloud resources after migration, avoiding the cost overruns common in poorly tuned clusters.
• Security-first approach: Implementation of RBAC, secrets management, network policies, and compliance checks from the very beginning.
• Industry diversity: Experience spans Web3, fintech, e-commerce, SaaS, and large enterprise ecosystems.

Why choose Dysnix

While tools like Velero or Trilio solve narrow technical problems, Dysnix provides a managed service that integrates strategy, tooling, and engineering execution. This reduces risk, accelerates timelines, and ensures that migration aligns with both technical and business objectives.

Velero

Velero is one of the most popular open-source projects for Kubernetes backup and recovery. It allows teams to back up cluster resources and persistent volumes, then restore them in a new environment. This makes it a go-to solution for cluster-to-cluster migrations. Velero integrates with all major cloud storage providers and supports CSI plugins, meaning it can also move persistent data. While it requires some operational expertise to configure, it’s lightweight and community-driven, making it a natural starting point for many organizations.

Trilio for Kubernetes

Trilio is a commercial-grade alternative to Velero, purpose-built for enterprises that need strict recovery guarantees and compliance. Unlike Velero, Trilio offers application-consistent snapshots and detailed RBAC integration, ensuring that even stateful and complex workloads can be migrated safely. Trilio is especially valuable in industries like finance, telecom, or healthcare, where uptime and data consistency are critical. 

Although it comes with licensing costs, Trilio reduces operational risk significantly during Kubernetes migration strategy execution.

Kubernetes Cluster API

Cluster API (CAPI) is a Kubernetes project that treats entire clusters as declarative resources. Instead of manually building and migrating clusters, teams can define their desired state in YAML and let Cluster API create, upgrade, or move clusters automatically. This approach works across providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware, bare metal), making it a strong fit for hybrid or multi-cloud strategies. 

For migrations, CAPI shines when organizations want to standardize cluster lifecycle management, enforce GitOps practices, and ensure reproducibility at scale.

Helm and Kustomize

When workloads are being migrated, redeployment is often just as important as data transfer. Helm and Kustomize simplify this process by templating Kubernetes manifests and ensuring consistent deployment across clusters. Helm, with its package manager approach, allows workloads to be packaged and versioned, while Kustomize focuses on customizing YAML configurations without creating duplicates. Both tools reduce manual errors and speed up redeployment, which is crucial when multiple environments need to be rebuilt during migration.

Argo CD and Flux

Argo CD and Flux are leading GitOps tools that align perfectly with Kubernetes migration workflows. Instead of manually applying manifests, these tools synchronize cluster state with a Git repository. During a migration, this means teams can spin up a new cluster and have Argo or Flux automatically apply the exact configuration and workloads defined in Git. This ensures consistency, simplifies rollback, and provides an auditable history of changes. For teams adopting refactoring or hybrid migration strategies, GitOps tools are indispensable.

KubeADM and etcd Snapshots

For organizations that need full control, especially in on-premise environments, KubeADM combined with etcd snapshots offers a low-level approach. With this method, administrators can capture the entire state of a cluster and restore it elsewhere. While this requires deep Kubernetes expertise and careful handling of networking and storage, it provides flexibility in air-gapped environments or cases where commercial tools are not an option. It is often used in regulated industries or military-grade systems where external SaaS tooling is prohibited.

Rook, Ceph, and Kanister

Stateful workloads are the hardest part of any migration. Rook and Ceph provide a portable storage layer for Kubernetes, making it possible to maintain persistent volumes across clusters. Kanister, on the other hand, is a framework that simplifies application-level data migration, allowing databases and stateful apps to move with minimal downtime. These tools are particularly relevant when moving analytics pipelines, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Kafka workloads that cannot afford data loss.

Observability and cost management tools

Migrating to Kubernetes is not complete until workloads are stable and optimized. Tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and Jaeger provide observability into metrics, logs, and tracing, ensuring that applications perform as expected post-migration. On the financial side, Kubecost helps track and control cloud resource spending, a common pain point after migration. 

Many organizations underestimate the cost implications of poorly tuned clusters, and cost monitoring tools close this gap.

Takeaways

Kubernetes migration is a strategic transformation. The benefits are clear: portability across environments, higher scalability, self-healing infrastructure, and faster delivery cycles. But the path is not without risks. Migrating complex, stateful workloads, handling version changes, and keeping costs under control require a thoughtful Kubernetes migration strategy.

The key lessons:

• Start with a clear inventory and dependency audit.
• Train teams or bring in expertise before moving mission-critical workloads.
• Choose the right strategy (lift-and-shift, replatforming, refactoring, or incremental) based on your business priorities.
• Use proven tools like Velero, Trilio, Cluster API, ArgoCD, and Kubecost to reduce risks and optimize the process.
• Always test rollback plans, and don’t underestimate observability and cost monitoring.

When done correctly, Kubernetes migration enables enterprises to modernize their infrastructure without sacrificing reliability or speed.

How Dysnix can help

At Dysnix, we’ve guided dozens of companies through complex Kubernetes migrations, from cloud-to-cloud moves to complete infrastructure modernization. Our expertise in DevOps, FinOps, and high-availability Kubernetes clusters ensures that your workloads are migrated safely, cost-effectively, and without unexpected downtime.

So, Dysnix can help you design the right architecture, automate critical workflows, and avoid the pitfalls that cause most migrations to fail.

Ready to move forward? Contact us and let’s discuss how to make your Kubernetes migration smooth and successful.