The Future of Cloud Migration: Trends and Challenges

Article summary:
Explore the future of cloud migration: expert insights on key trends, challenges, and strategies.

Alex Kirpichny

Product Owner, Ispirer Systems

Cloud migration is not a hot trend anymore—it's today and the future. Over 90% of companies are packing their digital bags and moving to the cloud for speed, scalability, savings, and more. But while cloud migration promises a bright future, it also comes with challenges.

In the post, we'll see where cloud migration is headed, the trends shaping it, and the roadblocks you might need to overcome.

The cloud migration boom: by the numbers

Are you still wondering if cloud migration is a big deal? Then, take a look at these statistics, which tell how cloud changes businesses:

By 2028, most enterprises will use cloud services in some form as a necessity.
The global cloud computing market is expected to hit $1.4 trillion by 2027.
The top reasons companies move to the cloud are reduced costs and improved security.
More than 60% of workloads are already running in some form of cloud environment.

If you're also looking to move your apps and databases, knowing the latest trends and challenges can help you make the most of your cloud migration.

Try SQLWays to migrate to the cloud

Book a demo

Cloud migration trends shaping the future

Let's explore what key trends make the future of cloud adoption and strategy.

1. Multi-cloud and hybrid strategies rule

First, gone are the days of picking one cloud provider and calling it a day. As Flexera says, 89% of enterprises now use a multi-cloud strategy. Why? Because relying on a single provider can be risky and expensive.

Modern companies are spreading their workloads across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, and even private clouds to improve resilience and flexibility.

2. Automation in migration

Another trend is looking for simplicity because migrating to the cloud used to be a nightmare of manual processes and downtime. Now, automation is making migrations faster and less risky. In the next few years, for example, AI-powered cloud operations will reduce migration time by 30%.

Plus, automation tools are now able convert legacy databases and applications with minimal manual effort. For example, SQLWays automates database migration and synchronizes schema and data transfers for transitions that are both secure and efficient.

3. Edge computing gains momentum

Next, companies start understanding that not everything needs to be in a centralized cloud. Edge computing, or processing data closer to where it’s generated, is growing, too. By 2025, 75% of enterprise-generated data will be processed at the edge instead of traditional data centers.

This means industries like manufacturing, healthcare, or finance that depend on fast data processing could take advantage of better real-time operations.

4. Security-first cloud migrations

A never-declining trend of cybersecurity threats is still in the spotlight, too. That's why companies are taking cloud security more seriously than ever. 79% of organizations list security as their top concern when moving to the cloud. Such measures as encryption, Zero Trust models, and AI-driven security tools are becoming the golden standard in cloud migration strategies.

As you can see, in 2025, cloud adoption is accelerating, but it's not a simple 'lift-and-shift' process.

Biggest challenges in cloud migration

Take some time to look through the nine common challenges of cloud migration if you're pursuing a stress-free way.

1. Legacy system complexities

Transferring data from one system to another might sound quite straightforward. But moving from old-school on-premise systems to the cloud isn’t a copy-paste job. Legacy applications often need significant modifications or even complete rewrites.

As a result, cloud migration failures usually happen because of poor planning around legacy system compatibility.

2. Technical challenges in database migration

Another biggest technical hurdle in cloud migration is database conversion. For example, migrating from one database system to another such as Sybase ASE to PostgreSQL can involve complex schema transformations, function conversions, and dependency mapping.

In 2024, the top technical challenges of migrating workloads to the public cloud were:

Understanding app dependencies;
Assessing the feasibility of the project;
Rightsizing/selecting the best instance;
Actually migrating the app or data;
Migrating container-based workloads.

Luckily, tools like InsightWays help anticipate most technical challenges, plan the project, manual intervention, customizations, and team composition. InsightWays assesses the source database and generates a detailed report with objects complexity, automation potential, and more.

3. Downtime and business disruptions

Even with the right tools, nobody wants a cloud migration that takes their business offline. Poorly planned migrations lead to downtime, lost revenue, and frustrated customers. That's why it's a good idea to go for a phased migration, using automation tools and extensive testing before going live.

SQLWays, for example, accelerates migrations with parallel execution to minimize downtime.

4. Cloud costs spiraling out of control

Saving costs with cloud remains the top priority for 39% of companies even in post-migration stages because cloud is supposed to save money. But many businesses end up with unexpected bills, and 46% of companies still struggle differentiating cloud tariffs. Better cost governance, optimization tools, and using serverless computing where possible can solve this.

5. Compliance and regulatory challenges

Certain industries like healthcare, finance, and government have strict regulations around data storage and privacy. These companies must ensure their cloud migration strategy fits GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and other compliance requirements to avoid legal trouble.

6. Vendor lock-in risks

Many cloud providers offer proprietary tools and services that make it difficult to switch platforms later. That's why organizations report concerns about being locked into a single vendor, and 89% of them choose to go for hybrid cloud strategies.

7. Data transfer and latency issues

Migrating massive datasets to the cloud isn't instantaneous. Many businesses face performance bottlenecks due to data transfer speeds and latency issues. Possible solutions include using dedicated data transfer services, compression, and making sure cloud regions are optimized for access.

8. Skills gap and lack of expertise

Yes, cloud migration is much about technology, but it's also about people. In 2023, 78% of IT leaders said they struggled to find employees with the necessary cloud skills. So, training existing teams or hiring cloud experts like Ispirer for your migration process are the best ways to go.

9. Lack of a clear cloud strategy

Finally, some companies move to the cloud without a clear plan, which leads to inefficiencies and wasted resources. Like any project, cloud migration needs detailed roadmaps and workload assessments to avoid costly mistakes.

InsightWays, a free software for database migration assessment, will help evaluate the complexity of migration for the most popular cloud provider.