Cloud Repatriation: Factors and Strategies for Succesfully and Beneficially Leaving the Public Cloud

Abstract

Cloud repatriation is the process of migrating away from public cloud. The subject of the migration can be data, workloads, or IT infrastructure either partly or completely. The target environment in cloud repatriation is either on-premises or a data center in a colocation center. This thesis addresses two research questions: what were the promised benefits of public cloud and when, if not always, are they realized, and what are the key factors and strategies that allow successful and beneficial cloud repatriation.

This thesis includes the review of existing literature and industry practices. It also inspects the common motivations for repatriation, including financial reasons, improved control, regulatory compliance and improved performance and latency for specific types of workloads. The analysis includes success factors such as understanding what makes a workload or data suitable for repatriation, using cloud-agnostic practices, and different migration strategies tailored for organizational needs. The thesis concludes that cloud repatriation is a nuanced process, needs thorough planning, and requires understanding the impact on both IT and business level.