App Strategy
Overview
App Strategy in Dr Migrate captures qualitative insights from business stakeholders to complement the quantitative data gathered by discovery tools. By classifying applications using the TIRE framework—Tolerate, Invest, Replace or Eliminate—you ensure migration decisions reflect both technical analysis and business priorities.
Quick Start
- Classify each application with TIRE: Assign Tolerate, Invest, Replace or Eliminate based on business value, technical condition and future potential.
- Use this strategy to guide 6R: Once strategies are assigned, review the suggested 6R treatments. For example, applications marked Invest may be good candidates for refactor or re‑architect, while Eliminate should map to Retire.
- Iterate and refine: As you learn more about each application, revisit and adjust your strategy to ensure alignment with business priorities.
Understanding App Strategy
The TIRE methodology provides a strategic framework for evaluating applications based on their business value, technical condition, and future potential. This approach ensures that migration decisions align with your organization’s strategic objectives rather than just technical feasibility.
Tolerate
- The application is stable, functional and meets the current business requirements adequately.
- It has minimal maintenance and support needs, with impact on overall IT operations.
- The application is not easily replaced or modernized due to complex integrations or dependencies.
Invest
- The application is strategically important and provides a competitive advantage, or otherwise provides a high degree of business value.
- It requires modernization or updates to meet evolving business needs and to stay relevant in the market.
- The application has a high potential for growth and scalability in a cloud environment.
Replace
- Whilst the application provides a business function, there are either commercial or technical drivers to find an alternative solution.
- A known SaaS or native cloud alternative exists.
Eliminate
- The application is not used by the business.
- It has a high TCO with little or no business value.
- The application is highly redundant with existing apps.
- It poses significant security or compliance risks that cannot be mitigated effectively.
Strategy Implementation
The TIRE methodology works alongside 6R treatments to provide comprehensive planning. The TIRE approach provides long-term strategic direction, while 6R treatments focus on immediate cloud migration needs:
- TIRE Framework: Long-term strategy (2-4 year horizon)
- 6R Treatments: Short-term cloud focus (1-2 year horizon)
Enhanced Example Scenario with 6R AI Assistant
Scenario: Legacy File Server Application
Consider a File Server application deployed across 30 servers with the following characteristics:
- Technical Analysis: 6R Treatment suggests “Replatform/Refactor” due to outdated file sharing protocols
- Business Context: Application serves as the primary document repository for 500+ users
- Strategic Assessment: Customer marks this as “Invest” due to high business value and user dependency
AI Assistant Recommendation: The system combines technical analysis with business strategy to recommend a hybrid approach:
- Immediate Action: Replatform to Azure Files for improved performance and security
- Strategic Investment: Implement Azure File Sync for hybrid cloud capabilities
- Long-term Vision: Gradually migrate to SharePoint Online for enhanced collaboration
This example demonstrates how the AI Assistant balances technical modernization needs with strategic business priorities.
Assigning Application Strategy
The Assign Application Strategy interface provides a comprehensive view of your application portfolio with roll-up functionality that automatically summarizes strategy assignments across your environment.
Strategy Summary Dashboard
The interface displays four summary cards that provide a high-level overview of your application strategy distribution:
Roll-up Functionality:
- Automatic Counting: The system automatically counts applications in each strategy category
- Real-time Updates: Summary counts update immediately as you assign strategies
- Strategic Overview: Provides instant visibility into your application portfolio distribution
- Progress Tracking: Helps monitor completion of strategy assignment across your environment
Application Strategy Table
The detailed table provides comprehensive information for each application to support strategic decision-making:
| Column | Description | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Application name and identifier | Identify the specific application for strategy assignment |
| Strategy | Dropdown with TIRE options | Select the appropriate strategic direction |
| Servers | Number of associated servers | Understand the scope and impact of strategy decisions |
| Last Updated | Timestamp of last strategy change | Track when decisions were made and by whom |
| 6R Treatment | Technical migration approach | Align strategic decisions with technical implementation |
| Category | Application classification | Group similar applications for consistent strategy application |
| Modernization Target | Yes/No indicator | Identify applications suitable for cloud modernization |
Enhanced Assignment Process
Access Strategy Assignment
Navigate to the Assign Application Strategy section from the Planning menu
Review Strategy Summary
Check the summary cards to understand your current strategy distribution and identify areas needing attention
Locate Applications
Use the search function or browse the table to find applications requiring strategy assignment
Select Strategy
Choose from the Strategy Assignment dropdown for each application:
- Tolerate: For stable, functional applications with minimal maintenance needs
- Invest: For strategic applications requiring modernization and cloud investment
- Replace: For applications with viable SaaS or cloud-native alternatives
- Eliminate: For redundant, unused, or high-risk applications
Consider Multiple Factors
When making strategy decisions, evaluate:
- Business Value: How critical is this application to operations?
- Technical Condition: What is the current state and modernization potential?
- 6R Alignment: How does the strategy align with technical migration approach?
- Organizational Impact: What are the implications for users and processes?
Review and Confirm
Validate your strategy selection against business objectives and technical constraints before finalizing
Roll-up and Reporting Capabilities
The enhanced roll-up functionality provides powerful insights into your application strategy implementation:
The strategy summary dashboard provides real-time visibility into your application portfolio distribution across all TIRE categories
Strategic Portfolio Analysis
- Distribution Metrics: Understand how your applications are distributed across strategy categories
- Impact Assessment: Evaluate the scope and impact of strategy decisions based on server counts
- Progress Tracking: Monitor completion of strategy assignment across your environment
- Trend Analysis: Track changes in strategy distribution over time
Integration with Migration Planning
- 6R Treatment Alignment: Ensure strategic decisions align with technical migration approaches
- Wave Planning Support: Use strategy assignments to inform migration wave sequencing
- Resource Planning: Align resource allocation with strategic priorities
- Risk Management: Identify and address strategic risks early in the planning process
Business Intelligence
- Executive Reporting: Provide strategic overviews for stakeholders and decision-makers
- Cost Impact Analysis: Understand the financial implications of strategy decisions
- Compliance Tracking: Monitor alignment with business and regulatory requirements
- Performance Metrics: Track the effectiveness of strategy implementation