Article
Navigating your Microsoft Fabric migration: Scenarios and strategies
May 20, 2025 · Authored by Dave DuVarney, Chris Wagner
Migrating to the Microsoft Fabric platform offers a transformative opportunity for your organization to optimize data management and leverage advanced capabilities. Depending on your current technology infrastructure, your migration journey will fall into one of two primary scenarios. Understanding these scenarios is crucial for determining the best approach for your migration strategy to achieve a seamless transition.
Whether your organization is opting for a straightforward lift and shift or a more comprehensive evaluate, design and build migration strategy – the key to a successful Microsoft Fabric migration lies in careful planning and a thorough understanding of your current data environment.
Migration scenarios
Depending on your organization’s current technology infrastructure, one of two migration scenarios will be taken when implementing Microsoft Fabric: (1) cloud-to-cloud migration or (2) on-premises to cloud migration.
- Cloud-to-cloud migration: This scenario involves moving data and processes from one cloud environment to Fabric. This would be done by an organization that is already using a different cloud platform, such as Databricks or Snowflake, or is already leveraging Azure, but looking to move to Fabrice for improved efficiency and capabilities.
- On-premises to cloud migration: This scenario involves transitioning from on-premises data storage and processing to a cloud-based solution. This would be done by an organization with on-premises infrastructure looking to move to the cloud using Fabric.
Understanding these two scenarios can help your organization determine the best approach for your migration strategy, whether it involves a straightforward lift and shift or a more comprehensive evaluate, design and build approach.
Migration approaches
Regardless of whether your organization is partaking in a cloud-to-cloud or on-premises to cloud migration, there are two main migration approaches you can choose from: (1) lift and shift approach or (2) evaluate, design and build approach.
Lift and shift approach
Real world example
This law firm was seeking assistance to design an overarching enterprise data strategy and to implement a unified data model on a modern cloud platform to deliver up-to-date actionable intelligence. Learn how a data strategy assessment provided the organization with a road map to address high priority items while establishing a foundation for the evolution of their data management within the Microsoft Fabric platform.
How we can help
Whether you’re migrating to Microsoft Fabric from an alternative cloud platform or on-premises infrastructure, Baker Tilly’s digital solutions team can support the start of your migration journey with an end-to-end assessment of your current data environment. As a Fabric Featured Partner, leverage our in-depth technical knowledge and expertise to support a smooth transition into the Fabric platform.
Start your assessment today and embark on a seamless journey to Microsoft Fabric, unlocking new efficiencies and capabilities for your organization. Interested in learning more? Contact one of our professionals today.
