Migration, Hybrid, and Cost/Operational Excellence
Domain 8 - Migration, Hybrid and Cost
This domain tests how workloads move to NCP, how they stay connected to on-premises, and how cost is controlled.
Core rules
- Migration patterns: rehost by exporting a VM image or rebuilding with init scripts; replatform databases into Cloud DB using dump/restore or replication; move object data with CLI/API sync, and check whether an offline transfer option fits very large datasets.
- Hybrid connectivity: IPsec VPN Gateway for fast, encrypted, internet-based links; Dedicated Line for predictable bandwidth and private transport; VPC Peering for VPC-to-VPC traffic inside NCP.
- Cost levers: right-size specs, use commitment/reserved pricing on steady workloads, schedule stop/start for non-production, release unattached public IPs, apply Object Storage lifecycle rules, and watch data-transfer (egress) charges.
- Operations: tag resources for cost allocation, review Cloud Activity Tracer for drift, and keep an inventory of what is publicly exposed.
Worked example
A staging environment runs 24/7 and dominates the bill. Reasoning: schedule stop/start outside working hours, downsize to the smallest spec that passes load tests, move logs older than 30 days to Archive Storage, and release public IPs that are allocated but unattached. Verify per-service billing rules - a stopped server still bills its attached block storage.
Traps
- Assuming a stopped server costs nothing.
- Ignoring egress and public IP charges when comparing designs.
- Choosing a Dedicated Line for a short pilot where VPN is enough.
- Migrating without a rollback plan or a pre-lowered DNS TTL for cutover.