Moving Complex Workloads from AWS to GCP
Kinetikos sought to modernize its infrastructure by moving its entire workload to Google Cloud (GCP) to leverage a more robust and integrated cloud environment. Discover how Kinetikos successfully migrated their complex compute and database workloads to Google Cloud with Vortex Cloud, establishing a secure, scalable foundation using Infrastructure as Code.
Executive Summary
The goal
Full infrastructure migration from AWS (ECS, RDS, SQS) to Google Cloud Platform (GKE, Cloud SQL, Pub/Sub).
Key Tech
Terraform (IaC), GKE, Cloud Run, Cloud SQL.
Key Challenge
Zero-downtime migration of 20+ databases and complex messaging systems without data loss.
Outcome
20+ databases migrated with zero data loss, 30-40% cost optimization via Google Partner Funds.
Financial Funds
100% of the service cost covered by secured Google Partner Funds (PSF).
Results & Impact
Outcome: Improved scalability, enhanced security compliance, and modernized CI/CD pipelines.
About the client
Kinetikos is a digital health company that transforms everyday human movement into clinically actionable insights using AI and validated biomechanics, making mobility a standard digital health biomarker to improve care, enable early intervention, and support remote monitoring.
Industry: HealthTech
Primary Location: Portugal (with operational presence and work in international markets, including Europe and the UK).
Pre-Vortex Stack: AWS
The Challenge
What were the technical challenges of migrating Kinetikos from AWS to GCP?
The primary hurdle for Kinetikos was migrating complex services—specifically moving from AWS ECS to Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) or Cloud Run—which required a meticulous review of Docker files and application-level changes.
- 15+ EC2 machines
- 20+ AWS RDS PostgreSQL instances
- 50+ S3 buckets
- 10+ AWS ECS instances
- Messaging and CI/CD: Utilizing Amazon SQS, Route53, and GitHub Actions with Ansible.
Messaging Platform Transition
Migrating from Amazon SQS (or potentially RabbitMQ) to Google Cloud Pub/Sub was identified as the most difficult technical challenge.
CI/CD Pipeline Updates
The existing GitHub Actions and Ansible-based pipelines needed to be redesigned for the new environment and existing IaC.
Zero-Loss Requirement
A critical business requirement was ensuring the migration finished without any data loss across their 20+ databases.
Financial Constraint
The project was contingent on securing the Google Partner Funds Investment (PSF) to offset the full amount of service cost.
Results & Impact
Secure, Efficient, and Cost-Effective
Zero Data Loss
Successfully migrated 15+ VMs, 20+ databases, and 50+ storage buckets with total data integrity.
Strategic Cost Savings
By securing the Google Partner Funds Investment, the fixed service cost was matched by PSF funding, meeting the client’s financial requirements.
Optimized Performance
The transition from AWS ECS to Cloud Run or GKE streamlined container management and improved scalability.
Operational Excellence
The foundational environment was built according to enterprise onboarding best practices for security, networking, and IAM.
The Solution
How did Vortex Cloud solve the AWS to GCP migration using Terraform?
VortexCloud implemented a comprehensive migration strategy over an aggressive two-week timeline, focusing on a “lift-and-shift” for VMs and a managed transition for databases.
Cloud Foundation & Landing Zone
Establishing a foundational GCP environment compliant with best practices for security, networking, and IAM.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Every component was managed via Terraform to ensure a repeatable and transparent environment buildout.
Database Migration
Moving RDS PostgreSQL instances to Cloud SQL PostgreSQL.
Security Design
Implementing a single VPC per environment (Staging vs. Production), private access, and DDoS attack mitigation patterns.
Google Migration Center
Utilized to assess, estimate, and plan the migration effectively.
Key Takeaways
Technical Planning is Paramount
Early identification of high-risk tasks, such as the SQS to Pub/Sub migration, allowed for better resource allocation and risk mitigation.
IaC for Scalability Utilizing Terraform from day one ensured that both Staging and Production environments were built consistently and are easily manageable for future growth.
Strategic Funding
What's next?
Following the successful foundation build and migration, the focus shifts to long-term empowerment and expansion:
GCP Training
Vortex Cloud is providing a basic introduction and training on GCP and its essential resources to ensure the Kinetikos team is self-sufficient.
Application Deployment Kinetikos is taking ownership of application deployment to GCE, supported by the mapping of target requirements to Google Cloud resources provided during the project.
Future Growth State
The project included a roadmap for future expansion, ensuring the current Landing Zone can scale with Kinetikos' business needs.
Do you want similar results?
Don’t let complex migrations hold your business back. Whether you are moving from AWS or optimizing your current cloud footprint, VortexCloud provides the expertise and strategic funding support to make your transition seamless.
