Abstract The   IT   world   is   a   complex   space   and  

companies   may   not   have   the   money   to  

completely   replace   all   of   their   systems.  

Therefore   we   need   solutions   to   optimize  

what   we   already   have.   This   white   paper  

examines   the   differences   between  

Greenfield  and  Brownfield  environments  –  

particularly   as   it   pertains   to   cloud  

migrations.    

Introduction  

As  cloud  computing  gains  more  ground,  early-­‐

adopters   that   are   moving   their   infrastructure   into  

the   cloud   are   achieving   cost   savings   and   improved  

access   to   IT   systems.   The   migration   of   server  

workloads   from  on-­‐premise   environments   (physical  

or  virtual)   to   the  cloud   is  a  key  driver  of   technology  

spending.    Morgan   Stanley   interviewed   300   IT  

decision-­‐makers   in   the   US,   Europe   and   Asia-­‐Pacific  

for   their   global   survey   on   cloud   migration.   Survey  

respondents  cited  server  hardware  as  the  primary  

area   of   savings   from   the   migration   to   cloud  

computing.    

In   their   efforts   to   transition   to   the   cloud,   companies   may   decide   to   develop   new   cloud-­‐  

applications   or   to   migrate   their   existing   infrastructure   to   a   platform   provided   by   a   cloud   service  

provider.  The  real  challenge  is  that  the  second  approach  becomes  an  unknown  process,  with  a  lot  of  

workarounds   and   changes.   Systems   and   applications   can   be   newly   created,   but   businesses   need  

compatibility  and  continuity  of  existing  infrastructure.  This  raises  the  debate  between  greenfield  and  

brownfield  cloud  development.  

 

1

Migrating Into the Cloud: The Brownfield vs. Greenfield Opportunity

2

In   software   development,   greenfield   is   a   project   which   doesn’t   have   to   obey   constraints  

imposed   by   prior  work.   In   a   greenfield   environment   there   is   no   need   to   remodel   or   demolish   an  

existing   structure.   Brownfield   describes   the   deployment   of   existing   physical   and   virtual   servers  

workloads  into  new  cloud  environments.  

GREENFIELD  

20%  of  applications  are  delivered  on  

Greenfield   sites,   while   the   rest   of   80%   are  

Brownfield.   There   are   many   challenges  

when  performing  Greenfield  migrations  and  

any  Greenfield  development   is   to  become  a  

Brownfield   one   in   couple   of   months.  

Greefield   development   don’t   need   to   go  

through   a   lengthy   IT   process   to   locate  

available  enterprise  resources  and  lay  claim  

to   them,   or   for   that   matter   endure   a  

corporate   procurement   process.   Greenfield  

is   a   popular   way   to   describe   all-­‐new  

infrastructure   built   with   no   regard   for  

legacy  compatibility.  

In   networking,   a   greenfield  

deployment   is   the   installation   and  

configuration   of   a   network   where   one   did  

not   exist   before.   Greenfield   developments  

happen  when  you  start  a  brand  new  project;  

no  legacy  code  to  maintain  and  you  are  able  

to  start  fresh,  with  no  restrictions.  

 

Although  it  may  seem  easier  to  ripp  out  

and  replace  existing  systems,  companies  would  

see   the   benefit   in   continuity   with   existing  

infrastructure,   which   means   redevelopping  

applications.    

Brownfield  

Most   businesses   already   have   a  

significant  and  complex  IT  environment.  Many  

already   have   some   type   of   server   or   cloud  

infrastructure   in   place,   meaning   they   fall   into  

the   Brownfield   category.   A   Brownfield  

deployment  is  an  upgrade  or  an  addition  to  an  

existing   structure.   Brownfield   development  

refers   to   the   deployment   of   systems,   servers  

and   applications   in   the   presence   of   other  

existing   software   applications/systems.   This  

implies   that   any   new   architecture   must   take  

into  account  and  coexist  with  already  existent  

software.  This  requires  a  detailed  knowledge  of  

the   systems,   services   and   data   in   the  

immediate   vicinity   of   the   application   under  

construction.  

Into   a   cloud   environment,   Brownfield   developments   happen  when   a   business   decides   to  

improve   upon   an   existing   application   infrastructure.   As   an   upgrade   is   implemented   into   an  

existing  solution,  the  development  is  said  to  be  Brownfield.  A  couple  of  months  after  any  type  of  IT  

asset  or  project  is  new  (Greenfield),  it  eventually  becomes  a  Brownfield.    

How  Cloud  Migration  Helps  Greenfield  and  Brownfield  Environments  

Moving  an  application  or  server  to  a  cloud  environment  requires  the  appropriate  tools  and  

resources  necessary  for  a  smooth  transition.  Each  cloud  provider  has  their  own  unique  cloud  stack  

with  a   set  of  base   level   attributes.  Migrating  existing  physical   and  virtual  workloads   into   clouds  

can   be   complex   and   time-­‐consuming   without   the   right   solutions.   Utilizing   C-­‐MaaS   solutions  

(Cloud-­‐Migration-­‐as-­‐a-­‐Service)  can  help  companies  migrate  their  servers  into  the  cloud.  And  when  

it  comes  to  Brownfield  server  workloads  the  key  is  utilizing  a  migration  solution  that  is  seamless,  

hyper-­‐visor   agnostic   and   able   to   migrate   physical,   virtual   and   cloud-­‐based   servers   into   and  

between  any  cloud  -­‐  as-­‐is.  

 

 

About  River  Meadow  

RiverMeadow Software Inc. develops industry-leading SaaS that automates the migration of physical, virtual and cloud based servers (live and as-is) into and between public, private and hybrid clouds. Our RiverMeadow cloud migration SaaS is a rapid cloud migration solution developed specifically for Carrier and Service Provider Cloud IaaS platforms. Without having to install agents or quiesce servers, the RiverMeadow SaaS dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of cloud migration, enabling Carriers and Service Providers to quickly, easily and cost-efficiently deliver the benefits of cloud elasticity to enterprise and SMB customers.

If you have any questions regarding your potential use of this solution, contact:

RiverMeadow Software, Inc. East Coast 239 Littleton Road, Unit 4D Westford, MA 01886

West Coast 25 Metro Drive, Suite 525 San Jose, CA 95110 P: (978) 467-4090 F: (978) 923-8673 E: sales@rivermeadow.com

Conclusions  

No  matter  what  your  industry,  businesses  today  are  tightening  budgets  and  looking  for  ways  

to  save.  IT  projects  in  particular,  can  have  cost,  time  and  resource  implications  that  are  challenging  

to  not  only  IT,  but  management  and  operations  as  well.  Having  the  ability  to  avoid  such  implications  

can  be  of  great  value  and  convenience.    

For   cloud   service   providers,   a   seamless   and   automated   migration   solutions   would   help  

minimize   professional   service   costs   and   allow   for   faster   more   cost   effective   onboarding   of  

customers;  effectively  increasing  market  share  and  minimizing  cost  and  complexity.  

Cloud   computing   promises   reduced   IT   infrastructure   assets   and   processes   through   lower  

operational   expenses.   With   C-­‐MaaS   solutions,   server   workload   migrations   are   completed   in   a  

fraction  of  the  time  that  is  typically  needed  for  a  physical  to  virtual  conversion.