# Getting Started with AEM as a Cloud Service

# How to Migrate from AEM On-Premise to AEM as a Cloud Service

Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service (AEMaaCS) offers scalability, automatic updates, and CI/CD capabilities by default, but migrating from on-premise AEM is not a straightforward lift-and-shift process. It requires careful planning, refactoring, and validation.

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## 🧱 1. Assess Your Current Setup

* **Inventory** custom code, content, workflows, and integrations.
    
* **Identify** deprecated APIs or legacy features.
    
* **Check** dispatcher configs, replication agents, and user groups.
    

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## 🧹 2. Clean Up and Modernize

* **Remove** unused components, templates, and content.
    
* **Refactor** Classic UI to Touch UI.
    
* **Replace** deprecated APIs with Cloud Service–compliant alternatives.
    

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## 🧱 3. Align with AEMaaCS Architecture

* **Modularize** your codebase (use Core Components, Sling Models).
    
* **Organize** folders by best practice (`/apps`, `/content`, `/conf`).
    
* **Use** editable templates and content fragments.
    

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## ⚙️ 4. Set Up Cloud Manager

* **Onboard** your program via Adobe Admin Console.
    
* **Set up** Git repo, branches, and environments (Dev, Stage, Prod).
    
* **Configure** pipelines for build and deployment.
    

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## 📦 5. Prepare Code & Deploy

* **Update** Maven project structure to follow AEMaaCS archetype.
    
* **Run** code scans using Adobe's Best Practices Analyzer (BPA).
    
* **Fix** critical blockers and deploy via Cloud Manager.
    

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## 📤 6. Content Migration

* **Use** Content Transfer Tool (CTT) from Adobe.
    
* **Migrate** content from source (On-Prem) to Cloud.
    
* **Run** dry-runs before final migration.
    

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## ✅ 7. Test & Validate

* **Test** all functionality and workflows.
    
* **Validate** integrations (authentication, APIs, analytics).
    
* **Monitor** logs and performance post-migration.
    

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## 🌟 Final Thoughts

Migrating to AEMaaCS isn’t just about moving servers — it's an opportunity to modernize. Plan early, involve both developers and content authors, and take full advantage of Adobe’s tools and guidelines.

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