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Making the Switch: A Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating from On-premises to Cloud-native SIEM
- Nov 12, 2025
- Heidi Willbanks
- 4 minutes to read
Table of Contents
Adopting a modern, cloud-native security information and event management (SIEM) solution is crucial for staying ahead of today’s complex cyberthreats. Whether you’re moving from an on-premises solution or migrating between cloud platforms, the transition to cloud-native SIEM can deliver significant benefits in scalability, flexibility, and advanced threat detection. This blog provides a step-by-step approach to migrating your SIEM, featuring a real-world cloud-to-cloud migration story that demonstrates the process in action.
A Migration Story: From Axon to New-Scale
Following the merger of LogRhythm and Exabeam, a decision was made to converge the existing SIEM platforms. This meant migrating from the LogRhythm SaaS SIEM (Axon) to the Exabeam New-Scale Security Operations Platform, a cloud-native solution. This cloud-to-cloud migration highlights the agility and efficiency that a well-planned transition can offer.
Step 1: Assess Your Current SIEM and Future Requirements
The first step in any migration is a thorough assessment of your current environment and a clear understanding of your organization’s security needs.
| Aspect | Key Considerations |
| Data Sources | Evaluate the data sources you currently monitor. Are there any high-risk data and systems that are not being monitored? Are there sources that are no longer necessary? |
| Compliance | Identify all relevant compliance standards. This will influence your choice of logs and the features you’ll need in your new SIEM. |
| Scalability | Assess your organization’s growth trajectory and how your security needs may evolve. Ensure your chosen solution can scale accordingly. |
| Performance | Evaluate the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of your existing SIEM. Note any areas for improvement. |
| Cost | Calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO) of your current solution, including hardware, software, and maintenance, to compare with cloud-native alternatives. |
In our migration story, the decision to move to the New-Scale Platform was driven by the need to consolidate onto a single, scalable, and AI-driven platform that could serve the newly merged company’s needs.
Step 2: Select the Right Cloud-Native SIEM
After assessing your requirements, the next step is to choose the right cloud-native SIEM solution and hosting model.
- Features and capabilities: Ensure the solution has the necessary features, such as Agentic AI, to meet your security and compliance needs.
- Integration: Look for a solution that integrates cleanly with your existing security tools to simplify migration and management.
- Hosting model: Determine the best hosting model for your organization, whether public, private, or hybrid cloud.
- Vendor reputation: Research the vendor’s track record for support, stability, and innovation.
- Force multipliers: Favor solutions that offer built-in advisory and investigation accelerators such as risk-based prioritization and guided investigations, to reduce mean time to respond (MTTR) and ease analyst workload.
Step 3: Plan and Execute the Migration
A successful migration requires a detailed plan and a phased approach.
- Develop a migration plan: Create a comprehensive plan outlining steps, timelines, and resources, roles, and communication strategies.
- Test the new solution: Before full migration, test the new SIEM in a controlled environment to ensure it meets your requirements.
- Migrate data and configurations: Migrate historical data, correlation rules, and configurations, ensuring data integrity throughout the process.
- Validate the migration: After migration, validate that all data, configurations, and integrations are functioning as expected.
In our cloud-to-cloud migration, the team, working closely with IT, stood up a new virtual server and began the process. Critical log sources were the first priority. In less than a workday, all critical log sources were being ingested from their sources in the cloud and on-premises. Three business days later, 97% of all non-critical log sources were online. The team also decided to move 74 custom rules and all associated lists, completing 72 of the rules and all lists in just two days. This rapid progress demonstrates the efficiency of a well-executed migration.
Step 4: Ensure a Smooth Transition for Your Security Team
The success of your new SIEM solution depends on the people who use it.
- Training: Provide comprehensive training to ensure your team is comfortable with the new solution.
- Documentation: Update all internal documentation, including standard operating procedures (SOPs) and playbooks, to reflect the changes.
- Support: Establish a clear support structure with your SIEM vendor and internally.
- Communication: Keep your security team informed and be open to their feedback.
Step 5: Continuously Optimize Your Cloud-Native SIEM
Migration is not the final step. Continuously optimize your deployment to ensure it evolves with your organization’s needs.
- Regularly review data sources: Continuously evaluate the data sources to ensure you are capturing the most relevant security information.
- Stay current with compliance: Keep up to date with changing compliance standards and update your SIEM configurations accordingly.
- Monitor performance: Regularly assess the performance of your SIEM and work with your vendor to make improvements.
- Update playbooks and SOPs: As new threats emerge, update your playbooks and SOPs to ensure your team is prepared to respond effectively.
A Strategic Move for Stronger Security
Migrating to a cloud-native SIEM, whether from an on-prem solution or another cloud platform, can significantly enhance your organization’s security capabilities. By following a structured approach and learning from real-life examples like the Exabeam and LogRhythm migration, you can ensure a successful transition and position your organization for a more secure and resilient future.
The Ultimate Guide to Cloud-Native SIEM
Ready to simplify and streamline your security operations? Download our comprehensive eBook to learn how cloud-native SIEM can transform your organization’s security posture.
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Heidi Willbanks
Senior Product Marketing Manager, Content | Exabeam | Heidi Willbanks is the Senior Product Marketing Manager, Content at Exabeam. She manages content strategy and production for product marketing and supports strategic partners, sales and channel enablement, and competitive content, leveraging her product marketing certification, content expertise, and industry knowledge. She has 19 years of experience in content marketing, with nearly a decade in the cybersecurity field. Heidi received a BA in Journalism with a minor in Graphic Design from Cal Poly Humboldt and was awarded Outstanding Graduating Senior in Public Relations Emphasis. She enjoys reading, writing, gardening, hiking, yoga, music, and art.
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