Cloud migration is the process of moving technologies and data to a cloud environment. In other words, it is a worthwhile initiative that grants businesses a more efficient, flexible, and cost-effective IT environment. And with an expectation that states spending on “global cloud infrastructure services” will grow by 23% in 2023, many organisations are leveraging the power of cloud infrastructure for greater business efficiency.
But before companies can prepare for a cloud migration, they need to think over a few key considerations. This article will look at what businesses need to consider before making the jump to the cloud.
What to consider before transitioning to cloud solutions
Like with any IT tool and service, it is critical to consider various elements before deciding whether or not to invest in the solution. For a cloud migration, business owners ought to think about the following points:
1. Objectives
Cloud solutions are a business investment that impacts the overall operations and efficiency of an organisation. Consequently, when considering moving to the cloud, you and your team will need to develop a clear list of goals that justify any investment in cloud solutions. This list may include the benefits of migrating to a cloud environment, what new cloud-based IT solutions will improve the employee experience, and more.
By understanding the importance of the potential cloud migration (while having a clear vision to work towards), you, your team, and your stakeholders will have an easier time enabling the transition and ensuring cloud migration success.
2. Security and compliance
A cloud migration is essentially a data migration. So, it is imperative for businesses to consider the cyber security/compliance measures that they will need to maintain throughout the migration process. The easiest way to do this is by integrating your organisation’s existing cyber security strategy with your cloud migration plan, thereby allowing you to approach your cloud migration with a security mindset.
At the same time, when using cloud solutions, it is your company’s responsibility to safeguard its projects and data. Consider whether you have the resources to maintain a safe and secure cloud-based environment moving forward. For organisations that may not have the means to do this, managed IT service providers can offer assistance in this space.
3. Cloud costs (for the migration and after)
A project’s total cost is always an important factor to consider. Examining the overall expense of a cloud migration can help to determine if it is feasible. Before transitioning to the cloud, you will need to analyse costs related to the following areas:
- The cloud platform you want to adopt
- Cloud solutions training for your staff
- Migration solutions
- Ongoing operations (such as the use of cloud services)
While cloud-based IT solutions can help companies save money, their cost efficiency can be heightened when you plan for them. For example, Microsoft Azure has a pricing calculator that can provide you with an estimate of your cloud costs for greater clarity.
4. The different types of cloud migration
Knowing the different types of cloud migration during the planning stage will help inform your cloud migration strategy – a plan that details how your organisation will transfer its IT solutions to the cloud.
The primary migration types are as follows:
- Lift and shift – entails moving data from an on-premises data centre to a cloud.
- Replatforming – applications are moved to the cloud while incorporating certain modifications to leverage the benefits offered by the new cloud solutions.
- Refactoring – when applications are modified/upgraded during a migration to ensure optimal compatibility and performance within the cloud.
Choosing the right migration type will ensure that your company’s transition to cloud solutions will be seamless and time efficient.
5. The cloud provider
A cloud provider’s service offerings should enhance the reliability, performance, and data security of your business. As such, before undertaking a cloud migration, you ought to evaluate a provider’s track record, reputation, services, and tools to see if they (and their cloud solutions) have the power and capacity to support your business moving forward. At the same time, organisations should also look at a provider’s pricing models to determine if they can fit into the company budget.
Take your IT solutions to the skies with cloud migration experts
A successful migration requires a carefully crafted plan that touches upon the overall migration process from various angles. By considering the points above, you and your team can feel confident knowing that your cloud migration efforts will be streamlined and seamless.
The cloud migration experts at Platform 24 specialise in transferring companies’ IT solutions to the cloud, no matter if it is a hybrid environment or another arrangement. Platform 24’s team can help in all areas of your preparation and execution, from handling application dependencies to recommending/enabling the right migration type for your company.
Contact Platform 24 today, and rest assured knowing that cloud solutions will improve the user experience of your organisation’s technology.
