It’s understandable why so many organisations want to migrate to the cloud. With the ability to scale up, a reduction in cost and improved productivity on offer, the decision to adopt seems like a no-brainer.
CIOs are under constant pressure to innovate whilst strictly sticking to the budget. With this being said, 51% of CIOs struggle to respond to digital opportunities in a timely way. It is also expected that in 15 months 80% of all IT budgets will be committed to cloud solutions.
A poorly planned and implemented migration, however, can put a serious dent in the cloud business case. It’s essential that those in charge of the cloud migration process, have the right tools and resources in place to then lay the foundation of a successful cloud migration strategy.
CIOs and other individual key decision makers need a clear roadmap to digital transformation. This needs to be created before the execution. In order to devise a plan, the following questions need to be considered:
HOW DO I ENSURE COMPLIANCE?
Be sure of exactly who is supplying your cloud computing service and what they are going to do to protect your data and information. The certainty that your information will be safe and managed operationally is a huge benefit of a cloud computing setup. This needs to comply with the business type and size. By following registered security standards and highlighting what you require as an individual business, this will target the compliance you need in place.
WHO WILL BE IN CONTROL?
When you’re ironing out the details of the contract between you and your cloud service provider, this is the time to air any concerns. Ask any question you want. Dig around and gather as much information as you can and ask for full disclosure. You are in total control of the contract and what it entails. Also, draw up an SLA and decide whose responsibility it is for data recovery, security, and maintenance – Atlas Cloud provides all three.
IS IT FUTURE-PROOF?
In the past, businesses have been forced to structure their business models on the IT that is available. Cloud computing enables businesses to respond to growth and opportunity quickly with minimal disruption. The ability to adjust IT requirements as and when it is needed with minimal effect on budget (in comparison to an on premise setup) means businesses can grow with no limitations. Likewise, if businesses are required to make cuts, they are able to reconfigure their current service.
By explaining your current business growth strategy to potential managed service providers, they will be able to determine how their setup can reflect and optimise your journey.
HOW SECURE WILL MY DATA BE?
The idea of moving business-critical data to an external data centre can cause fear. By determining where data will be stored, you can then decide if this is appropriate for your business.
By opting for cloud computing, all data, apps and documentation reside within the secure cloud platform. There is no physical access to the data such as a USB – instead, you will need credentials and internet connectivity. This ensures that only those with registered access to the organisation’s cloud can access files and data. If disaster strikes, you can have peace of mind knowing all files are readily available and backed up.
HOW WILL I MIGRATE MY BUSINESS-CRITICAL APPLICATIONS?
A decision that needs to be made by those in charge of IT is whether they are going to approach the integration through a “lift-and-shift” migration approach or re-architecting the app. The lift-and-shift migration takes an on-premise application and replicates it to the cloud without modifying its architecture or design. By approaching cloud migration with this strategy, businesses are able to reduce the time taken for implementation and as a result, minimise budget spend.
At Atlas Cloud, we use this strategy to minimise the disruption end-users could potentially experience. We are able to host applications of any intensity over low-bandwidth connectivity. By doing so, we can take mobile working to the next level.
WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS TO IT?
A solid migration strategy ensures all staff are aware of how their work culture will change. The ability to access data remotely can provide huge benefits to the modern worker. To access all data and applications, staff will be provided with two-factor authentification. Only those registered within the cloud platform will have access to the cloud environment. Cloud computing services have governance they must follow. However, it is important to ask for references from the managed service provider and to research further.
With Atlas Cloud, your business critical data will be delivered by a highly experienced team from state of the art data centre facilities. In terms of mobile working, you will have the ability to gain access to your desktop with two-factor authentication.
For more information on how to undergo the cloud journey read Part 1 or Part 2. For more information on cloud computing in general, get in contact with one of our experienced technical support staff.
