While most companies have embraced the cloud, some are still hold-outs because of security, compliance, or compatibility concerns that have only recently been dispelled. Other companies may be considering a move to newer, more flexible cloud models, including hybrid and multicloud, or intending to migrate additional workloads to the cloud.
Achieving a seamless cloud migration requires preparation. Organizations should evaluate their cloud readiness and use this evaluation to develop a migration roadmap.
Companies contemplating cloud migration can determine their cloud readiness by assessing their infrastructure, security, and application requirements.
Infrastructure: Moving House
A cloud migration should be strategic and purposeful. Think of the process of migrating to a cloud infrastructure as like buying a new house. Do you need more room or are you looking for a different kind of functionality? Are you an empty nester or a growing family?
You can use the answers to corresponding questions to build a business case for your cloud infrastructure plan. Assessing your infrastructure needs according to data capacity and workload requirements will help your company decide what type of cloud model you need.
Your company should also take data protection, resiliency, and disaster recovery needs into consideration. Hybrid cloud and multicloud models will support backup, business continuity, and disaster recovery by providing secondary, off-site storage.
Many companies are motivated to move to the cloud because of its cost-efficiency. Before moving to the cloud, consider how much you will be saving on infrastructure expenses. For example, organizations that migrated to AWS benefited from a 20% savings in infrastructure costs.
Security: Who’s Responsible?
One of the tricky things about moving to the cloud is determining who is responsible for security: your company or the provider. Before migrating to the cloud, discuss security accountability with your provider to avoid any surprises.
You and your cloud provider will share cybersecurity responsibilities once you transition to the cloud. Work with your partner to create security policies that will be enacted after migration. These responsibilities should be laid out clearly in the service level agreement (SLA) you have with your partner.
Sorting out security responsibilities ahead of time will keep your company from being left holding the bag after a breach.
Applications: Should They Stay or Should They Go?
To achieve a successful migration that doesn’t interrupt production, applications need to be moved to the cloud in stages. Your company should analyze your application portfolio and prioritize which applications should be moved first.
Not all applications are compatible with the cloud. If you have legacy applications, they may not function properly in a cloud environment. In assessing your readiness, figure out which applications may need to stay on-premises and which must be recoded, upgraded to cloud-native applications, or switched to software as a service (SaaS).
Your company will want to choose a cloud provider that specializes in migrating and supporting the application workloads you rely on, such as Microsoft, SAP, and VMware.
Find the Right Cloud; Hire the Right Moving Team
To make a successful move to the cloud, not only does your company need to be ready, but you need to choose the right cloud and partner to help you with the migration process.
AWS is a leading cloud provider that offers hybrid and multicloud models, as well as solutions for Cloud Migration and Database Migration. With AWS, your company can use the cloud for backup and recovery, disaster recovery, and cloud-native application development using containers.
ProActive Solutions can help your company assess its cloud readiness and migrate to AWS and other leading cloud solutions. Using our consultative approach, we begin with an in-depth analysis to gain an understanding of your company’s goals, current environment, and unique challenges. Our Cloud Migration Services will help you make a smooth transition to the cloud.
Find out if your business is ready for the cloud. Reach out to ProActive and speak with a cloud expert today.
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