5 HELPFUL TIPS FOR CRUSHING YOUR
CLOUD MIGRATION GOALS
Over the years, the cloud has proven to be one of the most innovative technologies around and many businesses are embracing the technology. Although cloud migration seems pretty straightforward in that there are clearly-defined steps, complications can arise and projects can crash. If you’re looking to maximize your chances of a successful cloud migration, here are 5 tips to help.
Determine the reasons you want to migrate to the cloud
Before you begin your cloud migration, the first thing to do is establish why you want to transfer your systems and data to the cloud. You need to clearly define what exactly you will be using the cloud for as this will help provide a clear picture of the next steps to take. At this stage, it is critical to work with your business leaders since they probably have a better understanding of where the organization is now and where it should go in future.
Identify the data to be included in your migration strategy
Your organization doesn’t need to move all its applications and data to the cloud. Even if you plan to do that, you don’t have to move everything at once. This is the stage where you critically assess your applications, operations and data so you can identify the ones that need to go to the cloud and in what order they should be moved. While you brainstorm on which systems and data should go first, make sure you factor in security and performance into the decision-making process.
Gather expertise from throughout the organization
Cloud migration is a huge step that requires all hands to be on deck. As a result, it is vital to carry along every department in the organization and not just the IT team alone. The more contributions every part of the company makes, the better the chances of a successful migration. For instance, the security team can provide information about specific security and regulatory needs each app has and how they relate with the planned migration. Make sure that everyone is carried along and that the goals as well as the progress of the project are well communicated.
Address the skills gap early
When you move to the cloud, you will need to train your entire workforce on managing and using the cloud in the day-to-day business. If your employees are not familiar with the migration strategy, they will inadvertently be a roadblock to the organization’s cloud migration goals. You might need to find cloud evangelists who can help simplify your cloud migration strategy and how it really works.
Test everything
The importance of testing any technology cannot be overemphasized. It applies also to cloud migration as you need to test again and again for performance and security. Test for each application and workload, and compare them with your goals so you can know when you have achieved success. Thankfully, many cloud providers offer automated testing tools to make it easier to detect and eliminate any mistakes.
Conclusion
If your organization is planning to switch to the cloud, it makes sense to know how to create and execute a successful cloud migration strategy. The above tips can help any business achieve their cloud migration goals.
