What Companies Need to Know about Cloud Migration

When companies plan to migrate their businesses to cloud platforms, they need to understand the list of cloud computing migration patterns.



Digital transformation is now becoming critical for enterprises, and the adoption of cloud computing is accelerating. Higher flexibility, scalability, reliability, and affordability are some of the key factors for the rapid growth of enterprise business using cloud computing technology. Cloud computing technology not only enables companies to expand their computing needs as they grow, but also ensures operational success and meets evolving customer needs.



According to statistics released by Cisco, by 2021, 94% of workloads and computing instances will be processed on cloud platforms. Regardless of whether a company decides to transfer its business operations to a cloud platform, detailed research must be conducted. Companies need to understand what they can do and what they should avoid, which will help make informed decisions.







What to do


(1) Develop a cloud migration strategy



Before companies migrate their business operations to the cloud platform, it is very important to formulate detailed strategies. Extensive research can be conducted to learn more about cloud computing environments, security, and computing services. In addition, an in-depth understanding of current business challenges and future goals is required.



Companies need to develop a strategy that can track the rapidly changing standards that cloud computing is developing to get the most benefits of cloud computing applications. In addition, a set of different migration strategies must be analyzed and treated as a financial issue. Before trying, you need to perform mathematical calculations and compare cloud computing spending with internal IT spending. This will help companies find the most suitable solution for their business.



(2) View cloud computing model



Every business has unique requirements. Therefore, different cloud computing models need to be evaluated in detail, and the model most suitable for their business needs is determined. There are four cloud computing deployment models for enterprises to choose from, namely public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud and community cloud. In addition to the deployment model for hosting and storing data, there are three basic models of cloud services for different types of computing-software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS). Enterprises must learn more about the differences between different cloud computing environments and service models in order to choose the best cloud computing environment and service model.



(3) Get the services of experienced experts



Integrated business operations and processes do not require any hardware installation, so many companies decide to perform this process themselves. However, seeking the expertise and services of experienced IT experts can be of great help. Make sure to choose the cloud computing service provider (CSP) that best meets the business, operational, security, and compliance needs of the enterprise.



(4) Remember the risk and compliance



The implementation of any new technology has its own risks, so companies are responsible for mitigating risk factors and complying with industry regulations. Before migrating to a cloud platform, it is important to have a deep understanding of possible risks and regulatory compliance issues. If a company operates in a strictly regulated industry (such as medical, legal, or e-commerce dealing with sensitive user information), then it must comply with regulations and standards. Therefore, be sure to evaluate the terms and conditions of the cloud computing provider in advance.



What should not be done


(1) Don't cover up details



Migrating business operations of enterprises to cloud computing environments is an important step. But you need to pay attention to every detail and have a thorough understanding of every factor. Collecting more knowledge not only helps to develop better strategies and make informed decisions, but it also makes the transition process smooth and easy.



(2) Don't forget safety



Regardless of whether an enterprise transfers the entire business operation to the cloud platform or part of the business to the cloud platform, security should always be the primary consideration for the enterprise. Performing automated testing before cloud migration will help assess and report performance issues. Since security is an integral part of automated testing, it is also critical to extend it to DevOps tools and organizations. How do cloud computing service providers solve their security issues? Do they provide guarantees for the security of authentication and authorization? Before migrating, you need to make sure to discuss all security and compliance requirements with them in detail.



(3) Don't force every application to be migrated to the cloud platform



Businesses usually plan to immediately migrate all existing applications to the cloud, but this would be a wrong move. For security reasons, some programs and files may still need to be stored in a traditional data center. On the other hand, some applications may be based on traditional technologies and may require extensive modifications before being integrated with cloud computing. Therefore, it is critical to analyze such applications to determine the time and effort required to make mandatory changes. Clearly determine the priority of applications based on the business value brought by cloud migration. It would be a wise decision to seek the advice of the chief technical expert, because they can guide the company in migration and retention.



(4) Don't ignore the importance of governance infrastructure



Many companies often ignore the importance of establishing governance infrastructure. However, the lack of governance models or policies may lead to project stagnation, regulatory penalties, budget overruns, etc. Research firm Forrester defines governance as "the ability to provide strategic guidance, track performance, allocate resources, and make adjustments to ensure that organizational goals are met without violating risk tolerance or compliance obligations." And having an efficient governance model has Helps track, protect and manage the organization’s services and resources.



Conclusion



In the use of cloud computing technology, companies need to evaluate, plan, adopt and optimize adoption strategies in detail. Following the dos and don'ts listed above will help minimize interference, comply with regulations, and save budgets.