The shift to cloud computing is not just a fad but an important evolutionary advancement in IT infrastructure that can help businesses reach new levels of availability, scalability, and cost-efficiency. At the same time, the journey is not always an easy one and migrations are often fraught with unexpected complexities. A recent survey by Gartner revealed that over 70% of companies find cloud migration more challenging than anticipated.
| “Cloud computing is an important enabler of business efficiency – but a move to the cloud is not always as easy as it sounds. For companies making the leap, a well-planned and executed cloud migration is critical to being able to reap the potential benefits”– George Terrone, Co-Founder of ITSco |
In this blog, we will unravel some of these complexities, offering a high-level guide to the most critical steps of cloud migration, and helping to ensure that your transition to the cloud is as smooth and efficient as possible.
1. Assessing Your Current Infrastructure
Understanding Before Acting
Before planning any cloud migration strategy, it’s crucial to thoroughly understand your current infrastructure and how it serves your business needs. Companies often underestimate the complexity of their existing IT landscape and the amount of legacy infrastructure and technical debt that must be addressed as part of any major data migration.
So the journey must start by conducting a thorough audit of your IT assets, focusing on how they interconnect and their criticality to business operations. This step is foundational to identifying potential challenges and opportunities in the migration process.
| 70% of Cloud Migrations Fail…Work with a seasoned team and migrate your systems successfullyLearn More |
2. Defining Cloud Migration Objectives
Setting the Destination Before the Journey
Clarifying your objectives is a decisive step in the cloud migration process. According to an IBM study, businesses that set specific goals for their cloud migration are 2.3 times more likely to succeed.
Your objectives should balance cost, performance, and scalability, ensuring they align with your broader business strategy.
3. Choosing the Right Cloud Environment
Finding the Perfect Cloud Fit
Selecting the appropriate cloud environment is vital. Gartner states that by 2025, 80% of enterprises will shift to cloud-centric infrastructure.
Evaluate the pros and cons of various cloud models: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS – and types: public, private, and hybrid clouds, as they relate to your specific business needs and objectives.