How do you migrate to the Cloud?

If COVID has taught us anything, it's that technology - when leveraged correctly - can help elevate your business to the next level.

For the majority of those reading this, you likely spent the bulk of 2020 working from home - and, if you didn't, you almost certainly know someone who did.

You may be in the school of thought with those that can't wait to get back into an office full time, or perhaps you have no desire to go back. Or, maybe you're somewhere in-between?

Whilst the debate on where you should be working may go on for some time, but one thing is not up for debate - remote working was all made possible by the power of the Cloud.

The Cloud

Cloud computing was - and continues to be - a revolution for businesses in virtually any sector. In previous blogs, we have assessed how secure the Cloud is and the six common triggers for migration. 

Much was made of how the pandemic accelerated digital transformation strategies, which also is a topic we looked at recently.

But, for those yet to move into the Cloud, where do you begin?

Should I migrate to the Cloud?

As the timeless adage goes, if you're not fast, you're last. If no other positives emerged from 2020, at least the pandemic showed the world how fast-moving companies could capitalise on challenging conditions to stand out in their respective markets. I mean, how many of us had held board meetings or delivered a sales pitch over Zoom before 2020?

Leaping into the Cloud can offer your organisation several opportunities and benefits, but don't take our word alone for it. 

AWS had the following to say, "Cloud has become the new normal as companies of every size have realised the benefits of the Cloud. For most organisations, the question isn’t 'if' anymore; it’s 'how fast can we move?' and 'what are we moving first?'"

You may be reading this and thinking out loud, "Perfect. I will get started right away!" But, you may want to slow down momentarily.

Can I migrate to the Cloud without any help?

Cloud migration, as is the case with any complex IT project, should not be taken lightly. We strongly recommend that anyone embarking on a Cloud journey look to managed service providers and Cloud experts to ensure your transition goes smoothly.

In a recent piece published on Forbes, they ask a simple question: 'Can a Cloud managed service provider turn your digital transformation dream into a reality?'

The answer, in short, is that unless you have a large internal IT team - and a lot of resources - you should consider working with the experts and get yourself a trusted managed service provider who can oversee the move.

The alternative is a botched, half-done migration, which can open you up to many issues. These problems could range from costly, time-consuming fixes or, opening the door and exposing your critical data to malicious outsiders.

If you have carried out a recent migration, an external audit can help shed light on any potential vulnerabilities or areas of concern caused by your transition. 

How do I migrate to the Cloud?

The transition from keeping data, applications, and processes on-premise into the Cloud cannot happen without thorough preparation. Every vendor and Cloud migration expert offers their version of steps which are often very similar.

Web performance and security company Cloudflare list five steps for migration from on-premise to the Cloud included here:

• Establish your goals for the move, helping to determine if the migration was successful or not.
• Cloud cyber security requires a different approach compared to on-premise security, so create a security strategy. 
• Select a Cloud provider, replicate existing databases and copy over data continually throughout the migration process.
• Move business intelligence: This could involve refactoring or rewriting code.
• Switch production from on-premises to the Cloud: Go live.

Additionally, Microsoft Azure offers a handy three-point checklist that can help you track the progress of your migration.

The benefits of Cloud migrations

Interest in cloud-based storage and hosting services has skyrocketed as businesses become increasingly aware of the value of leveraging the many benefits of cloud-centric IT services. So, what benefits can the Cloud offer you?

According to AWS, organisations who migrated to their platform saw a 69% reduction in unplanned downtime whilst experiencing 43% fewer security incidents per year.

The Cloud can offer a massive boost to organisations, with the sky being the limit (pardon the pun) when it comes to the benefits of a successful migration. Alongside reduced downtime and greater security, other benefits of a Cloud migration include:

• Increased agility and flexibility
• The option of scalability
• Reduction in costs
• Simplified IT processes

The Cloud has transformed countless organisations in recent years. How long before you're next?

The Last Word

At Fifosys, we're long-term believers in the Cloud. Our dedicated team of experts are here 24/7/365, ready to ensure your migration goes smoothly. 

Contact us today to see how you could benefit from 20 years worth of IT experience.