Cloud computing is everywhere these days and with good reason. From improving your business scalability to encouraging flexible working practices, the benefits of cloud computing are numerous. However, before you move to the cloud, here are the 5 questions you should ask to make your cloud migration as easy and successful as possible.
1. Why am I migrating to the cloud?
While it’s true that around 96% of businesses use some form of cloud computing solution, it’s still important to know why you’re choosing the cloud in the first place. Perhaps you want to reduce costs, improve data security, reduce the expenses associated with maintaining IT equipment or speed up workflows.
Whatever your reasons, understand what you hope to achieve from cloud migration before you get started. This ensures that, for example, you don’t waste money and resources on solutions you simply don’t need.
2. What storage do I need?
Choosing the right cloud storage means choosing the appropriate storage for your unique business needs. Your IT service provider can help you with this, but when you’re researching cloud storage options, consider factors such as:
- How often you’ll access the data
- If the files are read-only or if employees will edit them frequently
- The required latency
To help reduce costs, you can always choose cheaper storage tiers for data you rarely use or archived files. Don’t rush into a cloud migration – make sure it’s the most cost-effective and functional package for your business.
3. Am I migrating all business data to the cloud?
Chances are there’s no need to move all your business data to the cloud, at least not right away. To keep costs at a minimum, consider leaving historic data behind until a later date and only migrate the data you need on a daily basis. Migrating all your data can have a noticeable impact on your migration schedule and costs, so only move everything necessary for your business operations.
If you’re unsure, always consult an IT professional.
4. How do I minimize downtime and keep the business running?
It’s vital that you keep your business operations moving during a cloud migration since downtime costs businesses up to 14 hours and $1.55 million each year.
Ensure that you keep personnel fully informed of IT changes and provide whatever training they’ll need to get up to speed on a new system. Review your data migration periodically to ascertain how long it’ll take to complete the process and identify potential downtime costs before they become realities.
5. How will I keep my data secure?
A recent study revealed that 64% of respondents worry about data loss and leakage from the cloud. Since you’re responsible for data security at every stage of the migration process, you’ll want to ensure that you encrypt data for the move.
You should also ensure that you’re clear on whether any firewalls will hinder your access to the data once it migrates, and you should understand how you’ll manage access privileges given that not all file permissions will transfer with the data.
Bonus tip: once you’ve completed your data migration, check the data to ensure there aren’t any corrupted files and that everything moved over properly. To this end, it’s crucial that you move data to the cloud in stages so you can troubleshoot any issues before they arise.
Moving to the cloud is a big step, but it needn’t be too stressful. For more information on cloud computing and devising a successful cloud migration strategy, contact our team today.
