With Hybrid cloud migration being all the rage in IT, businesses around the world are quickly jumping on the bandwagon, only to risk results with an ill-planned migration strategy.
As with anything in the world of business, excellent results rely on impeccable planning and seamless execution—which in the case of cloud deployment means knowing exactly where you’re migrating to, and how you intend to get there.
Crafting the Perfect Migration Strategy
The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that 80% of all IT enterprises will switch to a hybrid cloud strategy by the end of 2017.
This may be good news or bad news, depending on how you map out your strategy. According to research conducted by Gartner, for instance, 50% of all cloud migration strategies go over budget, take more time than expected, and cause routine disruptions in business.
However, the same research also tells us that adopting the best key practices in data migration—such as asset identification and categorisation—can minimise risks and cut costs by a large margin.
Here are a few more tips to make sure you get the most out of your big move:
Map Out Your Goals and Objectives
As a significant departure from on-premise operations, cloud deployment demands a comprehensive plan in order to fully take effect without compromising on day-to-day tasks.
This is why organisations have a responsibility to prioritise their objectives and align them with cloud functionalities to ensure a smooth and productive transition.
Involve Key Employees
Hybrid Cloud migration might seem like a job for IT technicians, but the impact will affect practically everyone in the organisation. Involve key employees in the decision-making process and communicate with others to outline which of your services should move to the cloud.
At the end of the day, transparency is key. Allow employees in critical positions to voice their opinions and make sure everyone is on the same page before making the jump. This means addressing the skills gap prior to migration and training employees to understand performance demands.
Test Endlessly
As with any kind of technology, testing is absolutely crucial to security and success.
Experiment and set benchmarks in different areas of performance. In fact, many of the complexities and problems associated with hybrid cloud deployment can be eliminated by simply ensuring the capabilities of your network, and conducting cross-checks every step of the way.
As a data management consultancy, we view cloud migration as the future of BI technology.
Don’t let your fears keep you from embracing the latest developments in IT. Contact us and map out the future of your business!