Migrating to the cloud is a huge step for any business. More businesses than ever before are choosing to migrate their systems because the cloud can provide a plethora of benefits, such as increased efficiency, scalability, and security. But to migrate effectively and without incurring unnecessary costs, companies should adhere to a thoughtful cadence of cloud migration steps. If you're still not convinced regarding the importance of having a proper cloud migration process in place before attempting, consider that the cost of a cloud migration for a business could reach as high as $15,000 per server.
In this blog post, we will outline the 10 steps needed for a successful cloud migration.
What are the Benefits of Cloud Migration?
Migrating to the cloud offers businesses a variety of benefits, including increased efficiency, scalability, and security.
Cloud migration can help:
- Streamline processes
- Reduce costs associated with hardware maintenance and upkeep
- Increase flexibility for customers and employees alike
- Improve customer service response times
- Provide access to data from anywhere in the world
Additionally, by utilizing cloud-based services such as storage and software applications, businesses can scale quickly without having to invest heavily in new technology or infrastructure. Resiliency is also improved as data is stored securely on enterprise-class remote servers with regular backups ensuring that no information is lost due to physical damage or theft.
10 Essential Steps for Cloud Migration For Success
Whether you plan on performing a simple lift and shift, or something a bit more complex such as migrating legacy systems onto multiple public cloud platforms, following these 10 essential cloud migration steps can be the difference between doing away with your on-premises data center for good, or having to spend exorbitant amounts of money to try again. To help you create your custom migration plan, here are the 10 essential steps for a successful cloud migration process:
1. Make a Plan
Before attempting to migrate your business's data and systems to the cloud, it is important to develop an effective plan that outlines the steps needed for a successful migration. This should include an analysis of existing resources and capabilities as well as a timeline for when each step in the process will be completed. All stakeholders who will be involved in the migration should review this plan.
2. Assess Your Current Infrastructure
It's important to understand what type of infrastructure you currently have in place before beginning the migration process. This assessment will help you determine which applications and application dependencies can be moved without issue and which ones may require additional modifications or adjustments before migration.
3. Select the Right Cloud Solution
Not all cloud solutions are created equal, so businesses must take the time to select the right one for their needs. Be sure to consider cost, scalability, and security when making your selection. The major cloud solutions currently on the market include tech giant services like Microsoft Azure and AWS.
4. Test Your Applications
One of the most important steps in migrating applications to the cloud is testing them to ensure they are compatible with the new cloud environment (whether it be a public, private, or hybrid cloud service). This will help avoid any unexpected issues such as performance or availability problems once the migration is complete.
5. Set Up a Backup Plan
Once you have identified which applications need to be migrated, it's important that you set up a reliable backup plan so that all data can be restored quickly in case of an emergency or network failure. There are several business cases to support this very important redundancy, and regardless of the type of cloud migration you're performing, you'll want to get it right on the first try to guarantee there's no risk to your existing data. Migrating to cloud computing can often be incredibly disruptive if major errors are made.
6. Develop a Migration Schedule
To migrate efficiently and without disruption, develop a schedule outlining when each application or system will be migrated. This should include a timeline for when data needs to be backed up, when the migration process can start, and what steps need to be taken to complete the process.
7. Train Your Employees
Make sure that all employees are properly trained on how to use the new cloud-based systems before going live with them. This is essential so that everyone knows how the new systems should function in advance, reducing any potential disruption during the transition period.
8. Review Your Security Policies and Procedures
To ensure that your data remains safe once it has been moved to the cloud, review your cybersecurity policies and procedures before going live with your newly migrated applications and systems.
9. Monitor Performance Post-Migration
Once the migration process is complete, you must monitor the performance of your applications and systems to confirm everything is running as expected and all data is secure.
10. Document Everything
To ensure a successful cloud migration in the future, document everything throughout the entire process so you can refer back to it if necessary. This will help identify any issues or potential problems that could arise during future migrations.
To reiterate, the key to a successful first-time cloud migration is to:
- Plan ahead
- Train employees
- Assess existing infrastructure
- Select the right cloud solution
- Test applications before migrating them
- Develop a backup plan
- Create a schedule for the migration process
- Review security policies and procedures
- Monitor performance post-migration
- Document everything
Have Exigent Take the Reins on Your Cloud Migration Process
At Exigent Technologies, we understand the importance of cloud migrations and are experienced in helping businesses transition to this type of technology. We offer a comprehensive approach that involves an analysis of existing resources and capabilities as well as a timeline for when each step in the process will be completed. With our extensive experience, you can rest assured knowing that your cloud migration process is being handled by professionals who understand the ins and outs of cloud
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your cloud migration needs.
