The decision to switch to a cloud solution is significant for any organization and shouldn’t be taken lightly. As such, it is crucial to research and plan carefully when making the switch to avoid common and costly mistakes.
Through our experience, we managed to identify the top 5 mistakes organizations make when migrating to the cloud and some tips on how to avoid them:
Underestimating the Complexity
Understanding what you are trying to achieve and how the cloud can help you get there is the first step in any migration. Without this foundation, it’s easy to make very costly mistakes down the road.
There is so much buzz around “the cloud” that sometimes you may feel scared that your organization will be left behind. But going in without a very clear picture in mind can result in increased costs, business disruptions, a less secure transition, and thus, having your organization set up for failure.
Analyze if the cloud is a good fit for your business, and if so, what kind of cloud setup would suit your needs best. Make sure that you have a clear vision for your migration while keeping in mind that security must also be addressed.
Underestimating the Effort
Moving to the cloud is a significant undertaking that requires a strategic approach. Numerous organizations made the mistake of thinking that they could simply move their current infrastructure and applications to the cloud as-is.
Take the time to plan your migration. Determine what workload should be moved to the cloud and which should remain on-premises. Identify the process for transitioning everything and the required modifications to your applications and infrastructure. Most importantly, ensure you have a robust backup and disaster recovery plan in place before you begin the switch.
Inaccurate Cost Assessment
Let us admit it: one of the main reasons organizations move to the cloud is to reduce costs. And while the cloud CAN help you reduce your IT expenses, it is crucial to assess costs before you act accurately.
Often, organizations underestimate the costs of migrating to the cloud and end up spending more than they anticipated. It is mandatory to understand the pricing models offered by cloud providers and how they will impact your bottom line. It is crucial to compare the options before deciding because all cloud solutions have different pricing structures and features.
Inaccurate Risk Assessment
When migrating to the cloud, organizations often make the mistake of not accurately assessing risk.
By moving data off-premises, you are introducing more risks into your environment. This is why assessing the risks involved in your migration before you begin is so important.
Determine which sensitive data you will be moving to the cloud and ensure you add safeguards in place to protect it. Identify the process for managing access to your cloud environment and who will be accountable.
Not Having an Exit Plan
If something goes wrong during your migration, it’s important to have a backup plan in place. This will allow you to quickly return to your on-premises environment with little to no business disruption.
Although it is unlikely that you will need to use your rollback plan, it’s essential to have one in place, just in case. Imagine the outcome if data is accidentally deleted during the migration process.
While switching to the cloud can be challenging and sometimes discouraging, you can ensure a smooth and successful transition by avoiding common errors and having the right technical partner on this journey. The cloud is the future and can be an immensely powerful tool in the right hands.
Dragos Fedorovici
Delivery Manager and Technology Enthusiast
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