Information technology systems including both
software and hardware require a continuous update, which can lead to high
expenses. You can invest thousands into IT infrastructure, but without
necessary updates in a few years after its acquisition, the existing IT
infrastructure can no longer be suitable for use. This is where the cloud
computing solution can help eliminate these problems.
Migration to the cloud opens a lot of
alternatives including higher security, easier backup and disaster recovery,
regulatory compliance, also, ensures that you always use the latest
technological solutions, which will save you time and money.
Are you considering moving to the cloud, but do
not know where to start? BTT Cloud cloud computing solutions sales manager
Dominykas Palšis has developed a detailed 6-step plan, which companies are
using in the journey of cloud adoption.
1. Evaluate the
current situation
“First of all, within the company itself, you
should review the readiness of the applications before moving to the cloud.
Make sure you know about software integrations and compatibility with each
other. Also, evaluate the current business risks and business tolerance for
change,” said cloud computing sales manager Dominykas Palšis.
It is recommended to assess the costs of currently
used licenses, maintenance costs for existing infrastructure and the planned
budget for the project – this will be your starting point. Furthermore, SLA
(Service Level Agreement) is also very important which means you should
evaluate the required response and request resolution speed and how long you
can wait for the tasks to be completed. It will help you in negotiations with
the cloud computing service provider.
2. Decide what exactly
you will migrate to the cloud
Pay attention to the technological solutions
that are currently in use and decide what will have to be migrated to the
cloud: whether it will be a mailing system, a customer management system, an
accounting system, or other everyday tools.
“It is important to evaluate not only the
infrastructure but also the employees who use it. You must evaluate how much
time will be needed to adapt to the changes and whether there won‘t be other
significant changes at the same time in the workplace that could hinder
successful adaptation to the updated work environment,” said Dominykas
Palšis.
3. Find a partner who
will help you during your migration journey
When you decide what you would like to migrate
to the cloud, it’s time to start looking for a partner to help ensure the
success of the migration.
“When looking for a partner, you should
pay attention to the partner’s experience in migrating companies to the cloud
and ask about their projects and direct recommendations. It is also very
important to assess whether the partner has all the technical capabilities to
fulfill your requirements, whether they meet the security specifications and
take responsibility for the fluency of the migration (the best-case scenario,
they have liability insurance) if something else does not happen as planned,
“said Dominykas Palšis.
4. Preparation and
migration of data
Proper data transfer and verification is one of
the most critical processes in the entire journey of cloud migration. Before
starting the actual migration, it is necessary to do this in a testing
environment, to monitor whether the data is correctly loaded.
“There are many ways to migrate a company to
the cloud. Let’s discuss one of them: during the migration, the data stored on
your physical servers will be transferred to the data centre through the
Internet. It is important not only to test the data transfer script in detail but
also to evaluate the speed of the transfer. If your current Internet data
upload speed is relatively low, it may take a few hours or even days for a database
to be migrated. Your chosen migration partner should evaluate the average
upload speed and predict how long the transfer should take. You will have to decide
when to migrate the data to minimize the interruptions of a normal workflow,”
said cloud computing sales manager Dominykas Palšis.
5. Team preparation
and training
This step is vital for implementing lots of
different kind of projects, not only cloud migration because it will result in changes
in the organization and the following successful use of the innovative
technology.
“Prepare your team for upcoming changes
and understand that questions are a natural part of the change. We recommend
you to talk to all top and middle managers if you have not already done so, and
explain why these changes are important and useful for the company. They will
help to share information with employees and convince them of the need for
change. Also, make sure that all employees are informed about the changes in a
timely manner. Furthermore, take time to train them and listen to their comments,”
– highlighted Dominykas Palšis.
6. Getting started in
the cloud
Once you’ve migrated to the cloud, be prepared
for getting more queries in the first few days than usual. One of the essential
parts of the migration process will also take place at that time when there
will be urgent changes to fix incidents.
“When it is already in the cloud, watch
the loads, the operation of applications, and find out if all employees can
work normally. Make sure that your migration partner is ready to deal with the urgent
incidents immediately. Every day, arrange short meetings that will ensure the
smooth operation of the cloud and the integration of services into daily
work,” – said Sales Manager Dominykas Palšis.
Despite extensive planning, be prepared that
some issues might occur. For example, when migrating many mailboxes, one
mailbox may slip through the fingers. It is important to choose an experienced
and responsible partner who has completed a large number of migration projects –
this will reduce the likelihood of similar incidents.
We hope that these 6 steps will help you to
understand more clearly how migrating to the cloud is practically done and how
to prepare better for this process. Are you thinking about the benefits of cloud
computing for your organization or preparing for migration to the cloud?
Dominykas Palšis is a cloud computing sales
manager who is well versed in both technical and business processes. He is able
to offer the most suitable cloud computing solution for your organization.
You may contact him by e-mail
dominykas.palsis@bttcloud.com or call directly to 8 610 11180.
