“Cloud migration” has been a growing buzzword in the business world for years now. And with good reason—cloud solutions can maximize your business efforts and help you obtain desirable results, especially in terms of flexibility, scalability, and security.
Of businesses across the globe, at least 85% already use the cloud for storage in some aspect of their business, and it’s anticipated that 94% of the internet workload will be processed in the cloud this year.
Here, we share what all the buzz is about and our top tips for completing a successful cloud migration for your business.
What Is Cloud Migration?
Cloud migration is a process that allows you to transfer your services, digital assets, applications, and IT resources to the cloud. What many people refer to as “the cloud” actually consists of multiple networks, including the internet. The cloud is essentially a neighborhood of remote servers you can use to store, manage, and process your business’s data.
By moving your data, applications, and processes to the cloud instead of housing them on in-house servers, you free up storage space, allow your team to access resources from any location, and receive a host of other benefits.
What Are the Benefits of Implementing Cloud Migration for Business?
Flexibility and Collaboration
Cloud-hosted solutions are known for creating excellent flexibility and collaboration capabilities among staff. For example, Google Docs is a cloud alternative to using applications like Microsoft Word, and it allows team members to simultaneously collaborate on documents. New changes are automatically saved, and it can be accessed from any location, without the necessity of emailing updated versions of a file each time a new change is made. That’s just one example of the type of flexibility the cloud enables.
Scalability
Cloud storage empowers scalability for businesses. Instead of resorting to paying for excessive storage space that you don’t immediately need or running out of space due to limited server space, by partnering with the right cloud provider, you can easily increase your storage capacity and cloud applications as needed.
Quick Deployment
The rapid deployment enabled by the cloud allows you to access your apps quickly and provide your services effortlessly. Quick deployment also helps you avoid the hassle of buying new servers, avoiding complex custom configuration settings, and registering the system on your network or data center.
Enhanced Security
A cloud provider can help you keep your assets safe by preventing unauthorized users from accessing your data systems and apps. Reputable cloud providers also ensure automatic security updates are applied to your systems to reduce vulnerability to various security threats.
Simplicity
Cloud systems remove infrastructure complexity by eliminating the need for different provisions to make all of your systems work together. When you’re using cloud solutions for business, getting access to the right solutions is simplified.
Tips for Business Migration to the Cloud
The first key to using the cloud to benefit your business is to create a custom business migration plan. An experienced cloud provider can help you execute your cloud migration securely and efficiently. Here are some steps to include in your plan to ensure your migration goes smoothly:
1. Establish Your Business Goals
Before you start transferring areas of your business to the cloud, first think about your expectations. What benefits are you hoping to gain by moving to the cloud? Establishing your business’s goals, constraints, and capabilities helps you stay on track with your cloud migration and create a system that truly fits your needs.
2. Decide What Makes Sense for Your Needs
Just because you’ve decided to transition to the cloud, that doesn’t mean you should move every piece of your business there. Consider what makes sense to move to the cloud for your business, and if there are potentially applications that should stay put, at least for now. A qualified cloud service provider can help evaluate areas to prioritize transitioning, and those to leave be.
3. Devise a Security Strategy
You can never be too careful with business security. Consider using a web application firewall or cloud firewall for an additional layer of protection for your business assets. You should create a secure copy of your data before transferring it, and migrate data and applications in stages instead of all at once. You should also have your cloud security strategy decided and prepared before you begin your migration.
4. Explore and Enjoy the Cloud
You’ve done it! The cloud is now live, and your migration is complete. Now you can power down your previous infrastructure, or keep your current system as a backup.
Now that you understand a little more about the “whys” and “hows,” you can use cloud migration to take your business to the next level. If you need expert help to get started, INSC is here to lend a hand. Get in touch today to learn more.
We provide cutting-edge cloud solutions for businesses like yours.
For more information, contact us online or call 866-572-2850 today.