Embarking on a migration journey is a strategic move for many organisations seeking enhanced flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. For all the fanfare around business cloud adoption, there are still myths and misconceptions about moving to the cloud that can either slow the process or curtail further expansion. Below we take an honest look at some of the most common cloud migration myths surrounding cloud migration and discuss how organisations can navigate a migration successfully.
Data Security Risks
One of the first misconceptions organisations have is that migrating to the cloud automatically improves data security. To a degree this is true: most cloud service providers offer robust security measures and compliance certifications, along with SLAs. However, organisations must know where their responsibility for securing data in the cloud begins and ends and implement security measures accordingly.
Cost Savings
One of the primary benefits touted with moving to the cloud is that the process always translates into immediate cost savings. Again, this is a conditional truth: cloud services can offer significant cost benefits over onsite IT infrastructure. But there are caveats. The initial migration and ongoing operational expenses vary significantly from solution to solution. Microsoft Azure, for example, can prove very expensive for some cloud uses versus a comparable private cloud deployment. Organisations also need to assess where financial savings come from with their cloud migration: common savings such as reduced energy costs or decreased need for labour to maintain equipment don’t necessarily translate directly back into savings for the IT department.
Loss Of Control
Some organisations fear that migrating to the cloud means handing over all control of their IT infrastructure. In some cases, this is desirable, but for others, this will be seen as a risk. Fortunately, most cloud providers offer various levels of control and management options. This allows organisations to retain control over their applications, data, and security settings. By choosing providers that offer these options, organisations can maintain the necessary oversight of their data within the cloud and benefit from wider cloud agility, management and scalability benefits.
Migration Complexity
Another misconception of cloud migrations is they’re complex and disruptive requiring significant downtime and resources. While migration can present challenges, proper consultancy, effective planning and the use of the right migration tools will typically make the process pain and disruption-free. Much like moving house, it will help if you’ve had a clear-out first and not left everything to the last minute. But even if this is the case, cloud consultants like Akita’s will still be able to assist.
One-Size-Fits-All Solution
Many believe that all workloads and applications are suitable for cloud migration. However, certain legacy systems, regulatory requirements, or performance-sensitive applications may not be ideal candidates for the cloud. It’s essential to assess each workload individually and determine the best deployment model. It is also important to determine what type of cloud hosting would be best – whether it’s public, private, or hybrid cloud – to maximise the benefits of cloud adoption.
As a summary then, the process of cloud migration offers unparalleled opportunities for organisations to enhance agility, scalability and efficiency. By dispelling common myths and embracing best practices, organisations can undertake successful cloud migrations, unlocking the full potential of hosted technology while mitigating risks and challenges along the way. The key is having the right advice along the way.
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