The definition of cloud migration is the transfer of data, applications, and (or) other digital elements to a cloud computing environment. On the smallest scale, this could mean uploading files to Google Drive. Large scale migrations can include transfers of vast amounts of data, entire data centers or multiple workloads, for example.
While it might be an oversimplification, these examples contain the essence of cloud migration.
Businesses transfer parts of their IT portfolio to the cloud to better day-to-day operations or gain some other type of advantage.
Organizations that successfully leverage the cloud’s capabilities can improve exponentially in crucial aspects.
No one should rush to adopt the cloud, though.
Take your time to start from the basics and understand what the cloud is, how a migration works, and what benefits it can bring to your company.
How Does a Cloud Migration Work?
As a complex, multi-layered process the move to the cloud is going to look vastly different for each company.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach that you can copy and use for instant success. However, thousands of cloud migrations have provided us with an outline of how the process typically goes in the broadest possible terms.
Amazon Web Services, which is the largest cloud platform provider in the world, divides the process into 5 phases:
- Migration Preparation and Business Planning – like all other business decisions, the transition to cloud computing requires meticulous planning and identification of the key benefits your business can take advantage of through the cloud.
- Portfolio Identification and Planning – at this point, in-house experts or outside consultants should perform a thorough audit of your existing IT infrastructure to determine the best possible course for further action and develop a detailed strategy.
- Application Design – once the planning is done, you can design and start to migrate each application to the cloud environment.
- Migration and Validation– successful planning and a detailed strategy should lead to a smooth migration process and solid validation of your expectations.
- Operation – as your company gets more comfortable with the cloud you can dispatch old systems and other less effective methods of work and develop a new operational model.
As you can see, detailed business objectives, preparation, and planning are vital when it comes to successfully utilizing the cloud. Your current IT infrastructure should be carefully examined to determine weak spots and other issues. Migration plans and strategies should be tailored to fill those gaps as well as to provide benefits to your business as a whole.
A comprehensive strategy is also vital for success when it comes to moving to the cloud. Again, there isn’t a universal approach for creating the ultimate strategy, but there are six most common strategies or the so-called 6R’s which you can learn about here.
Why Move to The Cloud?
Cloud migrations can be long and sometimes complicated transitions, but more and more companies are constantly adopting the cloud.
The reason for that is simple – cloud computing offers a considerable number of advantages for organizations of all sizes. The benefits of a successful cloud migration will vary from one company to the next, but there are a couple of key business results which cloud users continuously report:
- Improved Cost Savings and ROI
- Business Scalability
- Mobility and 24/7 Access to Data
- Easier Collaboration and Control
- Flexibility
- Stronger Security
All sorts of other advantages can also come as a result of a move to the cloud. If you want a more in-depth look at the benefits of transitioning to the cloud you can check out our article on the subject here.
In Conclusion
There’s a lot more to cloud migration than just a process and some business benefits.
A successful move to the cloud can be the cornerstone of your digital transformation efforts.
As a certified Amazon Web Services consulting partner and solution provider, R&D Solutions can navigate your cloud migration from the start and ensure a smooth transition. You can learn more about us and how we can help you expand your digital agenda here.