Is cloud migration something your business is considering? Let’s start with the fact that cloud migration is becoming more of a norm in business circles. Research conducted in 2019 by Cloud Security Alliance reveals that 69% of surveyed businesses are moving to the cloud, and the data being moved is all critical information. That doesn’t indicate it is without its challenges though, but the benefits are considered to far outweigh them. Isn’t it already too late for your business to be asking whether to move to the cloud?
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The Concept of Cloud Migration
What exactly is cloud migration? The cloud migration process involves transferring data and applications to the cloud, an online computing environment. It relieves your business from the server space required by your local data center to run these heavy applications and transfer large volumes of data. It contributes to efficiency and increased security. While this is the basic concept behind the cloud, there are various kinds and levels of cloud migration, depending on what suits the applications and needs of the business.
SaaS, IaaS and PaaS Cloud Services
- You can choose a SaaS service. SaaS refers to Software as a Service, software made available through the public network. It is a finished product and the total management and control of the infrastructure is provided by the host of the cloud.
- You can also choose the basic cloud form, IaaS. This refers to Infrastructure as a Service, with the host providing the network, servers, storage, etc. Maintaining and managing the applications, run times, databases, security, etc. are the responsibility of the customers or the business employing the cloud service.
- The PaaS cloud arrangement is a more comprehensive one, and refers to Platform as a Service where the service provider takes care of the databases, storage, servers, networking, virtualization, security and all other aspects of the platform, meaning you can put your focus on creating and managing business applications.
Whatever be your model of cloud migration, there certainly is no doubt that it is beneficial. Data and applications can be hosted in quite an effective environment, and that efficiency leads to greater performance.
Compelling Factors for Cloud Migration
Depending on the extent or kind of cloud service, businesses have various advantages from migrating to the cloud, which is why you should consider it. Let us look at 11 factors that could compel you to migrate to the cloud:
- When you have cloud-based infrastructure, your company is able to increase its efficiency in various ways. It can bring about real-time information flow across various locations or sections in your organization through multiple devices, which contributes to seamless communication between staff members. Insights and data can be shared in real-time, no matter where the physical location of your staff or departments is, be it through desktop, laptop or even mobile. This also contributes to better management of staff in your remote locations.
- The efficiency of the cloud also leads to greater data transparency. Cloud services usually have built-in analytics that enable you to use the data for assessing various aspects of the efficiency of your workplace. Customized reports can be created, and you can get all your documents saved in a single destination, ensuring significant data consistency. That reduces the chances of human error or inconsistencies creeping up in reporting mechanisms.
- The cloud helps you reduce costs and increase your ROI. The initial investment may be significant, but it contributes to nearly a lifetime of cost savings and streamlining, as long as you choose the right cloud services. The great advantage is that you don’t need to pay for features that aren’t required. All you need to do is pay for stuff that you will actually be using. This leads us to scalability.
- Scalability is another big advantage of the cloud. You can start with the lesser features if your company is just in the growing stage. With the rising demand, you can update the IT infrastructure of your company with the help of the cloud services provider.
- Companies thrive on data. That’s why migrating to the cloud is so important. Data stored in the premises of the business is at risk of getting lost through factors such cyber fraud, hardware malfunction, power cuts or infrastructural hurdles caused by natural disasters. When you have cloud services in tow, they can help you recover data fast in any emergency situation.
- From data recovery, we move to the all-important data security aspect. Now this is something most businesses have absolutely no doubt about, with regard to how effective cloud services have been. RapidScale conducted a study and posted it on SlideShare, which stated that 94% of companies experienced improved security after their cloud migration. That’s not to say businesses aren’t concerned about security issues in cloud migration. However, the cloud host handles data security and has plenty of features such as encryption technology to protect businesses’ data from cybersecurity threats. If you were to come up with a security solution yourself, it could have loopholes or be extremely expensive. Remember, most data security compromises experienced in systems developed by companies themselves are the result of negligence by employees or issues with software.
- Greater capability to satisfy client expectations is another big advantage of adopting cloud technology. With the data access and retrieving capabilities of cloud technology, you can satisfy your customers’ requirements for quick implementation of applications.
- Cloud computing services can also take care of tasks such as server software maintenance, upgrades, database backup, etc. So you won’t have to manually carry out these essential tasks.
- Testing and deploying applications over the cloud becomes extremely easy with a cloud solution. The applications can be deployed with the help of the cloud’s available options for automated deployment, rather than having any worries about performance or compatibility issues caused by manual use of the application.
- With these immense capabilities of the cloud, you can cut down on the data centers in your company. Depending on the size and nature of your organization, you probably can do away with a data center. That’s a sure recipe for reducing costs and your carbon footprint.
- Mergers with other companies or management changes needn’t scare you anymore, because you don’t have to waste time and effort playing around with your servers for securing apps and data. Transferring data between legacy systems can be quite troublesome and time-consuming. But with data in the cloud, mergers and acquisitions can be seamless since the required data from both the organizations can be easily accessed.
With various cloud options available, you can find the right cloud arrangement for your organization. You have the lower priced public cloud where cloud resources are shareable with other users, or you can head to the private cloud, the more expensive but safer and more customizable option. Your cloud resources won’t be shared with others since the service is offered through a separate network. You also have the hybrid cloud option, which combines the features of the public as well as the private cloud, with greater flexibility and scalability. Choose the cloud arrangement that suits your organization the best.