Cloud migration can significantly influence how your business operates. Whether you are using cloud services for the first time or switching over from one cloud service to another, it is a critical task and must be done very carefully.

Though there are many cloud migration services providers available, you will have to choose wisely. A wrong decision can affect your business operations. It also wastes a lot of time and money to resolve the consequences. But, without a thorough understanding of your current state and the expected, you cannot make the right selection of cloud migration services provider.

I have shared some mistakes that you must avoid if you want your business to migrate smoothly to the cloud.

1. Error in Problem Identification

The first mistake made by businesses deciding for cloud migration is in problem identification. You must evaluate why you need a cloud; is it just because everyone else is using it?

There are many applications which do not need a cloud, or which may not perform well in the cloud. For such applications, it is not feasible to use the cloud.

If you have already identified that your applications will perform better on the cloud, and you want to enjoy the benefits of cloud services, go for it!

Many businesses are already using cloud services but are not satisfied with the current service provider. This is also a crucial aspect to evaluate. You must list down the areas of dissatisfaction with the present system; these are the areas your solution must address.

Making a cloud strategy, and preparing a list of your key performance areas will help you decide the goals and reduce the possibility of going wrong.

The success of your migration will depend on how well you have identified the problem. Do it wisely!

2. Wrong Choice of Service Provider

There are a variety of cloud migration service providers available in the market. It becomes challenging to identify the best one.

The best idea is to choose a service provider who can understand your concerns. They should be able to suggest solutions to your core set of problems.

Most of the cloud service providers are domain specific or business specific. So, it is crucial to identify the service provider who has experience of cloud migration for your services and applications.

3. Lack of Planning

Despite identifying the right cloud migration service provider, many businesses, are not able to execute their migration plan successfully. Generally, this is a problem caused by poor planning at their end.

It is certain that during cloud migration, the systems and processes will be temporarily affected. During this time, the businesses must accommodate the non-availability of the prominent services that are migrated.

Another planning blunder that fails a good cloud migration attempt is faulty timing. There has to be a proper timing for the migration process. The time plan should not only incorporate the start and end schedules but must also ensure that the work is carried out at an optimum speed.

Migration done hurriedly can result in loss of quality. On the contrary, a prolonged process can cause loss to significant business time.

But, how can you estimate that perfect timing for cloud migration? No doubt, it requires a lot of experience to understand the right timing of cloud migration.

If you are not sure how to plan and time your cloud migration activity effectively, you should hire an experienced cloud migration services provider to help you with this.

4. Ignoring Security Aspects

Cloud migrating is not hassle-free. Businesses deal with large volumes of data. And, this data is very sensitive. Any loss of data can cause irreparable damage to the business.

You have to make sure that your data and applications are secure before, during, and after the migration.

An excellent service provider ensures the security of your data. But, you should also discuss the security concerns with the provider before the process itself. This will help you understand what needs to be done at your end. You will have to create data backup and restore plans with your in-house team as well.

Even if your provider is taking complete responsibility for your data before and after migration, you should discuss their strategy on backup and storage of data.

A disaster recovery plan is another critical aspect of cloud migration. Irrespective of how much experienced your cloud services provider is, you must ensure that they have designed a good disaster recovery plan.

5. Post Migration Issues

Even experienced businesses tend to ignore post-migration issues while planning. Various activities need to be planned in advance so that your application performs effectively after cloud migration.

Your business is accustomed to the old system, and now you are moving on to the new cloud. The users will require time and training to adjust to the new ways.

Managing change is the biggest challenge for businesses opting for cloud migration. For a smooth transition, the business also requires internal cooperation.

It is feasible to keep your users aware of the change and its benefits. Let them raise queries; that will help you anticipate issues which may crop-up suddenly after the migration.

Your cloud migration service provider can help you with the user training to make the transition smooth and effective.

Conclusion

Businesses across the world are moving to the cloud as there are advantages to it. But, before the business can leverage the benefits of cloud services, it is necessary that cloud migration is error-free.

You, as a business, need not know all the technicalities of cloud migration; hire the top cloud migration service provider!

But, to be able to hire a good cloud migration provider, you must know certain aspects that I have discussed here.

And, don’t forget to share your good or bad experiences with cloud migration. Awareness is the key!