Ready to move your data to the cloud? Migrating to a new cloud infrastructure might seem like a daunting task, but with the right preparation and coordination, it really shouldn’t be. Bearing this in mind, let’s look at some of the key points to consider when mapping out your migration to our new CloudNX platform.

Planning your cloud computing implementation steps

Any expert in IT knows that you can’t charge headlong into the adoption of a new technology for infrastructure without a clear strategy. An analysis of costs, projected downtime, employee training and a realistic migration time frame should be key components of your cloud migration plan.

It’s also a good idea to anticipate solutions to any potential problems that could happen, such as extra funding for cost overruns or measures to cope with any delays. With a clear and detailed strategy from the start you can avoid risks and quickly embrace all the benefits that the cloud can offer your business.

Cloud computing security

Concern about security is often cited as the big reason why businesses think twice about taking the plunge and migrating to the cloud, despite its many benefits. In a digital age of malicious email links, poorly guarded passwords and employees not following the rules of IT and data policies, it’s perfectly understandable to be vigilant when protecting your precious business data. When migrating your business’s operations to the cloud you’re effectively trusting another party to hold this vital information; this is why providers place so much emphasis on security.

Fortunately, cloud providers are data protection experts who dedicate huge resources to keeping data safe – they stake their reputations on it! If you think that your company’s current security measures are good, consider how amazing a specialist’s are. If a burglar wanted to rob your home, where would you rather live; a house or a castle?

Safeguarding company data during the process of migrating your company’s operations to the cloud is always important. By preparing data loss prevention (DLP) solutions such as encrypting your data both at-rest and in-transit, centralising your monitoring, and understanding compliance requirements, you can make migrating to the cloud perfectly safe.

Migrating to the cloud in steps

How your data is managed is key to the smooth running of your business and its compliance with regulations – so be careful. Migrating every part of your operation to the cloud is a significant task which poses potential problems, such as staff errors leading to data being corrupted, erased or becoming unsecured.

Because of this it’s recommended that any migration process is gradual, and starts with less critical applications before moving on to more sensitive ones. For example, you could begin with a simple application such as an internal company website, then gradually integrate business-critical systems like customer databases. This approach gives you the opportunity to test out the platform and get comfortable managing the various cloud resources available to you, including important features such as monitoring and security tools.

Some users make the mistake of assuming that to use the cloud effectively, they need to migrate all their data at once. This really isn’t true, and in many cases it actually makes sense to do the opposite. If you’re not 100% prepared, the sudden transfer of all your applications to a new platform could seriously muck things up for your business. This is why there needs to be an overlap between cloud and on-site systems to make sure that operations can continue smoothly. On top of that, it’s also not exactly practical or convenient to upload all your data in one go.

Cloud services offer a budget you can stick to

Another advantage of gradual migration is that you only have to budget for the initial level of performance you require. Pay-as-you-use pricing makes cloud migration extremely cost-effective because you only need to pay for the exact server usage of individual applications, as and when you choose to integrate them. So by clearly planning your migration in stages, you can drastically cut the costs of your first steps into the cloud.

Choosing the right cloud provider

When planning your relocation to the cloud, you need to be sure you have the skillset in place to manage your infrastructure – whether that means having the expertise yourself, or relying on an IT specialist on your team.

To help ensure that the cloud migration process is as smooth as possible, it’s also important to pick a provider with great reviews and excellent customer service. A comprehensive support system including guides, articles and 24/7 technical help from experts is key. Being able to track you’re the status of your system and when staff are working on your particular issue, is also useful.

Fasthosts offer an intuitive Cloud Panel, around-the-clock support and a Professional Services team to keep disruption to the absolute minimum. For more on what our innovative new cloud platform, read about Cloud Servers on the Fasthosts website.

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