The Do’s and Don’ts of Cloud Computing

As digital transformation becomes crucial for all businesses, the pace of cloud adoption continues to accelerate. Higher flexibility, scalability, reliability, and affordability are some of the key factors that contribute to the drastic increase in cloud computing trends. Cloud technology not only enables businesses to scale their computing needs as they grow, but also ensure operational success and satisfy evolving customer demands. 

According to the stats published by Cisco, 94 percent of workloads and compute instances will be processed in cloud data centers by 2021.  Whether you have decided to move your business operations to the cloud or not, it is imperative to conduct detailed research. Having a brief understanding of what you can do and what you should avoid will help in taking an informed decision. 

Dos

Do Strategize Your Cloud Migration

It is important to devise a detailed strategy before migrating your business operations to the cloud. Conduct extensive research to learn more about the cloud environment, security and computing services. Moreover, you need to have an in-depth understanding about your existing business challenges and future goals. 

Figure out a strategy to obtain the maximum benefits of cloud adoption by tracking the fast-changing standards that are now evolving for cloud computing. Moreover, it is also imperative to analyze a different set of migration strategies and consider it a financial issue. Before taking the plunge, do the math and compare cloud computing expenses against in-house IT expenditures. This would help you figure out the solution best suited for your business. 

Do Review Cloud Computational Models

Every business has unique requirements. So, it is important to evaluate different cloud computing models in detail and see what is right for your business needs. There are four cloud deployment models available from which the business organizations have to make a pick — public, private, hybrid and community. In addition to the deployment models that host and store your data, there are three basic models of cloud service used for different types of computing — Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). It is essential to have a detailed understanding of the high-level differences between different cloud environments and service models so that it helps you choose the best one for your organization.

Do Get the Services of Seasoned Experts

Integrating your business operations and processes does not require any hardware installation and that is why many businesses decide to carry out the procedure by themselves. However, seeking the expertise and services of seasoned IT experts can be a huge help. Make sure to choose a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) that can best match your business, operational, security and compliance needs. With a myriad of CSPs available, it would be a tough task to single one out. In addition to the big players like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, the cloud service sphere is also crowded with smaller niche players offering bespoke services. Make sure to do your prep work as it empowers you to evaluate possible cloud partners accurately. 

Do Remember Risk and Compliance

Implementation of any new technology comes with its own share of risks and it is your responsibility to mitigate risk factors and stay in compliance with industry regulations. Before making your move into the cloud, it is important to have a deep understanding of the possible risks and regulatory compliance issues. If your business operates in a heavily regulated industry such as healthcare, legal, or e-commerce that handles sensitive user information, then it is critical to stay in compliance with regulations and standards. Therefore, make it a point to evaluate the terms and conditions of your cloud vendor beforehand.

Don’ts

Don’t Gloss Over Details

Migrating your business operations to the cloud environment is a big step. However, you need to pay attention to every small detail and have a thorough understanding of each factor. Collecting more knowledge not only helps in devising better strategies and taking informed decisions, but also makes the transition process smooth and hassle-free. 

Don’t Forget About Security

Whether you are moving your entire business operations to the cloud or only a part of it, security should always be the primary concern. Performing automated testing before the cloud migration will help in assessing and reporting performance issues. Since security is an integral part of automated testing, it is essential to extend it to the DevOps tools and organization as well. How does the cloud service provider address your security concerns? Do they provide a guarantee in terms of safety of authentication and authorization? Make sure to discuss all the security and compliance requirements with them in detail, before moving.

Don't Force Every Application to The Cloud

Companies often plan to migrate all their existing applications to cloud at once, but that would be a bad move. A few programs and files may still need to be stored in traditional data centers for security reasons. On the other hand, some applications might be based on traditional technology and it may need extensive modifications before integrating with the cloud. So, it is vital to analyze such applications in order to determine the amount of time and effort required to make the mandatory changes. Make it a point to prioritize the applications based on its business value derived from cloud migration. Seeking the advice of a chief technology expert would be a wise decision as they can guide you on what to migrate and what to retain. 

Don’t Overlook the Importance of A Governance Infrastructure

Organizations often overlook the importance of building a governance infrastructure. However, lack of a governance model or policy may result in stalled projects, regulatory penalties, budget overruns and more. Forrester defines governance as “the ability to provide strategic direction, track performance, allocate resources, and make adjustments to ensure that organizational objectives are met, without breaching the parameters of risk tolerance or compliance obligations.” And having an efficient governance model helps in tracking, securing and managing the services and resources of an organization. 

Final Word

When it comes to leveraging cloud computing technology, businesses need to assess, plan, adopt and optimize an adoption strategy in detail. Following the dos and don'ts outlined here helps to minimize disruption, remain relevant with regulations and save on budget.