You can win more with the right cloud consulting services team on your side. As March Madness creeps up on the NCAA, it’s got us thinking some deep thoughts this year. As we get into 2022 (not “2020, two”), we’re still seeing businesses struggling to move their operations to the cloud. As cloud consultants, we see a lot of companies so concerned about what “the cloud” could mean for them, that they sit on the sidelines.
Picking a perfect March Madness bracket is (almost) impossible (the chances are 1 in 9.2 quintillion). However, just because you won’t be able to pick a perfect bracket doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t join the office pool. Many factors influence the likelihood of a winning bracket: the at-large wildcard teams, the Cinderella team nobody expected, the dynamics of the league, etc.
Choosing the right combination of teams amid all the excitement, information, and changing players is both challenging and rewarding. Choosing the right combination of cloud services presents a similar situation of challenge and reward.
Back to your business and sitting on the sidelines. Chances are, you’re in the cloud at least a little bit. You probably already use some cloud tools. But are you leveraging the cloud to your best advantage? Just as in March Madness, there are as many ways to set up your cloud bracket – but it’s hard to know what to prioritize and what to leave out. Optimize your cloud configuration for your company’s productivity, security and future goals by knowing what to do and what to avoid.
Do Take a Wide View of Your Big-Picture Cloud Plan
It’s easy to get lost in the details, whether you’re researching a specific team for your March Madness bracket or you’re trying to decide whether you should adopt one specific new cloud-based tool. However, for the best chance at success, you should first focus on the big picture.
Start by assessing your existing challenges and needs. What’s working and what needs re-configuring? Where could you use more flexibility and power right now? Test your systems, track what you discover, and plan for those current needs.
Then, take a look at your future goals and identify where you’ll need the most IT support. Perform a cost-benefit analysis as you craft your cloud migration plan.
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Do Prioritize High Business Value Apps
When you’re filling out your March Madness bracket, you know which teams you’ll need to pay attention to the most. The same is true for your cloud migration: you know which apps are currently the most important to your business. Develop your cloud migration plan based on keeping your apps with the most business value online.
You also have an idea about which teams are the riskiest bets. Consider what your limitations will be during your cloud migration. Be prepared for some downtime and plan your response with your cloud consultant.
Don’t Put Cybersecurity on the Back Burner
Cybersecurity continues to grow in importance as hackers develop more sophisticated methods of attack. Your cloud security needs to be a top priority even in the middle of the process. Stay secure when you’re migrating apps to the cloud while files remain on-site and vice versa.
Develop Your Cloud Security Plan with an Expert Cloud Consulting Services Team
With your input, your team will establish access and authorization controls in your cloud. System monitoring will help your cloud security team close any visibility gaps that may threaten your business operations.
Do Choose a Cloud Computing Model
There are three main cloud computing models offered by cloud services providers: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and the most popular, Software as a Service (SaaS). Before signing any contracts, research what each offers and discuss what the best match will be with your cloud management partner.
Do Back Up Your Data
Storing all your data in the same location is a simple and effective solution. By locating all your data in the Microsoft Azure cloud, you’ll see increased security and costs that are easier to control.
Plan to also back up your data off the cloud. At the beginning of your cloud migration, you may want to only move necessary applications, files and data into the cloud. Establish an effective and secure data storage plan with your cloud management team.
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Don’t DIY Your Cloud Migration
Some business leaders may be tempted to DIY their cloud migration. It’s easy because it’s all online, right?
Just because there’s no hardware involved doesn’t mean that you should migrate your operations and data to the cloud on your own. A cloud management team can securely and efficiently migrate your operations to the cloud.
Do Focus on Industry Compliance with Your Cloud Services
Keeping your business in compliance with industry regulations should be a top priority. Choose a credible cloud provider (such as Microsoft, Google, or Amazon) that offers the compliance services you need. Nortec partners with Microsoft Azure to manage our clients’ cloud services.
Your cloud adoption plan should include criteria for meeting both industry-specific and global standards for data handling procedures. Set protocols in place so that your business meets the data storage requirements for your industry.
Do Partner With an Expert Cloud Consulting Services Team
Adopting a cloud platform involves juggling many different tasks. It can be more complicated than completing a bracket that considers the 68 different teams playing during March Madness.
Moving to the cloud doesn’t have to be maddening. With the help of an expert cloud consulting services team, your migration can run smoothly and efficiently. During the migration and after its completion, your Washington D.C. IT partner can help you discover ways to optimize your new cloud platform to your business’ best advantage.
