The data is clear: more and more companies are migrating to the cloud. It is important to remember, however, that this process involves many challenges which can often take unprepared organizations by surprise. To move a working environment to the cloud successfully, a company must prepare properly. What should it remember, and what requires particular attention? Cloud migration: the first steps
There are many indications that cloud migration is inevitable for numerous enterprises.
Reports state that the cloud-migration market is expected to be worth more than $462 billion as early as 2027. In the age of
cloud culture, as more companies decide to move at least some processes to cloud infrastructure, migration may accelerate considerably. Several key factors must be considered to prepare a company for cloud migration effectively. The first step should be to define migration objectives and strategy. Above all, the company should identify why applications are being moved to the cloud and define the business objectives this will make achievable. On this basis, it can develop a schedule, priorities, and the resources required for successful implementation. The next step should be to appoint a team responsible for cloud migration. It should include representatives of different departments, such as IT, security, and finance, but it is also advisable to involve rank-and-file employees who will use the cloud. Even before selecting the right technology, the workforce should be prepared for a change in working practices and for operating in the cloud. Employees should have the appropriate skills and technical knowledge to manage the cloud and use its capabilities effectively. They should also understand the migration objectives.
Analyzing and qualifying applications for cloud migration
The next step in cloud migration is to analyze and qualify the applications used by the company. To
migrate a system to the cloud successfully, the organization must understand the associated limitations and risks, so an assessment of the existing infrastructure should begin the technical part of the process. A thorough assessment of the current infrastructure, including servers, networks, and operating systems, makes it possible to identify the most important applications and determine their resource requirements. An analysis of the costs associated with maintaining and expanding the existing infrastructure and with the migration process itself is just as important as qualifying applications for cloud migration. Costs to consider in this case include:
- purchasing hardware,
- software licenses,
- maintenance,
- scaling,
- security.
This provides a basis for assessing whether cloud migration is more economical than maintaining proprietary infrastructure. However, a report prepared by
McKinsey shows that only 7% of organizations used their own resources in 2020, indicating that companies perceive cloud migration as financially beneficial. At this stage, it is also worth evaluating cloud functionality and analyzing which features and services offered by cloud providers meet the needs of the applications used by the company. Important considerations include scalability, availability, security, and management. The organization should also verify whether the cloud provider supports the application’s specific requirements.
Preparing the right architecture for a cloud environment
Preparing the right cloud-environment architecture is crucial to ensuring efficient and scalable cloud infrastructure. This requires an analysis of the cloud services available from providers. The assessment should consider services such as virtual servers, databases, and data analytics. Based on this analysis, the organization should select the provider that best meets its requirements. It is worth considering a multilayer architecture in which the application is divided into presentation, business-logic, and data layers. Where possible, a microservices architecture should also be considered. The application’s scalability and flexibility requirements must be taken into account. Using cloud features such as load balancing and containers will ensure high availability. Designing a cloud architecture that uses resources flexibly and scales them according to demand helps avoid wasting resources. Mechanisms such as backups, data replication, and disaster-recovery plans must also be addressed. These will strengthen security and protect the company against data loss.
Security and data protection during cloud migration
Ensuring security and data protection is a key consideration during cloud migration. The company should use data-encryption mechanisms both when transferring data to the cloud and while the data is at rest. Selecting a provider that offers strong encryption methods, such as the SSL/TLS protocol for network communications and data-encryption algorithms, supports this objective. Network-security features such as network firewalls and Network Access Control should also be used. Once migration to the cloud is complete, the organization should create unique user accounts, apply authorization policies, and assign access permissions according to the principle of least privilege to control access to data effectively. Mechanisms for auditing and monitoring cloud activity are also essential. Using cloud tools to record events, analyze logs, and generate alerts in response to suspicious activity is important for strengthening data security. Penetration testing and vulnerability assessments are also advisable. They make it possible to identify potential security gaps.
What else should be considered during cloud migration?
Responsibility for cloud migration rests not only with the company moving its infrastructure to cloud technology, but also with its providers. The company should make sure that its provider holds the appropriate certificates and that the solutions it uses comply with legal requirements and industry regulations. Particular attention should be paid to how data is protected and to compliance with regulatory requirements such as the GDPR. A cloud-data backup strategy and a disaster-recovery plan must also be planned and implemented. Every company using the cloud should have mechanisms for creating regular backups. It should also test its recovery process regularly to ensure that data can be restored after a failure. Beyond technical matters, training that raises employees’ awareness of cloud security is equally important. Training the team in best practices, the handling of confidential data, and guidelines for using cloud services is often more important than even the best technical safeguards. Before signing an SLA with a cloud provider, the company must also ensure that it covers security, data protection, and the provider’s liability in the event of a security breach. This provides legal protection and makes it possible to pursue potential claims in the event of a serious failure.
