The moving of applications, databases and other business elements from the local server to the cloud server called cloud migration. This article will inform why going on cloud will improve the business process.

It is forecasted that a 28% increase in revenue for the year 2022 in cloud migration. According to recent Gartner surveys, 

“more than a third of organizations see cloud investments as a top-three investing priority, which is impacting market offerings.”

 

Prerequisites For Cloud Migration

The following are the various cloud migration done by companies a) First Local data center to Cloud computing platforms b) Cloud to Cloud migration and c) Reverse cloud migration or De-clouding. There are various advantages in such a cloud migration process and they are: a) scalability, b) powerful computing capabilities, c) flexibility, d) no issues in server maintenance, e) storage capacity, f) cost-as-go and g) performance.

Before migrating your data or application into a cloud consider the following points:

1. Prepare your application for data to migrate to the cloud. Unprepared applications bring in issues while migrating.
2. Evaluate the cost of migration. Most of these processes may lead to unnecessary wastages if not planned properly.
3. Choose your preferences in the cloud-based on your business needs
4. You need skilled personnel to manage your cloud database. Keep your data in the cloud as secure as possible. 
5. Nothing comes easy. Always be prepared to accept the challenges in migrating the application or data.
6. Have a clear cloud migration strategy. Develop a strategy that enables the migration flexible and easy based on your business requirements. 

There are various cloud migration platforms like AWS and Google cloud.

Types Of Cloud Migration

It has three types of delivery models as a service capability and they are: a) Software as a Service (SaaS) b) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and c) Platform as a Service (PaaS).

SaaS (Software as a Service)

1. It is the topmost layer.
2. Internet-based softer services for corporates
3. Monthly rental or per user based services
4. Need extensive customization to service
5. It requires vendor support
6. It sets up the basic structure in the cloud with addons and supporting components
7. When everything is set up properly then the service is moved from the local or shared hosting to the SaaS cloud happens.
8. The entire process is done in phases.
9. It requires licenses for use by the customer
10. Gmail, Google docs, and Photoshop  are some of the examples of SaaS
11. It is the most cost-effective way of migration

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

1. It is the foundation of cloud computing.
2. It includes the data backup, data storage, and data security services
3. The web service provides databases, storage, private virtual servers, and other support services on demand
4. They bill the customer by the hour of usage or by data consumed
5. The movement of application or data local or shared hosting server to a dedicated cloud server
6. It is a complex process and done by developers
7. Complexity is based on data dependencies and application functionality.
8. It takes time for migration.
9. After migration, the data and application is expected to function the same as new IaaS server
10. It includes services as physical resources as Storage, Network devices, and compute servers.
11. It is either available on-demand or pays as per usage
12. Example of this service is AWS or Amazon Web Service, a well known IaaS service provider

PaaS (Platform as a Service)

1. The central layer of the cloud is a platform 
2. There is no control over the infrastructure 
3. Access is only on the deployed application
4. It provides the runtime on demand
5. It acts as a development or test environment
6. It has a virtual machine with OS, required middleware, etc as an environment
7. It will be available as per the requirement
8. The vendors provide an entire framework and basic functions
9. In this environment, the user can develop their applications
10. Some of the examples of PaaS service providers are Microsoft Azure and Force.com from Salesforce
11. It is not a complicated process as it is developed for easy use 
12. Anybody without technical expertise can handle the process of migration to the cloud
13. It is made simple by the browser-based UI/portal
14. The portal facilitates the migration
15. Challenges while migrating can be expected if the personnel is the less or moderate technical expert

Reasons To Migrate To The Cloud

There are various challenges faced in the operation and maintenance of the server. Hence, business migrates to the cloud server. Some of the reasons for migration are stated below:

1. Traffic spikes handling
2. inability to scale server resources
3. Sudden demands for operations
4. High cost involved
5. Inefficient processes
6. The requirement for data storage
7. Geographical distribution challenge
8. Accessing application-related methods
9. Disaster recovery
10. Price of such inhouse disaster recovery processes

Process of Migrating to Cloud Server 

According to Gartner in Decision Point for “Choosing a Cloud Migration Strategy for Applications“ published on 20 November 2018, the following are the requirements and constraints for migrating.

1. Migration Goals and Priorities
2. Legacy Application Characteristics
3. Modernization Requirements
4. Development and Operations Skills Constraints
5. Migration Cost Factors

There are certain alternatives for the migration process and they are:

1. Rehost
2. Revise
3. Rearchitect
4. Rebuild
5. Replace

Along with it there is certain future development in the areas of a) Container Portability b) Platform Portability c) VM Portability d) Code Portability e)Data Portability. The process of cloud migration includes:

1. Assess – To asses the application that can be transferred to the cloud without any issues. It is import to realize that certain applications can not be transferred to the cloud without any issues. 
2. Pilot testing – The performance of the user application has to be assessed before migrating to the cloud. Here we need to assess the compatibility and security of the application. 
3. Initiate migration – The process of migration has to be done by developers or with personnel who have moderate technical knowledge about cloud migration. Moving the data first or the application first is the client’s call based on business needs.
4. Move applications – After the transfer of application in the cloud. We need to test if it is functioning the same way or does it need a re-architecture.
5. Optimize – This step is based on the type of application and architecture and it is mainly done to save storage and bandwidth.

Benefits of Cloud Migration

• Scalability
  Maintaining upscale as per requirements. This saves money for the unused data. It gives opportunities to increase or decrease resources in line according to business needs. Future IT infrastructure and resource allocation are made easy with these benefits. It reduces the workload and so we can concentrate on the main business requirements. Additional cloud-based tools help sin good assessment and migration.
• Cost-effective
  Reduced cost is another important benefit that makes cloud migration a popular strategy. It is analyzed by Rackspace that 88% of companies save money when running services in the Cloud. Having a local server has ongoing maintenance and support costs that add to the annual budget. Apart from this, we do not need to pay for on-site staff to manage your systems. We do not require purchasing expensive systems and equipment for leveraging resources.
• Remote collaboration
  The cloud environment allows organizations to access remotely. Their other services documents and databases can be accessed from anywhere by using collaboration and communication tools, software, and apps. This enables the worker to collaborate remotely with much effectiveness. Sending files back and forth is inefficient and time-consuming. Fortunately we have cloud computing that reduced the time and labor involved in file sharing.
• Better work-life balance
  It has given a better work-life balance that enabled the workers to choose to work from home and comfortable hours of working. Many services are independent of platform and operating systems that can be worked in any devices like mobile, tablet and laptop.
• Integration
  Integrating with other systems in a seamless and cost-effective way is possible in the cloud environment.
• Better storage
  Many cloud solution providers offer high-security data storage at a minimum cost.  It is easy to expand and shrink the storage based on your requirements in cloud computing.  Business with seasonal or periodic data storage requirements, opt for cloud because of these reasons.
• Disaster recovery
  It is easy to recover the data using cloud-based backup and recovery solutions. It saves time and investment for these recovery operations. For smaller companies the cloud-based solutions are most ideal and real.
• Automation of tasks
  Automatic updating and API are easy in cloud environment. It enables the automation of repetitive tasks.
• Flexibility
  Fluctuating bandwidth demands and storages is possible with cloud storage. It is easy to scale up the cloud capacity whenever required. Testing and deploying applications is easy. We can install or remove any such applications easily in these environments.
• Mobility
  It enables secure connection access to the data on the cloud wen when the person is one movement. Such controlled environmental and security is possible even un uncontrolled situations. PaaS cloud services in service providers like us, it is commonly available. IP whitelisting feature that is regardless of device is also a benefit.
• Security
  Security issues like hacking, data theft, unauthorized access, intrusions, and identity theft are kept locked away in cloud computing environments. It provides greater security under these conditions.
• Faster setup
  It is easy and fast to set up data and applications in the cloud. Migrating to public cloud a matter of few hours. It is possible to set up remotely with an internet connection.
• Less maintenance
  No maintenance is required since the cloud provider looks after the hardware, software, and networks in the cloud. Infrastructure with minimal IT staff is more than sufficient. No long term contracts that make engagement extremely easy and hassle-free.
• Agility
  Quicker decision making is possible with cloud services. It frees up time and reduces the effort that is spent on the infrastructure of the system.
• Zero risk failure
  Every cloud service provider gives 99% uptime and there is no risk of failure. It automatically takes up workloads. It also ensures smooth and continuous performance under disaster.
• Maximum uptime
  Choose a service provider with maximum uptime. Cloud deployment is suitable for applications with web-based, customer-facing, and requires multiple users who are from different parts of the world.
•  Competitiveness
  Enterprise-class technology that is cost-effective, Pay-as-you-go service and cloud business applications make you a globally available business. The cost of maintenance is also reduced for cloud computing. 
• Environment-friendly
  You can accrete sustainable solutions with less impact on the environment. This is similar to carpooling. As less cost involved, it also reduces the cost of services provided to the customers. This is very beneficial for small businesses that wish to expand their business.

Overcoming disadvantages of Cloud Migration

There are a few drawbacks that need the attention of the developer while cloud migration and they are: a) sensitive data may be irrecoverable sometimes b) data security is very important while migrating from your existing systems to the cloud c) acceptance are interoperability issues between applications d) the time that the process will take, and the overall costs involved. 

To overcome such issues, you need to:

1. Use encrypted file systems with  HTTPS
2. Regularly back up your data form the server
3. Find engineering professionals who are “Skilled Cloud Engineers”
4. Always partner with established vendors or cloud service providers
5. Assess the application that goes into the cloud
6. Assess the risk involved in migration
7. Always calculate the cost involved before migration

Reves Enterprise and Cloud Migration Services

At Reves Enterprise, we offer vertical and horizontal solutions for cloud migration. We advise, build and co-evolve in the services and some of them are:

1. Cloud Service Assurance and support
2. Workload Migration 
3. Cloud Integration Services

All of this partnering with premium cloud service providers like AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle. We give an enhanced customer experience and better performic services. We provide advice in business process analysis, technical readiness analysis, roadmaps to achieve the cloud goal, cost models and value levers.

We provide services for building cloud services like lift and shift migration services, readiness and reengineering services, cloud-native development services and legacy modernization services. We adopt new technologies like the internet of things, big data services and blockchain technologies for cloud services. We produce the utilization, performance and cost analysis for cloud migration.  

Our horizontal solutions include a) digital company b) financial compliance and c) Hadoop based migration. The vertical solutions are transaction reconciliation, voice-based commerce, and file services with the internet of things.

Not all businesses need to move to the cloud, and not all business problems can be solved by cloud migration. But strategic cloud implementation may actually solve persistent business problems that don’t seem to have any correlation with your network infrastructure.

This is in part because there’s no single definition of what “the cloud” looks like, which means that its many possible variations can accommodate and improve a variety of business challenges. Here, I’ll outline six common problems that could signal your business might benefit from implementing a cloud solution, as well as a process for evaluating whether and how cloud migration might help.

1: Cash flow and financial management issues

These can manifest in a few ways. One common situation we encounter is that a company’s financial reporting processes are outdated. This causes problems like:

• Wasteful or inefficient spending.
• Feeling like you’re always playing “catch up” and even failing to meet certain obligations.
• Insufficient information to make decisions that have a financial impact on the business.
• Lack of synchronization between accounts receivable and accounts payable.
• Financial statements that are rudimentary and take a long time to compile.

And the kicker: there’s “never enough time to do it right” because everyone is busy taking orders, delivering solutions, or working with suppliers.

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, it may be time to move your financial reporting applications to the cloud.

Cloud-based accounting lets you see data in real time, which lets you make decisions with the latest information available.

A cloud-based system also allows for instantaneous and continuous synchronization among teams, and, in many cases, automated report generation. That can translate to serious time savings for the accounting team.

2: Increasing employee turnover

Employee turnover is expensive. Replacing a high-level worker can cost more than 200 percent of their salary. That means you’ll be allocating resources to managing a revolving door of employees that you should be allocating to growth projects.

So what might employee turnover have to do with a company’s network infrastructure?

What we’ve found is that, when businesses develop inefficient processes to solve problems and those processes harden into “the way it’s done,” then employees can become frustrated and leave as the company grows.

Symptoms that your turnover might be related to insufficient network infrastructure include:

• Some essential business functions (e.g., employee expense reimbursement) have no defined process.
• Many functions (ERP, SCM, CRM) are mostly manual or partially automated with help from minimally configured IT systems.
• Your customers and suppliers have subpar experiences because of shoddy processes.

If any of these are true at your company, there’s a good chance your employees are getting fed up. It’s demoralizing to have to apologize to customers or partners over and over because a payment takes two weeks to process.

Unless you make necessary changes, these employees will eventually leave, which can start a vicious cycle in which it’s hard to both recruit and retain talent.

A cloud migration can help here because it often allows companies to pull data from previously siloed databases, which can enable automation and streamlining of previously cobbled-together processes. This can make employees’ day-to-day work easier while also improving the experiences of customers, partners, and suppliers.

3: Your customer service reputation is taking a hit

At first glance, a customer service problem may sound like a training or personnel issue. But if your data lives in unconnected silos, there’s a good chance that your customer service reps aren’t the main reason for the bad experience.

If they’re working with outdated infrastructure, they probably aren’t able to handle customer requests as quickly as they should. Or maybe they’re not able to deal with questions on the platform customers prefer to use. Or maybe customers are just tired of giving their name and address every time you transfer their call, when you should really be sharing this information among team members.

These types of customer service problems tend to arise when:

• Applications have trouble accessing data in multiple databases simultaneously.
• Users have to access multiple applications to tap into multiple data sources.
• Integrated customer record views can only be assembled manually (and certainly not in real time).

Moving your databases and CRM to the cloud may alleviate these problems. Cloud-based infrastructure can not only eliminate silos but also introduce a functionality layer that makes it easier for customer service employees to access and use the data you have about your customers to create a custom, personalized experience.

4: Your processes are Workaround City

If your team has to consistently MacGyver its way around legacy IT systems with manual and semi-automated workarounds, you could be in need of a cloud migration.

Often, when employees resort to workarounds, one driving factor is that the IT team doesn’t include people with the right skill sets. This problem tends to develop gradually: you need to maintain your legacy systems, so you hire for those skills. But when it comes time to modernize, you may find that there’s no room in the IT budget to hire for new skills like DevOps — and so nobody on staff understands the new technologies, systems, and operating methods that could make your business more efficient.

Or the team simply doesn’t have time to evaluate new systems because they’re so busy maintaining the legacy system. This means you maintain the old systems longer and longer, but as employees become used to more efficient processes elsewhere, they start introducing workarounds.

This is a tricky situation. While it can often be addressed by migrating to the cloud, you’ll have to carefully manage personalities and expectations on the IT team, many of whom may be resistant to the change because they’re afraid of losing their job.

We’re in a tight job market right now, so be sure to consider whether you can train your existing team for DevOps and other skills necessary to maintain your systems in the cloud, should you deem that a migration would help.

5: Customer-facing projects keep getting delayed

This can be a particularly disheartening situation when your competitors start to consistently beat you to market with new, experience-enhancing tech.

While there are plenty of reasons that important projects might be delayed, one that we’ve noticed a few times is that businesses are spending too much time worrying about risk and recovery.

While having a disaster recovery plan is hugely important to any business, talking through potential plans without taking meaningful action can mean you aren’t spending time on mission-critical projects.

Disaster recovery can be a particularly pernicious timesuck because it requires input from high-level members of the leadership team, which means these people are focusing on disaster planning rather than strategic growth measures. If you’ve found that your DR planning involves more talk than action and barely-there progress, it may be time to think about cloud-based DR options.

One of the nicest features of DR in the cloud is the ability for service providers to offer DR as a Service (DRaaS), meaning you get an excellent DR plan with minimal day-to-day involvement from your team.

How to move to the cloud

Up to here, I’ve outlined some of the “what” but haven’t offered any of the “how.” As you can likely tell if you’ve read this far, the cloud comes in many configurations. How can you decide whether one of them might be the solution to the business challenges you’re currently facing?

I recommend working with someone experienced in cloud migrations who can walk you through the following:

• Identify your business objectives. Do you want better financial reporting? Faster customer service? Hint: if your problem can be solved by cloud migration, chances are you’re experiencing more than one of the pain points outlined here. When you make this list, be sure to include all your objectives for migration.
• Review your applications.Your cloud provider will likely want to take a close look at the current applications you’re using to see whether any of them are ready to be moved to the cloud. If they’re not, the team will determine the extent to which they’ll need to be refactored or rewritten.
• Do infrastructure discovery. During this step, your cloud provider will work with you to determine which elements of your infrastructure need to move to the cloud and how other components of your business will need to change to adjust.
• Consider security. Once your cloud provider determines which apps and infrastructure components are cloud-bound, they will work with you to determine what kinds of security measures need to be in place to adequately secure your data, whether you’re moving toward a public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid environment.
• Update monitoring and alerting. Your cloud provider will help you determine how these components will work with your new configuration.
• Build a BC/DR/plan. Once you’ve identified the cloud setup that will help you achieve your business goals, you’ll want a disaster recovery (aka business continuity) plan to prepare for a potential outage.

The cloud is a business solution

I’ll say it again: cloud migration isn’t right for every business. But it should always be a transition led by business needs rather than purely tech motivations or a desire to keep up with the competition. Understanding the roots of the problems your business faces will help you understand whether a cloud migration might help your company solve them.