Our Guide to Cloud Migration for Small Businesses

If your business is focused on digital transformation then a successful cloud migration is going to be a vital part of this. An effective cloud strategy provides access to flexibility, true agility and a whole range of options for improving everything, from security to productivity and workforce wellbeing. This is our guide to cloud migration for small businesses.

Get clear on why you’re doing it

Cloud computing is – to put it simply – the delivery of services such as analytics, servers and databases over the internet. If you are looking to reduce the costs associated with IT (such as on-premises infrastructure), operate in a more hybrid way and streamline operations then it has huge advantages.

Create a cloud strategy

This will ensure that you’re focused on the needs of your employees, as well as all the benefits of resource optimisation and cost efficiency that you can get from cloud migration. It should contain security directives and be a model for shaping the future of your business in a more agile and effective way.

Create a migration plan

If you’re looking at cloud migration then planning is the first vital step. This can feel like a big shift, as you’re moving away from legacy working practices so it’s key to map out what that is going to look like.

Have a clear perspective on your data

Before any migration can begin it’s going to be vital to review the data that you have so there is a clear perspective on the scope of what’s involved. If you don’t do this – and you rush straight into migration – you may later find that there are issues with usability and that ongoing performance and service are affected. With a clear perspective on data you’ll be able to design a tailored solution that really works.

Explore all the different types of cloud integration before you pick one

For example, shallow cloud integration means taking data in its original state and simply moving it into the cloud – little change is required. Deep integration, on the other hand, requires there to be adjustments to data, including workloads and IT resources before any migration can happen.

Prioritise key components

When you’re looking at cloud migration for your business there will need to be a focus on those components that matter the most. A seamless and efficient migration will require prior identification of the connections between services and applications to ensure that priorities are correct. Establishing monitoring tools can also help to ensure that any move is easy and seamless.

Staff training is going to be key

The extent to which cloud systems can be truly effective for your business will depend on how able your people are to use new infrastructure and software. Given that two thirds of IT infrastructure is going to become cloud-based in the next few years, there are clear incentives to start investing in staff training now.

When it comes to cloud migration, these are the basics that any small business needs to think about.