Cloud Migration Strategies for Mitigating Risks

In the past few years, cloud computing and its related technologies has taken the world by storm. Though the technology is not new, but the advanced computing model is now making it much easier for the business to deliver computing resources to their clients’ worldwide, with a very short time and at a fraction of their existing cost.

With the advent of automation, the computing needs of the companies has reduced drastically and on the top of that internet powered cloud migration strategies are immensely helping businesses to carry out their transitions smoothly.

In the near future, typical IT departments within a company will be left out with very few platforms residing in on-premise systems, while letting the cloud take care of all the hard work.

Today, most of the companies are looking forward to have an integrated cloud environment by migrating their existing systems, services, apps, and data to the cloud.

There are various benefits of cloud migration as most of the background cloud processing is now directed to large and more secure data centers thereby mitigating risks and saving company’s valuable resources.

But at the same time, cloud migration challenges and risks associated with it are still far from reality, as the companies only tend to wake up when they face the consequences and then partner with any experienced service provider.

There are basically three types of clouds to which cloud migration is usually conducted. These include:

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is the foundation of cloud computing which includes some crucial factors like, data storage, data back-up and data security.

Let’s take the example of AWS or Amazon Web Services – This is a typical example of IaaS service provider. AWS offers storage, databases, virtual servers, and many other support services on demand, billed by the hour or by the amount of data consumed.

SaaS (Software as a Service)

Software as a Service (SaaS) is that technology which has given a new dimension to cloud management by providing full fledge access to Internet-based software for corporations and businesses.

Buy a subscription and managing high-end software suites was costly, as well cumbersome at the same time for organizations. But now with SaaS everything is at our finger tips, let it be a high-end software like the entire Adobe suite of editing and graphic design software; now everything is offered as a cloud subscription service.

Some of the SaaS applications need widespread customization and extensive vendor support, while others are more manageable and can be set up easily by regular users or a company’s IT admin.

PaaS (Platform as a Service)

PaaS is that sector which is still under development and is often considered to be the next evolution for the cloud.

Many people consider PaaS to be the next evolution for the cloud, wherein the PaaS vendors provide an entire framework and basic functions using which their clients can develop their own applications. Microsoft Azure and Force.com from Salesforce are perfect examples of PaaS service providers.

 Effective ways to mitigate risks while implementing cloud migration strategies:

Cloud had always been the talk of the town, and sometimes some impeccably valid questions arise like – “If cloud is so good, then why its not everywhere?”

One of the biggest reason justifying the above-mentioned question is that; organizations are still unclear about how to deal with cloud migration challenges.

Let us discuss a few solutions to such existing problems, and how they can be solved:

Using Encrypted File Systems: The most crucial factor to keep on mind while migrating from one server to another server is to use encrypted file format. Encrypted file format gives all round security because even if its lost or stolen, it cannot be hacked for malicious purposes.

Ensuring Regular Backups: Offsite backups are the best way to ensure all round data security, and extract data and make it available in case of a crash. It further avoids redundancy and makes it easier to store and distribute data.

Always Partner with Established Vendors: A cloud vendor with a proven track record is always a better choice, as they have the capability to avoid potential threats. But partnering with less experienced vendor may drag you to such a situation where they might not deliver what they might have promised.

Regulate the Risks Involved: Security should always be the prime concern while migrating from one cloud to another, as it’s when your data is exposed to severe security threats. Practice best methods and reduce the risk severely.

Precisely Calculate the Costs: Never dive into any cloud migration strategy without calculating the costs. Always fetch the detailed breakdown of the costs involved and calculate the expenditure ratio before taking any decision.

At AFourTech, we do understand the risks of cloud migration, as the process requires expert attention to mitigate risks and be successful.

So, if you are ready to revamp your cloud infrastructure while upgrading, replacing or consolidating existing data on the cloud, then we would be happy to help you. We ensure that the whole process remains highly secure while costing you minimal resources and time.