Before migrating your mission critical business applications over to the cloud, you should think about your company's IT needs, and figure out if cloud computing is the best option. Ask yourself these five questions.
Before migrating your mission critical business applications over to the cloud, you should think about your company's IT needs, and figure out if cloud computing is the best option. Ask yourself these five questions.
Do you understand The Cloud?
Moving your organisation's sensitive information to a third party hosting service is a big deal. If you're the one responsible for making this decision, then you should be able to fully grasp and communicate to others your understanding of cloud computing. This doesn't mean you have to explain The Cloud at a highly technical level, but you will want to have a basic understanding of where your data is stored, what security measures are in place, and what will happen to your data in case there's an emergency like a power outage or a natural disaster.
How much does it cost?
When shopping for a cloud service provider, you will have to consider the expenses associated with cloud computing. You will want to look closely at this monthly bill and compare it with your company's data needs and budget; but you will also want to be aware of other expenses that come with signing up for cloud computing. For example, with your company's major operations now dependent upon accessing the cloud, you will want to upgrade your Internet service in order to get more bandwidth.
What is included in your cloud computing contract?
Not every cloud hosting company is the same. When you shop for a cloud provider, you will find different prices and different levels of service. Before looking for a cloud provider, you will first want to understand your company's data needs. Compare a list of your business' requirements to the cloud provider's specifications, like uptime, response time, performance, etc.
What time and resources are required to migrate to The Cloud?
Ask your cloud provider how much time and resources it will take to transition your applications over to the cloud. You will want to consider this, along with how much time it will take to train your staff to use the cloud; this way, you can understand how quickly you will see a return on your investment.
Will your colleagues agree this is the right decision?
You may be sold on the benefits of cloud computing, but not everyone in your organisation may see the value of The Cloud and share your enthusiasm. When it comes to transitioning a company's sensitive information to The Cloud, you may find some colleagues have a more traditional view of IT, equating ownership with data security. If you find yourself to be a lone proponent of the cloud in an organisation that doesn't trust a third party to host their data, then you will need to first convince your co-workers you're making the right decision.
When you do decide to migrate to The Cloud, National Technologies Group can help you get started. We provide cloud solutions tailored for individual data needs, and managed IT services to help maintain your technology.
