Transitioning to the Cloud

By now, most businesses yet to transform their IT infrastructure to the cloud realise that they need to do so, but are probably not too sure exactly where to begin. Furthermore, many businesses are understandably concerned, not only about achieving a smooth transition, but also identifying potential compromises to their data, as well as possible down time and unexpected costs to the business.

Cloud technology has revolutionized the business environment across multiple sectors and industries since its introduction. Businesses now benefit tremendously from increased capacity to meet growing customer demand; significant cost savings when it comes to capital and operational expenditure, and greater speed to market too. Effectively, businesses can now focus on providing a greater service or product offering to their client base, instead of being constantly concerned with internal infrastructure maintenance and updating.

The first step to ensuring a smooth transition to the cloud is partnering with the right service provider for your business. Business should enter a meeting with a service provider already having an understanding of the solutions they require. The details the service provider will need to know revolve around what type of data your business creates and stores, and how it should be processed, reviewed and retrieved. By understanding the different relationships your staff members have with your data, a service provider will then be able to quote you on a digital solution that will address your business objectives.

It is important to discuss the issue of security and data confidentiality with your potential service provider too. Remember that the cloud environment is external to your business, and therefore a security framework will need to agree upon to ensure the privacy of your data when it is stored in the public cloud. In the event of a security compromise, your business is liable to be held accountable for damages by your clients, and also to any relevant compliance framework – not the cloud provider. 

Spending some time reading over the provider’s Service Level Agreement (SLA) is critical. This contains details on how the provider intends to protect your data, how they’re going to back it up and how you may reserve the right to audit the security and compliance framework that they build around your data. Encryption is also an option for your most critical data, if you decide to save it to the cloud as well. Some businesses choose to retain their most critical data on internal infrastructure. The term to describe this common arrangement is a hybrid environment, and it works very well for many businesses that prefer to keep their most critical data on internal infrastructure, whilst making the most of what the cloud offers.

Risks that present as a result of cloud technology are not limited to security, however. Businesses working on the transition to the cloud need to also take into account risk factors associated with a multi-vendor environment. Factors that every business should be considering incorporating are efficient hybrid management systems, integration, workload portability, and automation. 

Another point for consideration during and after the transformation is down time – something unavoidable by even the best operators. Downtime that is unexpected can result in a loss of access to core applications, a loss of productive hours, a loss of critical data, and some serious implications to business reputation and profile.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to smartly mitigate the risks of downtime. Implementing a solution that offers load-balancing features can reduce the number of issues associated with planned outages. For example, if one server needs to be taken offline for maintenance, other nodes can seamlessly kick in, without the risk of losing critical data or hindering employee productivity. A provider can explain their own individual strategy for planned outages, or create one with you that aims to ensure your most important bases in your business are covered when it matters most.

Some businesses mistakenly believe that a multi-vendor environment can somehow protect against downtime and security compromises, but the reality is the opposite - operating multiple vendors for the same function actually tends to introduce unwanted and unnoticed system-to-system vulnerabilities – even if those vendors claim to work seamlessly across your existing platforms. Streamlining vendors and business outcomes by consolidating vendors will automatically reduce the risk of unexpected downtime and possible breaches to security. 

Finally, all businesses should begin a conversation with their potential provider about the future of the partnership and the service offered. In today’s business landscape, change is the one inevitable you can count on, and it’s very likely that your business objectives will transform as quickly as your clients’ demands change. Agility is the golden key for businesses today, and service providers should be able to adapt and mould their offering to your evolving needs. 

A lot can change in a short time, so make sure to ask your provider about what happens if the following aspects change in the short and medium term: your business objectives, the quantity and type of your data, your finance requirements, your client-base, and the other components of your digital platform.

In short, a planned transition to the cloud can be the most important and profitable project your business embarks on this year. However, a successful transition will require some careful planning and the right partners to bring it all together.

About the author: 

As the General Manager for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) in South-East Asia, Sandeep Bhargava delivers clients a team of world class talent to create bespoke end to end infrastructure services, software and systems.