8 Most Common Cloud Migration Mistakes to Avoid
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Enterprises that wish to move from outdated and inefficient infrastructures such as unreliable firewalls, aging servers, and outdated hardware are making the wise decision to embrace cloud computing.
Cloud computing offers enterprises what they need to improve real-time performance and achieve greater efficiency. However, they must perform the cloud migration process with the right planning and execution to ensure the cloud solution aligns with their business requirements.
Along the way, unfortunately, mistakes can be made. And, such mistakes can halt operations or cause costly issues. The good news is that it is possible to avoid making many of these mistakes by learning about them beforehand.
We have compiled a list of the eight most common cloud migration mistakes to help you avoid making them when you shift your enterprise’s operations to the cloud.
1. Using an Unfocused Cloud Migration Strategy
A cloud migration strategy helps you decide key things about the planned move to a cloud environment. This includes deciding when to start the process and which apps and data to move to the cloud. However, this strategy can be a lot more complex than many realize.
Differences in enterprise structure complexity or the nature of your IT operations means the cloud migration strategy that worked for one enterprise may not necessarily work for another. Each strategy is unique.
Before starting the migration process it is vital that you determine your ‘why’ - why is it important for your organization to move to a cloud environment? What benefits do you and your executive team expect? And is there data you want or need to keep on-premises? You can then assess your current environment and determine your cloud server requirements based on current application requirements.
You must then determine which cloud model you want to adopt - private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, and /or multi-cloud. Choosing the wrong cloud model at this stage can cause problems down the line. For example, you may risk being locked into a single vendor based on your choice, and could find it difficult to move to a different vendor later without running into additional costs. Plan wisely, based on your current and future needs.
2. Failing to Configure Apps and Data for the Cloud
Cloud migration isn’t as simple as uploading files to an online server and calling it a day. This is because apps and data must be configured for the cloud environment.
You can test how your apps and data will fare in a simulated cloud environment before performing the migration. This test could offer many important insights into where they stand in terms of performance. You can then adjust configuration as necessary to optimize performance for the cloud.
3. Poor or Misconfigured Security
Data stored in cloud environments is generally believed to be better protected against data loss and theft than the data stored on the enterprise’s local servers. However, data in the cloud is still vulnerable to cyber security risks and threats. This includes risks from misconfigurations, poor regulatory compliance, poor identity and access management and more.
Cloud architecture generally follows a shared responsibility model. This means both the enterprise and the cloud provider are responsible for data security. However the cloud provider is mainly responsible for securing the cloud while you are responsible for securing what is in the cloud.
If you wish to maintain data privacy and security during and after the migration, you should take steps such as implementing multi-factor authentication, isolating individual data batches, and implementing specific security controls under your IT team’s guidance.
A photo of a person typing on a laptop next to a set of monitors.
4. Moving the Sensitive Data First
Many are eager to upload sensitive data to the cloud platform before everything else to ensure it is removed from local servers as quickly as possible. Some may want to do this when there is a feeling that the data is at risk. However, this move could create new risks for the data.
Transferring your first batch of data to a cloud environment can go wrong in many ways, even with an experienced cloud services provider. If an issue occurs, it’s possible that your data will be lost. For this reason it is best to transfer the less sensitive data to the cloud environment before attempting to move the more sensitive files.
This way, your operations are less likely to get disrupted if an issue occurs during the initial transfer.
5. Not Considering the Network
Many enterprises who are considering migrating their data and apps to a cloud think only about the software and hardware involved in the migration. However, the network that facilitates the actual transfer should also be considered.
If you wish to ensure a successful transfer, you must have a standard network that you can rely on. This network will also be vital in allowing you to access your apps and data once the transfer is complete.
For this reason, it is vital to any security or performance issues the network may pose during or after the transfer. If there is any question whether your existing network will be sufficient for the transfer, you should consider choosing another network provider who is better suited for this purpose.
6. Failing to Test Afterwards
Moving apps to a cloud environment can be a big task. As mentioned earlier, it is important to reconfigure these apps using a cloud test environment to ensure they are transferred and reconfigured properly for the new environment. However, once this transfer is complete, you should still test them to see if they are functioning as expected.
This is vital to do because an app that doesn’t work properly following the migration may disrupt operations and impact customer service.
7. Failing to Train Staff
Cloud environments offer many benefits, but these benefits can be difficult to realize if staff aren’t familiar with using cloud technology. Enterprises that fail to train their staff appropriately risk creating problems during and after the cloud migration process. After all, untrained employees may cause accidental data leaks or misconfigurations without realizing it.
Such training generally cannot be completed in a single day. Instead, enterprises should focus on training staff on cloud environments continually. This will help ensure that staff are up-to-speed with the latest cloud environment capabilities and new cybersecurity measures. Outlining clear procedures and best practices for staff to follow will help reduce human error.
8. Poor Budgeting
Many enterprises are eager to reap the benefits of a cloud environment but fail to understand the costs of the migration process. Cloud migration is a major task that requires meticulous planning and the use of the right strategies.
Such enterprises can hire third-party cloud migration service providers for assistance with this process. However, issues such as delays and high expenses may still occur during cloud migration.
Ensuring the Cloud MIgration Process Go Smoothly
As you can see, enterprises must avoid many potential mistakes when they transfer their apps and data to a cloud environment. Some of these mistakes occur during the transfer itself while others occur once the transfer is complete. In either case, you should keep a close eye for these mistakes to ensure your apps and data are transferred properly and remain safe in their new environment.
Other mistakes to keep an eye out for include:
- Scope Creep
- Lack of Management Support
- Lack of Expertise
- Simply Taking a Lift & Shift Approach, and
- Trying to Migrate Everything All at Once
If you are interested in keeping a close tab on system changes, check out Evolven. Evolven is an AI-driven platform that automatically collects information related to configuring enterprise cloud environments and prioritizes the details to produce actionable steps that ensure the cloud migration process occurs smoothly. Our platform integrates with existing enterprise cloud processes and tools to provide a comprehensive picture of the cloud environment.
Please contact us to learn more about our services and how we can assist you with cloud migration so that your enterprise may enjoy the benefits of moving to a cloud environment.
