Game-changing technology has opened new possibilities for businesses over the last decade. The new landscape is filled with start-ups that wouldn’t have been possible five or ten years ago, and the major player in that evolution is cloud technology. Rather than requiring costly hardware investments, virtual machines and pay-as-you-go applications offer the flexibility and agility demanded in today’s global marketplace. Yet, some companies are still hesitant to embrace the change, and the delay can be costly.
Established organizations with in-house systems often cite concerns like security, cost, disruption to daily operations, and a lack of knowledge about how to make the move when justifying their reluctance to migrate systems and data into the virtual arena. However, those concerns are largely unfounded.
Security
Companies hesitant to adopt cloud computing have vague impressions that security is lacking, but nothing is further from the truth. Providers that host data in a virtual environment take security concerns very seriously because their reputations depend on confidentiality.
Operational Fluidity
In-house data centers are typically the result of years of investment. Hardware, software, and systems that support daily operations seem too intricate to move to a virtual environment, so companies often think that migrating data and applications will present a set of difficulties that will be costly to overcome. However, since legacy systems must be evaluated and updated to meet changing needs, cloud services offer a significant reduction in upkeep expense. Companies that resist the change often find themselves falling behind competitors that have transferred service to cloud computing and can operate on smaller budgets.
Getting Started
Knowing how to begin cloud migration is one of the biggest challenges for many organizations. For those companies, making small changes is the best way to get started. For example:
- Move data archives to a cloud storage facility. Instead of storing data on tapes and other methods, the cloud offers a low-cost alternative for storage compliance.
- Move one application. Start small by moving something like email. This will give businesses the confidence to move other applications.
- Deploy a new application virtually. Keep legacy systems running, but introduce new applications virtually so that mission-critical operations remain in-house.
- Employ a hybrid approach. Private options allow businesses to choose which applications to augment virtually for the best performance.
Moving data to a virtual environment offers reduced costs, increased scalability, and dependable business continuity in a secure environment. Businesses that embrace this technology benefit from lasting improvements.