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4 Critical Questions to Ask Before Moving to the Cloud

A Quick Buyer’s Guide to Lift & Shift Cloud Migration Services

Are you thinking seriously about moving to the cloud? There are a few things you should know. 

In today’s world, it is increasingly more reliable to maintain business operations over the Internet. But migrating to the cloud the wrong way could bring your business operations to a grinding halt. 

Here are the top four questions to ask yourself as you begin exploring cloud migration solutions.

Factor #1: What is the nature of your business operations?

The technology needs of your business are different from the needs of others.

Healthcare-related organizations use cloud computing differently than do marketing agencies. The nature and size of your business will dictate what you need technology to do for you so that you can lower your costs and accelerate growth.

Factor #2: What risks do you seek to mitigate by moving to the cloud?

Did you or an industry peer lose critical data due to on-site hardware malfunction? Or are you worried about your business’s cybersecurity? 

Whatever the risks you desire to address, your cloud services provider must implement the right tools for your business. There is no “one size fits all.” By identifying what motivates you to move to the cloud, you will be better prepared to invest in the best possible cloud migration solution.

Factor #3: Do you understand basic cloud migration terms?

In the world of SaaS (software as a service), there is far too much jargon. Unless your business is tech, you may find yourself a bit overwhelmed by all the industry-specific terminology. Here are a few key definitions to be aware of before choosing a cloud migration provider.

Lift and Shift

In a non-lift-and-shift cloud migration, the migration process formally changes everything about the way you and your staff do business. You and your team must train on new software and maybe even alter your entire operational process.
To address this logistical nightmare, more and more cloud migration providers adopt a “lift and shift” approach. That is, once the migration process is complete, nothing about your day-to-day changes. You and your staff can continue doing business as usual, except that now your business is fully operational in the cloud.

Technologically Subjective Versus Technologically Objective

To be technologically subjective is to irrationally favor one tech solution over another merely because it is more familiar. In contrast, being technologically objective (or agnostic) means that you (or your provider) keeps an open mind to find the best platform for your business.

Multi-tier Applications

Whether or not they realize it, most organizations run multi-tier applications. As a result, they have separately functioning software programs that help them streamline operations.

While the subject of multi-tier applications can become overly-technical, it might be best to think of your various software platforms as computer functions that integrate. In the world of cloud migration, it is vital that your provider effectively maintain the integrity of your multi-tier setup. That way, the method by which you store, organize, and present information remains fully intact.

Factor #4: Do you have a cloud migration strategy?

Moving your information and operations from premises to the cloud is a giant undertaking. Some cloud services providers assume that you have a transition strategy in place. While it is not vital that you have a cloud migration strategy in place, you should inform your provider if you don’t.

The right cloud strategy partner will hold your hand through the process and help you develop a painless cloud migration plan.

For more information about how Root Level Technology can help you execute a lift and shift cloud migration for your business, click the button below to learn more.