STRATEGIC CLOUD ADOPTION: A BLUEPRINT FOR SME LEADERS

The rapidly evolving tech and business landscape almost demands that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) look to cloud computing. It can enhance operational efficiency and support scalability, giving those that harness cloud computing a competitive edge.

However, it’s not always that easy! Adopting cloud solutions requires strategic execution, careful planning, and a thorough understanding of the technology. You need to be able to maximise the benefits and reduce any potential risks involved.

Looking to leverage and optimise cloud computing at your company? Here are NetEffects’ key considerations for business owners looking for a seamless transition to the cloud.

Cloud Readiness Assessment

The first thing that your business should do is conduct a comprehensive assessment of its existing IT infrastructure. This includes both hardware and software, ranging from access to IT equipment to necessary applications. Importantly, the company’s data needs need to be carefully considered.

Cloud computing is designed to manage data more effectively. Therefore, if your company has significant data management requirements, then cloud computing could be a great option for you.

Part of the cloud readiness assessment involves evaluating factors such as the company’s current technology stack, as well as its existing network capabilities. Any required upgrades need to be taken into account, in addition to security posture and potential compliance requirements.

Choosing a Vendor 

Cloud service providers (CSPs) offer a variety of services, and it’s important to know what you’re looking for. First of all, research and select a cloud service provider with a good reputation. Considerations that should be taken into account include the CSP’s reputation for security, customer support and overall reliability. Downtime on cloud-based services can have a negative impact on your operations, so choosing a CSP that can guarantee uptime and a variety of fail-safes is important.

Here at NetEffects, we can assist in evaluating different CSPs to help you match them to your business requirements and yield the best possible results

Migration Strategy

It’s an essential part of the process to develop a data migration strategy that incorporates the mapping of data, data transfer methods, and data validation services. Part of this involves identification of any critical data assets, and their classification based on their sensitivity and manner of use.

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Once the data has been thoroughly assessed and all security and compliance concerns have been met, migration can take place.

Security and Compliance

Any company dealing with large amounts of data will naturally be concerned about security and compliance. Your business may need robust identity and access management, as well as encryption. Any other security and compliance controls need to be transparent and well-understood to ensure responsible handling of your business’s data. 

Our expertise in cloud security can ensure that your data remains protected in a cloud environment. We understand that data is sensitive in more ways than one, and so we view this aspect as extremely critical.

Application Compatibility

Evaluating the compatibility of your existing applications with a cloud migration is important. There might be a need to implement wide-ranging application modernisation.

We can help you determine whether applications need to be refactored, rehosted, or replaced, as well as which applications need to be retired if they do not align with the cloud architecture. This process will ensure a more seamless transition and can help improve the efficiency of your IT infrastructure.

Other Considerations

Migrating to cloud computing can sometimes require an overhaul of digital processes and procedures, which will necessitate training and change management. Management should be cognisant of the need to educate teams about the cloud environment, as well as the new processes and benefits. NetEffects can help you through this transitionary period.

Ensuring a smooth transition requires performance monitoring, and optimisation strategies should also be rolled out to regularly assess and optimise the cloud infrastructure. This usually means better performance and cost efficiencies over time.

A disaster recovery plan should also be implemented as a backup, in the event of cloud service disruptions. Any backup and recovery mechanisms need to be well thought out and implemented in advance to mitigate potential cloud computing service failures.

The adoption of cloud computing requires a strategic transformation that relies on a well-defined roadmap and the right kind of expertise.

Here at NetEffects Gold Coast, we can offer the right kind of partnership to help you navigate the complexities of cloud adoption.

Contact us today or download our brochure to find out how we can assist.