4 Things Customers Should Understand About Cloud Migration
Whether you are migrating data to the cloud or already have data and want to make a cloud-to-cloud move, it's wise to take the time to understand the process and its implications. Let's examine four issues all cloud migration consulting services providers will discuss with their customers.
Public vs. Private / Unsecured vs. Secured
A lot of cloud resources are deployed as public-facing properties that don't require many, if any, types of security. Other systems will be fundamentally private, and they may require extensive security. Likewise, there will be public-facing setups that demand strong security.
It's easy to get caught in the trap of throwing all your data into one basket. Instances need to be configured to maximize security. When there are mixed requirements, the public versus private and unsecured versus secured items need to be segregated in a manner that avoids exposing sensitive information.
For example, an online store might have public elements like images that it wants to be easily accessible. There would also be transactional components that have to be highly secure. It's important to ensure that a mixed environment has appropriate protocols to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive items.
Appropriateness
Another factor to examine with a cloud migration consulting professional is whether the solution is appropriate to your application's requirements. Some mission-critical systems, for example, may need to operate on-site to avoid connectivity and security issues. Don't rush to move your whole operation to the cloud. Examine how appropriate a specific application may be to a cloud-based solution.
Compliance
Some industries have to comply with certain requirements regarding data privacy. For example, folks in the healthcare field have to maintain patient privacy in accordance with HIPAA. Take the time to assess all of the regulatory frameworks that apply to the data your company wishes to migrate. When you choose a cloud services provider, it's critical that they can deliver a solution that'll keep your business in compliance.
Planning for a Transition
As you begin the migration, you should give some thought to how everything will transition. You might have a transactional database, for example, that has to be taken offline for a couple of hours during the migration to ensure sales don't get lost. Similarly, testing will need to be done to verify that things like virtual machine instances will function properly. It never hurts to be too nit-picky, so make a list of everything that has to make the transition smoothly and present it to your cloud migration consulting partner.