Although our lifestyle here on Delmarva can go at a somewhat different pace than our counterparts on the mainland, adopting successful business standards is not an area where we want to be lagging. Cloud computing is now mainstream among businesses and can make your life so much easier with its optimal access, productivity and security.
Thinking of moving your business processes to the cloud? Here are the top 10 things that you need to take into consideration.
CHECKLIST: MOVING TO THE CLOUD
- Decide what goes to the cloud – and what may need to stay in the office
You don’t want to jump into cloud computing just because it’s popular. Here at Cards, we are huge fans of the cloud, but we only recommend it when it is the right way to go for our clients. We take the time to talk with you to determine what is the best blend of efficiency, security and cost savings for your business. Often, a hybrid approach with some functions in the cloud and some on premise is the best. - Map out the plan
Once it’s determined that the cloud is the best route for you, mapping out the plan is next. You can phase in your cloud migration or implement everything at once. Your business’s future needs also need to be considered. - Find the right cloud provider
Determine which cloud service provider you want to work with based upon your specific business needs and reasons. There are almost as many cloud providers as there are clouds! Cards Technology has the expertise to guide you to the best choice. Do you need to facilitate a mobile workforce? Increase security of your data? Microsoft Azure and the accompanying apps in Office 365 are industry leaders and also prioritize security at the tune of $1 billion a year. - Get your apps and data ready for the move
Survey how much data you have and what you want to store in the cloud. You also need to figure out which processes and apps go to the cloud. Some businesses have line-of-business software that isn’t compatible with the cloud. An animal hospital we worked with uses a veterinary app that isn’t cloud-ready so that app remains on local computers. A newspaper client has huge graphic files that are too large to store and readily access in the cloud. Move what makes sense: email is a logical first step, for example. - Train your staff
Teach your employees the company strategy on what files go where in the cloud and why and how to navigate the cloud to easily find the information they need to do their jobs. Don’t forget to budget time and money to maximize your seamless cloud transition. - Review your security situation
Before migrating to the cloud, make sure security risks are addressed and discussed. Your security concerns should be the same in the cloud, but you have more depth to your protection with the cloud provider’s security in place. - Write cloud policies
Your company can accommodate anytime, anywhere access on the cloud under the guidance of a remote access policy. This outlines who has access to what information and apps based upon their job roles. - Address internet connectivity
To run your IT systems on the cloud, you must have a reliable, fast internet connection – or two. A fiber optic connection is more reliable than cable. It’s also a good idea to have a redundant secondary internet connection so if one system goes down, it fails over to the other. - Schedule your migration window
To reduce downtime during cloud migrations, stage the moves on weekends or evenings to keep employee productivity high. - Call Cards Technology which is right here on Delmarva to help you with your decisions about moving to the cloud. Call 410-208-3933