Cloud computing has been the key catalyst for driving digital transformation at an unprecedented pace. It played a key role in enabling organisations to survive one of the most difficult times in human existence. Those organisations that were already equipped with cloud computing before the pandemic hit were able to effectively navigate the economic crisis and thrive in an uncertain marketplace.
As organisations continue to advance their business initiative, experts predict that more and more organisations will opt for a cloud environment instead of relying on traditional legacy systems. In fact, as per a report, the global cloud computing market is expected to surge to USD 623 billion by 2023 up from 272 billion by 2018 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18 per cent during the forecast period. But many organisations still find it difficult to tap into the potential of cloud migration. This is hugely influenced by factors such as cloud costs, data security as well as internal resistance to change.
With the growth of cloud computing expected to skyrocket in the coming years, organisations will need to be prepared to navigate the complexities of cloud computing challenges. Not only will it help them to exploit the advanced features of cloud computing but will provide them a competitive edge in today’s rapidly changing marketplace.
Here are a few cloud migration challenges that organisations should be aware of and the steps they should take to tackle them:
- Having a negative perspective on financial investments
One of the critical challenges organisations face when migrating to the cloud is believing that it will cost a hefty monetary investment. Even though the long-term return on cloud investments includes increased efficiency, reduced IT expenditure, along with streamlined processes in the long-term, the initial investment can appear a bit expensive. Moreover, cloud migration comes with financial challenges at every step, beginning from rewriting application architecture for the cloud to investing in the right infrastructure and tools to migrate successfully. It also requires training the staff as well as upgrading the user base on the latest systems and processes, tackling latency, interoperability, dependencies on the non-cloud applications, and downtime.
However, as per industry experts, taking the decision of initially investing in cloud computing can deliver good results along with great savings and benefits in the long run. Also, any unnecessary cost associated with cloud migration can be easily tackled by preparing from the beginning itself.
- Lacking a foolproof plan
Not having a foolproof blueprint for cloud migration can lead to certain failures. While the cloud helps organisations to streamline operations and processes, adoption of the cloud can be an exhaustive process.
Migrating critical business infrastructures and assets to the cloud requires organisations to properly plan and brainstorm otherwise it will have a negative impact on the business operations in the long run. Hence, organisations should lay out a detailed cloud migration plan. They should then analyse their business objectives as well as current assets thoroughly to pick the most appropriate strategy as well as the points they need to integrate them.
- Vendor-Lock-in
Vendor lock-in is one of the most common issues faced by enterprises during cloud adoption. While many cloud providers promise to offer a range of services, most of them cannot be extended to other cloud platforms. If organisations want to switch to another cloud provider, it is often a lengthy and costly process.
Instead of relying on a single vendor to meet their requirements, enterprises should choose to go hybrid. With a multi-cloud approach, organisations can keep the sensitive data on Virtual Private Cloud infrastructure and non-sensitive services on the public cloud. In fact, many organisations are already opting for this type of cloud and a 2022 report from Flexera states that 80 per cent of them are taking a hybrid approach.
- Data security and compliance
Data security and compliance risk have always been a primary concern for cloud migration since most organisations are conscious of hosting sensitive data on third-party security vendors. While a centralised policy can help them to prevent data-related risks to a certain extent, it is often difficult to enforce as it is not easy to understand all the types of risk, access checkpoints as well as authentication methods.
Also Read: Cloud computing and fintech – trends, risks and opportunities
One way to address this issue is by opting for Security as a Service (SaaS) to reduce security risks. In addition, many cloud providers provide pre-built security features to help their customers with data security. Not only that but organisations can also collaborate with cloud vendors to build SaaS to ensure a better security posture customised to their requirements.
Migrating to the cloud is not an easy process and poses significant challenges that may seem difficult to overcome. The main aim should be to recognise the potential risks and obstacles in the beginning and create a plan to manage them. With careful planning and evaluation with the help of experts and consultants, it is possible to create a robust cloud migration strategy for seamless cloud adoption. This can lead to cost savings and productivity and help companies move towards digital transformation and reap the benefits.
Views expressed by Rahul Bogala, Director – IT Solution Engineering, Pre-sales and Products, Rahi
