The cloud computing revolution is well underway, with around 85% of businesses now adopting a multi-cloud strategy. Nonetheless, like any new technology, migrating to the cloud presents its fair share of teething pains that can wreak havoc on a company that’s not adequately prepared.
To ensure your company enjoys a seamless transition to the cloud, it’s essential to have a plan in place. Typically, your cloud computing roadmap will start with a detailed analysis of your current systems conducted by an experienced IT consultant. But before that, it’s important to familiarize yourself with some of the most common mistakes businesses make when migrating to the cloud.
#1. Not Determining Your Bandwidth Needs
If there’s one major drawback to migrating to the cloud, it’s that it often requires much more bandwidth. Since cloud-based services and applications are all delivered over the internet, you’re going to want the fastest and most reliable connection available in your area. Bandwidth requirements vary enormously from one company to the next, so you need to ensure your ISP doesn’t restrict access if you end up downloading too much. This is particularly important for bandwidth-heavy tasks, such as video conferencing and cloud data archival, as well as for full virtual computing environments.
#2. Not Having Suitable Service Level Agreements
SLAs are written expectations outlining roles and responsibilities, disaster-response plans, deployment models, and security and privacy requirements. When you enter into a contract with a managed services provider, it will be the most important document of all. While a managed services provider doesn’t have any control over factors pertaining to your ISP, they should offer service level agreements that clearly define the minimum standard of service they’re obligated to offer. In other words, you need to choose a vendor that has a proven track record of responding promptly and providing round-the-clock support.
#3. Choosing the Wrong Cloud Provider
Unsurprisingly, not all managed services providers are made equal, but it’s not all about a company’s reputation and reviews. Information technology is enormously diverse, and there are different solutions for different industries. For example, a legal firm will likely have a very different set of requirements compared to a real estate agent. As such, you should be wary of cloud providers that claim they can work with any company of any size, regardless of industry. Instead, look out for vendors and consultants who understand the unique needs of your business by providing specialized solutions for different industries.
#4. Forgetting About Hidden Costs
Back in 2012, rogue cloud deployments affected up to 77% of businesses; but while things have improved significantly in the last few years, there are still hidden costs to look out for. From a cost perspective, cloud computing is meant to be flexible, meaning you should have to pay only for the services you need. Be particularly wary of additional price hikes when adding more users, online storage space, or apps. Another hidden cost to be wary of includes vendor lock-in costs, which remain a common service delivery technique designed to discourage customers from using other products and services.
#5. Assuming Adequate Security Safeguards Are in Place
Cloud computing typically promises to offer better security for your data. After all, vendors should have the resources to ensure your business’s data is stored safely off-site in the best hands. Nonetheless, you should never automatically assume that deep security controls will be in place as soon as you migrate to the cloud. This is doubly true for highly regulated industries, such as healthcare and legal, where strict compliance rules determine how you and any managed services provider you hire can use and store your data. When evaluating a provider, don’t be afraid to ask questions regarding risk assessments, data storage locations, and security protocols used.
Here at SpectrumWise, we understand the concerns many businesses have when they’re thinking about making the move to the cloud. That’s why we offer hassle-free solutions, including IT consulting and on-demand services. Call us today to learn how we can make technology work for you.
