3 Phases of Successful Cloud Migration

Cloud migration is the process of transferring business elements and information such as forms, data, and applications from a company’s onsite computers to the cloud. It can also involve moving information from one cloud location to another. Cloud migration offers many benefits but can also be a time-consuming and challenging undertaking. However, if you make acquainted yourself with the three phases of successful cloud migration, the odds of a smooth and successful transition dramatically increase. 

The Three Phases of Cloud Migration 

Cloud migrations are rarely a simple process, even with the most in-depth research and preparation. The amount of information to remember is extensive, and the number of things that could go wrong is vast. However, this involvedness shouldn’t deter you from doing all you can to ensure your migration is a success story. The following three phases of a successful cloud migration will help you do so. 

Phase One: Planning-Your Strategy for Success 

It’s important to have a step-by-step strategy when planning a cloud migration. Sticking to your strategy will aid in avoid mistakes, oversights, and errors, helping you to get to your new business environment faster and worse prepared. When creating your cloud migration strategy, the planning stage should include: 

Inventory your business environment. An inventory of your business environment will give you a better idea of how big your move will be, how long it will take, and the sum of downtime and staff hours needed. Completing this inventory prior to the move prevents surprises during the process. 

• Reorganize your business environment. Before making the move to the cloud, reorganize your business environment. Doing so can help you to decide what needs to be moved and what can be left behind. 

• Perform a remigration check. A simple premigration check enables you to locate the workflows and business forms in your system and will offer additional on the way into how to best move them. 

• Prepare your destination. It’s important that your new business environment is in “move in” condition when you’re ready to make the transfer. You wouldn’t move into a new house without doing a little prep work, and the same idea applies to your new cloud environment.

• Open the lines of statement. Be sure you are communicating with your employees. Updating your staff about what’s happening, the migration progress, how long it will take, and additional details helps them know what to expect and eases the transition. 

• Perform a test migration. With a simple test migration, you will be able to see potential troubles beforehand, allowing you to make necessary adjustments and changes. A test migration is a sure way to prevent surprises and unexpected issues. 
  
  

Phase Two: Migration-Making the Move 

The second step is where the heavy lifting occurs, as this phase is the one in which you in point of fact move content, data, and workflows to the cloud. If the first phase planning has been done well, phase two should be fairly straightforward and without incident. The goal of phase two is to develop a completely new technology operating model for your company, which will be faster, more effective, and more efficient. You can employ automated management and migration tools to ensure the execution of a smooth and successful cloud migration.  

Phase Three: Post Migration Management-Your New Business Environment 

After you’ve completed the cloud migration, there is still plenty of work to be done. You next need to make sure everything is in working order and stays that way. In addition, back up your new business environment and remove the old environment to prevent conflicts and issues.