The Essential Checklist for a Successful Cloud Migration

The cloud has become an increasingly popular destination for organizations looking to improve their IT infrastructure. The benefits of cloud computing are well-documented and include improved scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. 

However, migrating to the cloud is not a trivial task. There are many factors to consider, and the process can be complex and time-consuming. To ensure a successful cloud migration, you must carefully plan and prepare for the move. 

This checklist will help you do just that. It covers all the essential steps for successful cloud migration, from assessing your current infrastructure to testing your new setup. Follow these steps, and you’ll be on your way to enjoying the benefits of the cloud in no time. 

What Makes a Good Cloud Migration? 

There are many factors to consider when planning a cloud migration. Here are some key things to keep in mind: 

1. Assess Your Current Infrastructure 

Before planning your cloud migration, you need to examine your current infrastructure closely. This includes your on-premises data center and any public cloud resources you may use. 

Evaluate your existing hardware and software to determine which components can be moved to the cloud and which need to stay on-premises. Make sure to consider any dependencies or integrations the migration may impact. 

For example, consider whether the application can be run in a virtual environment, and whether it would benefit from the scalability and flexibility of the cloud. Once you understand your current infrastructure well, you can begin planning your cloud migration. 

2. Define Your Goals and Objectives 

Once you have a clear picture of your current infrastructure, it’s time to start thinking about your goals for the cloud migration. What are you hoping to achieve? Are you looking to improve scalability and performance? Or are you simply trying to reduce costs? Defining your goals upfront will help you make better decisions throughout the migration process. 

If your goal is simply to save money on infrastructure costs, you must carefully consider how much you are willing to spend on cloud services. On the other hand, if you want to improve scalability and performance, you must focus on choosing the right cloud provider that can place your workloads in the correct cloud.  

3. Choose the Right Cloud for your Workloads 

Once you’ve selected the best cloud to place your workloads, it’s time to start planning the actual migration. This process can be complex, so it’s crucial to create a detailed plan that covers all the necessary steps. 

There are many types of cloud infrastructures, but not all of them are right for every business. It’s essential to choose the right cloud environment for your needs. Here are some of the most popular cloud platforms Otava can assist you with. 

Azure Cloud 

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing infrastructure developed by Microsoft that allows businesses to create, deploy, and maintain applications and services worldwide. It offers Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions. 

Azure offers a comprehensive set of services that can be used to create and deploy various applications. These services include virtual machines, cloud services, and Azure storage. 

Public Cloud 

The public cloud is a collection of computers that run independently, connected through the Internet. The public cloud, known as third-party hosting, involves providers who provide services at an agreed-upon service level agreement (SLA). Services may be rapidly supplied and released with minimal management, involvement, or contact with the provider. 

Private Cloud 

A private cloud is a computing environment controlled and maintained by a single company or organization. Private clouds have greater control over data and applications than public clouds and are more configurable. They are best used for specific workloads, like running critical apps or storing sensitive data.  

Hybrid Cloud 

A hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private clouds that are kept separate but may be linked. Your company’s hybrid cloud strategy allows for greater extensibility, and are often leveraged to address the broadly different types of data and workloads organizations manage.  

4. Create a Detailed Migration Plan 

Any business considering moving to the cloud needs to create a detailed migration plan. This plan should take into account the specific needs of the business, as well as its budget and timeline. To ensure a successful cloud migration, the following items should be included in the plan: 

• A clear business case for moving to the cloud. The decision to migrate to the cloud should be based on a thorough analysis of the potential benefits and risks. 
• A roadmap for migrating workloads and data. This roadmap should identify which workloads and data will be migrated and when. 

• A governance framework for ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. This framework should address security, privacy, and data retention issues. 
• A plan for managing costs. Cloud migration can be expensive, so it is important to understand the costs involved clearly. 
• A strategy for communication and change management. Moving to the cloud can be disruptive, so it is important to have a plan for communicating with employees, customers, and other stakeholders.  

Businesses can increase their chances of migrating successfully to the cloud by creating a detailed migration plan. 

5. Execute the Migration Plan 

 With your plan in hand, it’s time to start executing the migration. This will likely be a multi-step process, so be sure to follow your plan closely and make adjustments as needed. 

Once the migration is complete, testing your new cloud-based infrastructure is essential. This will help ensure that everything is working as expected and that there are no surprises down the road. 

Lastly, monitoring your infrastructure and fine-tuning it as needed is important. This will help ensure optimal performance and maximize the benefits of your cloud investment. 

Key Considerations of a Migration Provider 

There are a few key considerations that you should require from any potential cloud migration provider. Here they are, along with a description of why each one is important: 

•  Ease of use: The provider should offer an easy-to-use platform that makes it simple to get started with migrating your data and applications to the cloud. 
• Flexibility: The provider should offer various options for how your data and applications are migrated to the cloud, so you can choose the approach that best fits your needs. 
• Scalability: The provider should be able to scale their services to accommodate your growing data and application needs as you migrate more and more data to the cloud. 

• Security: The provider should offer robust security features to protect your data and applications during and after migration. 
• Support: The provider should offer 24/7 support if you encounter any issues during the migration process. 

Bottom Line 

There are a lot of factors to consider when planning a successful cloud migration. You need to think about everything – from which applications and data you’ll migrate, to how you’ll ensure a smooth transition for your users. 

Otava can be your trusted partner in your next migration. We have experience migrating data and applications to all major cloud providers, including Azure. We’ve performed hundreds of successful cloud migrations and can help you plan and execute your migration smoothly, so you can focus on running your business. To learn more about our cloud migration services, visit our website or contact us today.