Cloud Migration Challenges
There is so much buzz around the cloud technology and rightly so because the number of enterprises that are jumping into this bandwagon has increased and this is brought out by the statistics that show a 60% jump from the previous year’s 19%. But, this means that there a lot more companies still reluctant to embrace the cloud platform and this is not entirely surprising given the key cloud migration challenges associated with this migration. The cloud may, no doubt, be convenient and affordable, but the primary disadvantages that come to the fore during its migration process are the training, security and lag time.
Enterprise Cloud Migration Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Adequate Staff Training:
Most of the enterprises have staff that is undoubtedly the best when it comes to handling data servers on-premise. The IT department has the skill to maintain the on-premise data security infrastructure as they have been handling it for a long time. But when it comes to cloud security, enterprises face an acute shortage of trained personnel and the process of imparting sessions will take time till they get accustomed to it. The best solution is brought about by working in tandem with the cloud service providers and leveraging consultants from them to help enterprises make the transition from on-premise to the power of the cloud.
Strategy for Deployment, Integration & Adoption:
When moving to the cloud, the entire software/hardware infrastructure has to be redesigned properly. There should be appropriate use of advanced tools and technology and with a proper deployment strategy in place; perfect implementation of the cloud services is possible. The business, software and the process has to be integrated. Once all the system has been installed and updated then it is for the enterprises to adapt to the changes as smoothly as possible.
Addressing the Usual Skill Gaps:
When migrating to the cloud, enterprises face the challenge of a gap in the skills required for the smooth and efficient operation of the cloud workloads. Any cloud infrastructure needs appropriate software, cloud security concepts, and optimization techniques for metered services and these are the exact areas where organizations face pressure due to the lack of it. Many of the enterprises struggle with the auto-scaling techniques even after the deployment of cloud services and hence fail to achieve even the bare minimum advantages of cloud computing.
Speed & Bandwidth:
Before the enterprises plan to shift data to cloud, they need to evaluate their internet connection because it is crucial to the performance of the cloud apps. If the bandwidth is poor, the reliability suffers big time. The local network may be fast and easy to send data of the enterprises, but when the whole company works on the cloud server through a single connection then speed and workload suffer. Hence, enterprises need to prepare for how much data is moving around and see if it works for it.
Security Maintenance as Well as Security Management:
One of the key components needed in a cloud environment is data security. The on-premise security is completely different from that in a cloud and the attempt of the enterprises should be in managing one efficiently. Also, the compliance measures are to be taken into consideration when migrating to cloud. Proper protocols are to be in place in the midst of migration and post-migration so that the data remains safe and secure.
Overcome Cloud Migration Risks through CASB Solution
The challenges with cloud migration can be dealt with if the enterprises take up the security challenges critically. The cloud service providers along with the services of Cloud Access Security Brokers, who provide their efficient CASB solutions can collectively help enterprises to achieve compliance and keep the confidential data secure over the cloud network. Cloud security is a shared responsibility between the service provider and the enterprise and with the implementation of effective CASB solutions, enterprises can rest assured that the data on the cloud is safe and secure. With the proper strategy in place for its deployment like adequate staff training sessions, leveraging the help of cloud service providers, and implementing CASB solutions for cloud security will help enterprises to smoothly migrate and adopt the cloud.