Are you looking to expand your business, cut costs on resources, and gain access to a better technology infrastructure? If so, it might be time to consider moving your current operations from being hosted on-premise to cloud migration. In this blog post, we will discuss the advantages of switching from an on-premises service model in favor of leveraging the power of cloud computing for your business.
We’ll discuss why it’s wise for entrepreneurs and businesses to use reliable cloud applications that can scale according to their needs. So keep reading if you want the lowdown on how secure, scalable, and economical these cloud solutions can be for your business!
Why Move from On-Premise to Cloud Computing?
On-premise systems take up valuable resources with their large hardware investments and frequent maintenance requirements, which isn’t sustainable if you’re looking for scalability. Cloud migration moves data, applications, and other IT services into the cloud. Cloud-based solutions make all of that a thing of the past by allowing instant access to computing and storage capabilities without needing custom hardware or an onsite IT staff.
That way, you can maintain a small physical footprint while leveraging unlimited computing power from the cloud – that’s what makes it worth considering the shift from on-premise to cloud migration.
What types of services do businesses run in the cloud?
Businesses of all sizes are seeing the benefits of cloud computing – the ability to access and manage data, software, and applications entirely online. Common types of services provided by the cloud include:
- file sharing and notifications
- analytics tools
- customer relationship management (CRM),
- enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
- basic productivity tools like word processing or spreadsheet editing
Companies also use cloud storage for backups; in case of a disaster, an entire system can be backed up and running in minutes! Ultimately, the sky’s the limit regarding how businesses run using cloud technology – almost any service conceivable can be moved onto a secure server hosted offsite through a reputable provider.
Is the cloud safer?
Generally, cloud services are always utilizing the most up-to-date security measures, including encryption, which can often be more secure than specific local IT infrastructures or configurations. Additionally, many cloud services offer two-factor or multi-factor authentication for an extra layer of security and can prevent unauthorized access or fraud.
If set up right, the cloud can have enhanced security features over on-premise solutions and potentially be safer. However, as with any technology, you should always do your due diligence when selecting a cloud provider. Make sure they have robust security protocols and policies in place; otherwise, your data could be at risk regardless of where it resides.
Benefits of On-Premise to Cloud Migration
When businesses switch from on-premise to cloud migration, they enjoy a range of advantages. Here are the key benefits businesses experience with on-premise to cloud migrations:
Scalability
With cloud solutions, you can quickly and easily scale up or down depending on your current needs. You no longer have to worry about investing in new physical servers or waiting around while they are configured, you request additional capacity from your chosen CSP, and it’s at your disposal right away! And, there’s no need to worry about software licenses as most CSPs offer an auto-scale feature to maintain appropriate levels of resources with changing demand spikes – giving you peace of mind.
Cost-Effectiveness
Rather than having an in-house team of IT professionals and associated hardware expenses, many major CSPs provide reliable tools and cost optimization support, so you’ll only be paying for what you need. Moreover, with the added security of improved business continuity and disaster recovery, switching to a cloud solution is often a surefire way for businesses, large or small, to make some serious savings.
Security
Moving to the cloud usually means greater compliance with industry standards, government regulations, and other measures which help keep data safe. In addition, more prominent companies often have access to more sophisticated tools beyond the reach of SMBs or start-ups – but when it comes to the cloud, these companies can take advantage of these top-notch security products too.
Performance
For businesses overgrowing across multiple geographic locations, the on-premise to cloud migration process could make all the difference in their performance. However, onsite data centers can be a significant limiting factor in remote and distributed functioning since there is an inevitable physical distance between them and those they need access.
The cloud, however, provides unbeatable flexibility by allowing companies to host websites and applications near whatever remote individual or group they need. This means that no matter how widespread or diverse their reach becomes, employees and users won’t have to worry about losing speed due to latency issues.
What are the five most common cloud migration strategies?
For a successful cloud migration, organizations must determine the objectives for migration, set up a timeline and budget, and identify any potential issues. Finally, they need to specify which workloads should be moved to the cloud, including any services and applications they will have to buy. Then, as suggested by Gartner, these enterprises can pick one of the five considerations outlined in their “5 Rs” system as part of their cloud migration strategy.
- Rehost – Rehosting is an excellent option for businesses that want to quickly create cloud solutions by moving their existing applications, data, and workloads from the on-premise data center to the cloud ‘as-is.’
- Revise – Revising an application might involve adjusting it to run better on a different platform – although the overall architecture and logic would stay intact.
- Refactor – When it comes to refactoring, companies must look within their existing codebase and re-architect the applications to gain full access to cloud features and functionality.
- Rebuild – This is where an organization completely redesigns and rewrites its application to become compatible with the cloud’s architecture.
- Replace – When it comes to replacing, the existing application is discarded entirely and swapped out with a cloud-native alternative – meaning it was designed to take advantage of scalable cloud-related technology like serverless offerings.
What are the types of cloud computing?
There are three broad types of cloud computing:
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): SaaS is when you use an existing software application provided by a third party.
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS): PaaS is similar, but instead of buying the service, you buy the underlying platform and architecture to build applications.
Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS): IaaS is the lowest level, providing access to virtual resources over the internet, including hardware, memory bandwidth, and storage.
Each type has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, so organizations must research each to select the best option for their company.
Challenges of On-Premise to Cloud Migration
Moving to the cloud can open up new opportunities, but it can also bring obstacles. However, by having the right strategies and partners in place, these cloud migration challenges can be avoided:
Cost overruns: Migration-related expenses, TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), bandwidth needs, and resource allocation need to be considered to ensure that your business will benefit rather than be hindered by the transition.
Databases: Moving your business from an on-premises environment to the cloud environment can take longer than other app workload migrations. However, you can minimize the disruption with careful consideration and collaboration between your cloud vendor representative and the IT team.
Legacy infrastructure and apps: Legacy systems developed before the rise of cloud computing present additional difficulties, as re-platforming, refactoring, or replacing these resources must be considered carefully. It’s essential to consider this ahead of time during the planning stage so that the best decision is made on how to handle legacy technology.
Security: While cloud service providers can secure their infrastructure, they cannot protect the workloads and data you migrate to the cloud. To ensure maximum protection during cloud migration, it’s vital to deploy and maintain a cloud firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), which covers your cloud resources and any other on-premises infrastructure.
What to Do with the Leftover On-Premise Gear?
Get paid to rehome your old gear with Exit Technologies. Just send a list using the form to get a quote. Once you accept, we’ll issue supplies, packing teams, a truck, etc. to ensure the gear is packed and shipped properly. Once at our R2v3 certified facility, we’ll produce serialized erasure reports of data bearing equipment. The final report will include product received, value thereof, and a check. Not ready yet? Feel free to reach out to our team by phone or email with questions or bookmark our website. We’re happy to share our 25 years of expertise to help your organization make a smooth transition to the cloud!
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