What is cloud migration?
Cloud migration refers to the process of moving data, applications and other digital assets from on-premises services to cloud-based platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS).
How is a cloud migration performed?
A standard cloud migration exercise normally begins with an assessment. During assessment, the team performing the migration would identify the key applications and data that need to be migrated to the cloud. Once the assessment is done, the exercise would then move to the planning stages which requires the team to choose the appropriate cloud platform, plan out a migration strategy, and identify potential risks and challenges that may occur during the migration.
Finally, the team executes the migration by moving the predetermined applications and data to the team. In order to ensure that the transition to the cloud does not negatively impact the business’s customers, testing and validations are performed before the exercise is concluded.
Why are businesses moving their operations to the cloud?
The popularity of cloud migration can be attributed to two key factors – scalability and cost effectiveness.
Cloud-based platforms gives businesses the ability to scale their infrastructure to meet fluctutating demands. For operations that experience seasonal peaks, or for those that are expecting rapid growth for a short period of time, the ability to scale their operations up or down at an instant provides greater flexibility. Additionally, the ability to access these platforms no matter where you are in the world makes it highly accessible and efficient.
In terms of cost, migrating to the cloud means that businesses no longer need to invest in on-premises hardware. Coupled that with pay-as-you-go pricing models which may include maintenance as a service offering, and cloud migration may end up saving businesses a significant chunk of operational costs per year.
Is the cloud the future?
With the overwhelming amount of pros that cloud offers, it is no surprise that more and more businesses are looking to bring their operations to the cloud. Needless to say, more businesses will steadily adopt cloud-based platforms as a means to stay competitive in this increasingly digital world.