Are you on the verge of starting your cloud migration journey? Here are a few tips to help guide you through the process.
1. Consider refactoring monolithic applications
Decomposing monolithic applications into services or microservices before moving to the cloud could bring a better return on investment than just using the cloud as another application co-location solution.
A monolithic application is a software system composed of a single, cohesive unit of code, normally self-contained and independent from other systems or applications. While moving to the cloud, this kind of application is possible, but it’s important to note that planning is critical as migration should be known to be an involved process.
It’s recommended to evaluate the specific needs of the application and infrastructure before deciding to move to the cloud and work with an experienced team of architects and developers who can help plan and execute the migration.
2. Consider a hybrid model
Hybrid models are a mix of on-premises and cloud technologies that can be best suited for legacy systems too complex for complete cloud migration.
We believe that all larger organizations will at least move toward a hybrid model if they choose not to migrate completely after evaluation and that smaller organizations will follow suit.
Still, this migration can be complex given the relation between systems. It is easier to move an on-premises system to the cloud completely than partially since the integration planning needs to consider the interrelations between on-premises and the cloud in the system to preserve its security, integrity, and availability, but hybrid models do and will work.
3. Evaluation and planning
Cloud migration requires planning and adequate resourcing. Every step of the process needs to be determined carefully. A well-mapped starting point will save headaches and smooth the entire process.
Companies must recognize that not every company has all the ‘teams’ ready to move from a traditional model to a cloud one.” The cloud has many roles and disciplines to consider: Architects, DevOps, Security, Networking, and Finance. These may not be typical roles in traditional companies, especially at the start-up stage.
You can choose between developing the right individuals within the organization or collaborating with a partner to obtain these abilities. Cloud migration is difficult to accomplish alone, especially a cloud project following the industry’s best practices and blueprints that have already been proven to work. As an organization, you can start alone and take the first steps in the cloud, but to ensure that it grows organically and is secure and highly available, you will require external guidance.
You will also need to acknowledge data protection and regulations best practices, among the most common motives preventing companies from moving to the cloud. Storing data in the cloud can be more secure than doing so in an on-premises system, BUT…you need to learn how to secure your data in the cloud and how contracts with cloud providers work. For example, regulators may tell you your company data can’t be stored outside the country.
4. Utilize already-validated designs
Minimize your efforts and maximize the vast cloud migration and implementation resources.
Using models and best practices validated by the industry will speed up the cloud migration process. Don’t lose time creating what is already available and what’s been tried and tested in the cloud; there are many resources you can utilize. Large cloud providers like Microsoft and Amazon already have blueprints for most cloud workloads.
5. Doing it at the right time
The right time for cloud migration is when it is the right time for your organization; you have the time and the resources. This will all depend on your individual business circumstances.
When considering cloud migration, organizations should not waste time analyzing how the cloud can help their business. The truth is that your competitors are planning to or have already moved to the cloud.
Signs that it is the right time to move to the cloud:
When building a new software product
When you need to keep an application or applications up to date
When making a large data center investment
Before renewing with a data center third-party service
Above all, scalability is the most incredible tool made available by the cloud. Cloud-enabled companies thrive on scalability: becoming able to process large quantities of data through machine learning and analytics can be highly challenging with on-premises resources. The cloud democratizes having access to tools too complex such as AI and machine learning to analyze tons of data.
Are you ready to start your cloud journey? For more information as you plan your migration to the cloud, please contact us.
Welcome back to the final part of our 3-part Cloud Adoption Missteps series where we will be going over some of the errors and mistakes that take place during the governance and organization stages of the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure. The first two parts of the series gave insight into earlier steps in the framework process, what they entail, and common cloud adoption missteps that can arise. To read an overview of what the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure is and some of the antipatterns that take place during the first 2 stages of the framework, click here. If you would like to check out the second part of the series, “Common Cloud Adoption Missteps Part 2: Adoption and Management Stages”, you can read it here.
The conclusion of the Cloud Adoption Missteps series will cover antipatterns in the governance and organization stages. We will share what goes on during these steps, common antipatterns, and some strategies to mitigate the antipatterns that may arise.
Governance Stage
Taking organizations to the cloud is a complex yet highly rewarding process as we’ve clearly outlined in the past. However, it’s important to note that constant cloud governance must take place to create a strong cloud governance foundation. To learn some of the governance methodologies for the cloud, read this guide from Microsoft.
There are 3 main antipatterns that take place during this stage in the Cloud Adoption Framework: misunderstanding responsibility, straying too far from the compliance framework requirements, and using custom compliance.
Misaligned Shared Responsibilities
Though the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure is well-defined and clearly laid out, it can still be difficult to recognize where your organization’s responsibilities end and your cloud service provider’s (CSP) begins. Oftentimes that line gets blurred and that’s when the problems begin. Whether it’s security concerns or non-compliant servers, it’s important to address those issues right away.
By building a “readiness plan”, you and your CSP can find that middle ground that works for everyone. A readiness plan focuses on capturing concerns, identifying gaps, and partnering with other teams to overcome this hurdle. For a more detailed look into what a readiness plan entails, check out Microsoft’s guide here.
Inaccurate Security Assumptions
It’s easy to assume that the move to the cloud is automatically a security upgrade, and that’s not necessarily wrong; however, it’s not a great idea to assume that out-of-the-box solutions provide security. Focusing on adhering to the compliance standards for Azure and using Azure portal ensures more stable security. Learn more about the Azure Security Centre here.
Custom Compliance or Governance Frameworks
The third and final antipattern that takes place during the governance stage is the use of a custom compliance or governance framework. Integrating these custom frameworks is very time consuming, especially when translating them to cloud settings. This will significantly slow down the cloud adoption process. Instead, rely on existing frameworks while making that transition to the cloud. It allows for ease, simplicity, and measurability of security settings. After making that transition is a good time to look at custom frameworks.
Organization Stage
The final stage in the Azure Cloud Adoption Framework is the organization stage. It looks at managing and organizing people (teams), structure, and the roles each person plays. Oftentimes, customers face cloud adoption missteps during the organizational stage due to a variety of aspects. The antipatterns that we will cover are 4 of the biggest missteps that often take place: utilizing IT as a cost centre, platform developing without approval, outsourcing core business functions, and hiring technical decision makers rather than cloud engineers. For more information on the organization stage in the cloud adoption framework, check out this overview by Microsoft.
Treating IT as a Cost Centre
When organizations or employees start to see IT as a cost centre rather than an enabler, pushing growth and success, there is reduced motivation in the long run. IT feels discouraged and along with that, management feels as though IT is slow and inefficient.
Rather than viewing IT as a cost centre, try and see it as an enabler. By viewing IT as an agent with operating expenses, transparency, accountability, and optimization as are all maximized.
Investing in New Technology Without Involving the Business
Different departments all have separate functions to focus on. So it’s easy to forget that there are other business units that could be affected by even the smallest decisions. For example, if IT fails to consider business units while making design and structural decisions, it can lead to platforms that aren’t optimized or properly functioning for the business units. This leads to frustration and poor/ineffective adoption of the new platforms.
Instead, involve business units in the decision-making process. This eliminates the risk that those teams will not be able to implement or adopt new platforms. It takes into account the preferences and needs of the business units and creates a more cohesive platform that works for everyone.
Outsourcing Core Business Functions
When running an organization, it’s easy to get caught up in outsourcing business functions to managed service providers (MSPs) and consulting partners. These partnerships can give way to a lot of exciting possibilities. However, it’s crucial to make sure that your company doesn’t become dependent on providers.
Keep critical design areas within your company, regarding subjects like risk, compliance, identity, and government. This ensures that your organization won’t become dependent on external providers, and instead will use them to speed up other important business processes.
Hiring Technical Decision Makers
Finally, the last cloud adoption misstep that we are focusing on in this series is the choice between hiring technical decision makers (TDMs) versus investing in cloud adoption engineers. TDMs are often a great way to get your cloud adoption framework up and running. However, a successful cloud adoption journey needs people with deep technical knowledge such as cloud engineers.
Because cloud engineers are crucial for creating successful landing zones and cloud automations, they can help you realize the true potential of cloud adoption and the benefits that it brings. TDMs can always be brought in for decision-making later in the process, but cloud engineers are the ones with rich engineering knowledge.
Conclusion
This article was the final part of a three-part series focusing on common cloud adoption missteps while using the Azure Cloud Adoption Framework. We hope that you gained a detailed overview of the many stages of the cloud adoption process and what they entail. As well as this, we hope that you are now aware of the antipatterns and cloud adoption missteps that can be easily remedied.
Many organizations find it beneficial to work with a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) when undergoing cloud adoption. Read our article on the benefits of using a CSP.
If you’re interested in having Optimus as your CSP, you can reach us at: info@optimusinfo.com
Welcome back to the Cloud Adoption Missteps series, for part two: focusing on the adoption and management stages. If you haven’t already checked out our first blog post in the series for the Planning and Strategy Phases, check it out here. It covers all the easily remedied errors that one can make when following the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure in the Adoption and Management Stages, and how to avoid them.
In this article, we’ll be focussing on a different part of the cloud adoption framework timeline, the adoption and management stages. We’ll go over the antipatterns during both of these situations and how the cloud adoption missteps can be avoided. For more detailed information on what the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure entails and why antipatterns are blockers for success, please refer to the aforementioned article linked above.
Common Cloud Adoption Missteps During the Adoption Stage:
The adoption stage of the Cloud Adoption Framework focuses primarily on cloud migration and what it means. Cloud migrations are the different approaches through which workloads can be moved to the cloud. For more details on cloud migration for workloads, you can check out Microsoft’s Azure Migration Guide Overview. There are four antipatterns that can occur during the Adoption Stage that we will be discussing: a lack of guardrails, a lack of assessments, forced architecture, and the use of a single subscription.
Trying to Innovate Without Guardrails
When organizations are first trying to migrate their workloads to the cloud, it can be seemingly simple. It often feels as though there’s a lot of flexibility, which is great. But the majority of the time, when those workloads need to have increased productivity or need to store data, progress will drastically slow. This is where the idea of implementing security and compliance guardrails is highly effective. Guardrails ensure that workloads follow security and compliance regulations. Checking the guardrails with IT is an important step, especially for hybrid workloads. For more information on Azure’s “landing zones” for guardrails, click here.
Attempting to Migrate Without Extensive Assessments
In order to plan accurately for a migration or modernization project, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. Without thorough planning, organizations risk creating a lot of unexpected downtime or missed potential due to not thinking the architecture or other aspects through.
There are a few ways to get around this antipattern. For larger-scale projects, it’s crucial to undergo a thorough infrastructure assessment before the migration process begins. Modernization projects require the identification of coding antipatterns and technical debts. On the other hand, for innovation-based projects, check out this Azure guide for innovative solutions here. Finally, for large projects or workloads that need architecture change, it may be a good idea to undergo an architectural design session.
Using a “One Size Fits All” Approach to Architecture
On the topic of architecture, one of the easiest mistakes to make is dictating your architecture. Assuming that one architecture approach will fit all of your workloads is a grave error. Instead of fixating on one architectural style, for example a microservice architecture approach, undergo an extensive assessment so your decisions can be rooted in data. Choosing an architectural approach just because other organizations are using it and it’s successful for them, doesn’t guarantee favourable outcomes for your own projects.
Trying to Migrate with One Subscription
Finally, trying to utilize only one subscription for all of your organization’s workloads leads to problematically designed landscapes. Then your organization is at risk for running into subscription limits, which would require time-consuming architecture adjustments. The solution is to use segmentation. Separating different tasks for various environments minimizes the chances of hitting subscription limits. Using a segmentation strategy in this situation is key; this article from Microsoft outlines what that could look like. Check it out here.
Common Cloud Adoption Missteps During the Management Stage:
We now move on to the next step of the Cloud Adoption Framework: the management stage. As aforementioned, yes, it is crucial to take care of cloud adoption and remedy those antipatterns, but it is just as important to maintain the operation of your digital assets in order to ensure smooth sailing. Not having a plan to follow in terms of managing cloud solutions, all that progress can slowly fade. There is one main antipattern during the management stage: fixating on IT tool chains.
Neglect of Business Outcomes
It is so easy to get caught up in the ease that modern IT tools create, and the relief that it gives to team members by taking care of small tiresome tasks. And while it is beneficial to take advantage of the positives that new IT tooling has, it’s also important to measure exactly how much each tool chain is helping. The way to do this is by ensuring that your technology and business goals align. By having leaders from each of these areas come together and unanimously create business/technology goals, it’s much more clear as to whether those expectations are being met. Measuring success through business outcomes means that your organization is constantly focused on increased growth.
What’s Next?
This article was the second part of a four-part series focusing on common cloud adoption missteps while using the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure. Stay tuned for our next article which focuses on cloud adoption antipatterns for the next stage of the framework.
Many organizations find it beneficial to work with a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) when undergoing cloud adoption. Read our article on the benefits of using a CSP.
If you’re interested in having Optimus as your CSP, you can reach us at: info@optimusinfo.com
It is estimated that today more than 90% of companies are already using some form of cloud services, while by 2023, the public cloud market is projected to reach $623.3 billion worldwide. These statistics highlight the consistent emerging pattern of businesses migrating their infrastructure from on-premises to the cloud. Industry pundits also claim that it’s no longer a question for companies to ask if they should move to the cloud but rather when.
There are several reasons to it. Adopting the cloud offers improved data access, scalability, and application security while achieving enhanced operational efficiency. A projection by Oracle also predicted that companies can save up to 50% on infrastructure expenses by deploying workloads to a cloud platform.
However, transitioning to the cloud comes with its own set of challenges, with a disclaimer that not every cloud migration project goes as smoothly as intended. While there are a number of factors to failure, a lack of planning and insight before cloud migrations are one of the most prominent reasons for an outright failure. This not only means that the organization’s long-term goals to improve operational efficiency goes for a toss but also result in wasted effort, time, and money.
This article addresses the most common challenges to expect when moving from an on-premises setup to a cloud platform, and how to overcome them.
Common Challenges of an On-Prem to Cloud Migration
As an essential best practice, organizations are required to diligently research and assess the most suitable processes, methodologies and plan every step of the migration to ensure the right decisions are made, and costs are controlled. Here are some key considerations that should be followed as the rule of thumb.
Choosing the Right Model and Service Provider
Choosing the right cloud model for a business and the right service provider can not only make or break the migration project, but also affect its future maintenance and sustainability.
There are 3 cloud models that require an assessment to ascertain the best fit for the company:
Public Clouds are the most popular choice where a service provider owns and manages the entire platform stack of cloud resources – which are then shared to host a number of different clients. Some common examples of such managed service providers are MS Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud.
Private Clouds, on the contrary, don’t share computing resources as they are set up specifically for exclusive use by a single organization. Compared to public clouds, such a framework offers more control over customized needs and is generally used by organizations who have distinct or specific requirements, including security, platform flexibility, enhanced service levels, etc.
Hybrid Clouds are a blend of a public/private cloud used with an on-premises infrastructure. This allows an organization to interchange data and applications between both environments that suit its business process or technical requirements. For businesses that are already invested in on-site hardware, a Hybrid cloud model can ease a gradual transition to the cloud over a long-term period. Additionally, for businesses that are too reliant on Legacy applications, a Hybrid cloud model is often perceived as the model that provides the leeway to adopt new tools while continuing with traditional ones.
Apart from the cloud model, when it comes to selecting a service provider, there are key factors to consider such as
how the data is secured,
Agreed service levels and the provision to customize them,
a guarantee of protection against network disruptions, and
the costs involved.
It is important for an organization to be mindful of vendor lock-in terms, as once the transition starts with migrating data, it can be difficult and costly to switch providers.
What is recommended?
Plan exhaustively on analyzing the current and future architecture, security, and integration requirements. Be clear about the goals of migrating to the cloud and identify the vendors that will most likely help in achieving them. A best practice of choosing the preferred service provider often starts with evaluating the proposed Service Level Agreement (SLA) for maintenance commitments, access to support, and exit clauses that offer flexibility.
Engagement and Adoption from Stakeholders
When introducing changes within an organization, it is often met with resistance by multiple stakeholders, which can thwart efforts for a smooth switch. This can be explained by scenarios where – the finance department may oppose the transition because of cost, the IT team may feel their job security is threatened, or the end-users won’t understand the reason for the change and fear their services might get impacted. Though such resistances are usually short-term, such factors may often compromise an organization’s immediate goals unless stakeholders are onboard.
What is recommended?
Dealing with stakeholder resistance requires a holistic change in mindset across all levels of the organization. While hands-on training and guidance may provide support for users in adopting and using cloud-based services, preemptively addressing any resistance is a start on the right foot. Additionally, as an advisory for various organizational units, it is suggested to build a compelling business case that highlights current challenges in the organization with clear explanations on how migrating to the cloud will resolve these issues.
Security Compromise
Whether the underlying architecture relies upon on-premises or the cloud, protecting a company’s data remains a top priority for any organization. When migrating to the cloud, a large part of the organization’s data security is managed by the cloud service provider. As a result, it is vital to have a thorough assessment of the vendor’s security protocols and practices.
This also means that organizations remain in control of where the data is stored, how incoming/outgoing data is encrypted, what measures are in place to ensure software is updated with the latest fixes, as well as the regulatory compliance status of the provider. Certain enterprise cloud providers like MS Azure take a holistic approach to security and offer the highest industry security standards that are aligned with regulations like PCI and HIPAA.
What is recommended?
Define in-house security policies and explore the available cloud platform’s security tools. As a result, it is critical to proactively consider:
authorization & authentication,
audit lifecycle,
application and network firewalls,
protection against DDoS attacks and other malicious cyberattacks.
Besides, a secure cloud migration strategy should administer how security is applied to data in-transit and at-rest, how user identities are protected, and how policies get enforced post-migration across multiple environments.
It is important to note that administering security across all layers and phases of implementation requires much more than using tools. This usually begins with:
an organization to foster a security mindset,
adopting security as part of the workflow by embracing a DevSecOps model,
as well as incorporate a robust policy and audit governance through Security-as-Code or Policy-as-Code methodologies.
Avoid Service Disruptions
Legacy models that rely extensively on third-party tools which are through with sunset clauses, or in-house developed applications, require special provision for a smooth transition. More so, frameworks involving virtual machines that include hardware-level abstraction are practically more complex that syncs and maintains abstraction layers through pre and post-transition phases. Unplanned migrations for such setups may often lead to performance issues including increased latency, interoperability, unplanned outages, and intermittent service disruptions.
What is recommended?
Replicating virtual machines to the cloud should be planned based on an organization’s workload tolerance, as well as its on-prem networking setup. It is advised to make use of agent-based or agentless tools available by service providers, such as Azure Migrate that provide a specialized platform for seamless migrations.
As for legacy or sunset apps, organizations are advised to plan for Continuous Modernization that provisions regular auditing of such apps, while planning for a phased retirement in the longer term. For setups where an immediate Lift and Shift isn’t an option, the organization should recalibrate its migration strategy by considering Refactoring or Rearchitecting strategies, that reimplements the application architecture from scratch.
Cost Implications
Accounting for near and long-term costs during cloud migration is often overlooked. There are several factors that require consideration to avoid expensive and disruptive surprises. As migration from a legacy to the cloud is gradual, in the immediate term, organizational units often need to continue using both on-premises as well as the cloud infrastructure. This implies additional costs towards duplication of resource consumption such as – data sync & integrity, high-availability, backup & recovery, and maintenance of current systems.
What is recommended?
Over the longer term, using a cloud platform is more cost-effective. Though there is very little that can be done by an organization to avoid most of such expenses during migration, what is required is to include these within its financial projections. While doing so, expect there to be upfront costs related to the amount of data being transferred, the services being used, and added expenses that may arise from refactoring to ensure compatibility between existing solutions and the cloud architecture.
Benchmarking Workforce Skills
A migration plan that doesn’t benchmark workforce skills is often considered flawed. Cloud migrations can get complicated with customized requirements, using new technologies, and assessing what systems and data will be moved. During this, a good chunk of the effort goes towards the analysis of existing infrastructure to establish what will work on the cloud and identify the future gaps with respect to in-house workforce skills.
What is recommended?
Migrating to the cloud is a complex process that requires a unique set of soft and hard skills. Before transitioning, it is essential to understand what practical knowledge the team has with cloud platforms, and then take the necessary steps to upskill in relevant cloud technologies and security. An important consideration around this should also factor in the allocation of contingent funds towards setting up a consistent framework of skills upgrade for seamless adoption of emerging tools and practices.
Key Takeaways
Adopting a cloud framework today is more a necessity than a projected goal. While migrating to the cloud, an organization’s goal remains equally important to develop a migration strategy, that sets realistic expectations by undertaking thorough due diligence. Being aware of the challenges and how to address them, not only minimizes immediate risks, but also prevents the project from becoming a disaster in the longer run.
By the end of it all, the successful strategy determines how efficient the migration is, without a noticeable impact on productivity or operational efficiency.
Optimus Informationhttps://www.optimusinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/optimusinfologo.pngOptimus Information2021-03-29 17:21:292021-03-29 17:21:29Cloud Migration: Common Challenges and Recommendations
As we move into 2021, migrating data to the cloud has been the norm for the last few years. We would even go as far to say that it’s becoming an essential part of any thriving business model, especially as COVID forced the world to shift online. With the pandemic came budget cuts, less resources to put toward technical training, and decreased business agility. These pain points can all be lessened by undergoing cloud migration. What does it take to migrate to the cloud using Azure SQL? Keep reading to learn what the process entails, who should use it, and how you will benefit.
What Does Migrating to the Cloud with Azure SQL Look Like?
Migrating to the cloud, regardless of what path you take to get there is a great idea. But using Azure SQL ensures you the cloud database options to fit your needs. Maintaining your systems with ease, Azure helps you seamlessly migrate to the cloud. Another aspect to note, expanded on in more detail later, is that SQL has the option to provide both a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS). And if you’re already using SQL, Azure SQL is built on the same Server technology that you are already familiar with, meaning there’s no need to relearn SQL skills when making the transition.
Who Does This Apply To?
This service is perfect for anyone who needs to migrate their SQL workload and modernize their applications. It keeps applications updated without the tiresome upkeep that can be so grueling.
The 5 Big Benefits:
1. Competitive Pricing
Using SQL managed instance, you can gain up to a 238% return on investment. This means you spend a fraction of the money that your competition does and boost performance at the same time. Want to know how much you could gain? Try out the Azure Hybrid Benefit calculator to view simulations of monthly and annual savings using the SQL server.
2. License Free Development and QA Environments
Visual Studio users with subscriptions pay only for compute charges and can save up to 55% on dev and QA workloads. This allows for greater flexibility for customers who have dev teams.
3. Modernizes Apps and Keeps You Up to Date
Azure services allows for the highest service level agreement (SLA) and an industry new SLA on RPO and RTO. Azure provides a wide range of choices depending on your needs. For more details on how to leverage this benefit, click here.
4. Consolidates Dozens of Data Centres Into One Place
Utilising Azure Managed Services is one of the best ways to maintain all your data centres in one accessible location. Instead of monitoring your workload across dozens of different interfaces, use just one portal to keep tabs on all your SQL databases, pools, instances and more.
5. Provides both IaaS and PaaS
As previously mentioned, Azure SQL has three different options, providing both IaaS and PaaS, making it incredibly versatile. The first is Azure SQL Database, a PaaS, and it builds up-to-date cloud applications on the newest SQL server. The second is Azure SQL Managed Instance, another PaaS. Modernizing and migrating your SQL applications to the newest server version, it does so with minimal code changes meaning no patching or maintenance is required. And finally, the SQL Server on Azure VMs is an IaaS that rehosts SQL apps to the new server while also rehosting sunset applications. One of the biggest benefits with the SQL Server on Azure VMs is full SSRS, SSIS, and SSAS support.
Interested?
If you want to take advantage of the benefits of migrating data to the cloud and all the profits that come along with it, contact us at: info@optimusinfo.com
https://www.optimusinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Cloud-migration-iconn.jpg6751200Malika Agarwalhttps://www.optimusinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/optimusinfologo.pngMalika Agarwal2021-02-22 12:26:452021-02-25 13:20:425 Benefits of Migrating to the Cloud using the Azure SQL Database
Digital transformation has been a hot topic for a long time, and for good reason, but what are some do’s and don’ts to succeed at it? If you haven’t had a chance to implement it, you may be worried. In a study by The International Data Corporation (IDC), they estimated that there is a $20 trillion market opportunity over the next five years. A survey done in 2019 gives jarring results to go along with these statistics. 64% of business leaders fear that they have less than 4 years to undergo digital transformation or they may go out of business. According to Harvard Business Review, 52% of Fortune 500 companies that existed in 2000, are no longer in existence today. The reason? It was because they couldn’t keep up with the way the world was transforming. So why is it so crucial to overcome the fears of being behind, and just go for it? We will highlight why it’s so important but also how you can take steps to integrate it to your advantage, through our 5 do’s and don’ts to succeed at digital transformation.
Digital transformation is important but is it too late to implement it? More importantly, how can you succeed?
So why is digital transformation so critical? If you haven’t already checked out our other blogs on digital transformation, they are a great first step to learning about the topic. Check out one of our favourites here. Digital transformation is about more than just taking your business online. It encapsulates all aspects of business, whether that be management or data storage, and makes it accessible, secure, and timeless. It’s been talked about for a while, and so it’s natural to feel late in the game if you’re only starting out now. But this isn’t actually the case! Digital transformation is an ever-evolving process and it’s better late than never. There are steps to take on this journey, so keep reading if you want to learn more.
5 do’s and don’ts to succeed at digital transformation:
Procurement
DON’T: Don’t buy what you’re not going to use. Don’t procure cloud like you procured software in the 2000s. The old model/way of thinking is to put more money on the table to get a bigger discount. Cloud providers have built-in services that are intended to help you save money by allowing you to turn things on when you are using them and turn them off when you’re not. So there’s no need to put a lot of money upfront with a 12-month expiry to get a discount. You could just end up throwing away money that you won’t use. Instead, you can employ the pay as you go model, and save yourself a lot of overhead costs. DO: So what should you do? Work with your vendor. The old mentality is that organizations don’t want to work with their vendors, want to isolate themselves, and just try to get bigger discounts. Public cloud vendors are willing to help you with your setup and how to best use their services to achieve your business outcomes. Leverage auto scale and off features that dynamically allocate your resources and optimize your cost to stay within budget. Essentially: if you’re not using it, turn it off.
Multi-Cloud vs. Single Cloud
DON’T: There’s no need to go multi-cloud just because. There’s fear about vendor lock-in. If you are going to go multi-cloud know your reason why. Going multi-cloud when you are a small organization or early in the cloud adoption journey can just slow you down because you are mixing in additional complexities and adding new services for your team to learn. DO: So what are your alternative options? Adopt one cloud and do it well first before you adopt any others. Leverage Platform as a Service from cloud providers. It saves you time because these services are pre-built and you can start using them immediately.
Actual Innovation
DON’T: This one is short and sweet. When undergoing digital transformation don’t just have a recreation of your on-premise work, keeping arbitrary ancient rules for no reason. DO: Instead, challenge your team to reach the bounds of what they can do and embrace automation.
Learning and Growth
DON’T: The previous point being said, don’t replace your hard working experts with automation. DO: As a replacement, invest in learning and don’t expect it to happen automatically. Encouraging agility and innovation during this process is crucial. Automation is important, but only in conjunction with new learning.
Security and Trust
DON’T: Finally don’t treat your network like a security boundary. Using the same network that you used in 2010 doesn’t do you any favours. And don’t expect that you’ll find your perfect match in terms of frameworks and diagnostics tools on your first try. DO: Try to iterate governance and improve each time. Aim for progress over time.
Do you need a partner with Azure or digital transformation expertise?
Want guidance on finding a strategy and determining a roadmap? We at Optimus understand the needs of each company, and are an extension of your organization. We will use our expertise in Azure and the Cloud Adoption Framework to successfully guide you through your digital transformation, no matter where you are on your journey. To learn more and set up a complimentary discovery session, click here.
https://www.optimusinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/dos-and-donts-to-succeed-at-digital-transformation-scaled.jpg17072560Malika Agarwalhttps://www.optimusinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/optimusinfologo.pngMalika Agarwal2020-09-11 16:33:372020-09-11 16:34:125 Do’s and Don’ts to Succeed at Digital Transformation
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