Five keys to successful cloud migration
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The document discusses 5 keys to successful cloud migration: 1) Developing the right strategy early; 2) Knowing which applications are cloud-suitable; 3) Securing the right skills and resources; 4) Maintaining data integrity and ensuring operational continuity; and 5) Adopting an end-to-end approach. It notes that portfolio analysis, legacy application modernization, security concerns, and the complexity of migration are among the top challenges.
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Five keys to successful cloud migration
- 2. Migration to the cloud is an important step for businesses that are looking to advance their digital operations. It provides much-needed agility and flexibility, enabling an enterprise to meet the fluctuating demands of the market. It’s not always a smooth and seamless process. Many risks are associated with moving to the cloud, which can have a big impact on an organization’s ability to execute their cloud migration strategy. Using broad and deep experience in cloud migration, IBM has identified the top five challenges that can hamper a successful migration. To ensure a successful, seamless process, enterprises should undertake five key actions. Cloud Innovate Reduce the risk and reap the benefits for cloud
- 3. 1 Develop the right strategy early Know where to start and how to proceed — with a strategic approach. Early in the process, initiatives that deliver business value should be prioritized. It is common practice to adopt a wide variety of tools that perform portfolio analysis—tools that do not gather information in a consistent format. This method can make analysis and interpretation incomplete and inconsistent. Inadequate analysis can hide the true benefits and risks, which can result in a faulty strategy that can impact the implementation outcome. Cloud Innovate
- 4. 2 Know which applications are cloud-suitable Not all applications are well-suited to run on the cloud. According to the Forrester Research report, Portfolio Evaluation is the Key to Migrating Applications to the Cloud¹, enterprises need to exercise due diligence in their portfolio analysis to determine the appropriate target operating model—a combination of public or private cloud, or on-premise platforms. Which of your applications are well-suited to the cloud? Which require redesign and which can be moved as-is to provide quick return? An analysis of the architecture, complexity and application implementation can help provide insights. Cloud Innovate
- 5. 3 Secure the right skills and resources The service provider needs to have the right expertise—and the right technology. Service providers need to be able to open up legacy systems to new digital channels, sustain key legacy applications and improve resilience. A critical factor in successful cloud migration is the ability to modernize legacy applications, leveraging cloud architecture to build microservices and exposing APIs to allow them to connect better through platform-based development with their ecosystem, suppliers or customers. Cloud Innovate
- 6. 4 Maintain data integrity and ensure operational continuity Sensitive data can be at risk during migration—the right approach to managing risks is critical. A major challenge during migration is to understand the sensitivity of the data and any risk of losing data integrity. Post migration, organizations must validate their business processes and ensure that the cloud migration preserved the integrity of their business value and operations. The service provider must have validation process expertise to help manage the risk. Enterprises need to ensure business operational continuity and integrity. To do so, organizations must work with the cloud provider to confirm that as automated controls are moved to the cloud, they produce the same outcomes, before and after the migration, without disrupting business operations. Cloud Innovate
- 7. 5 Adopt an end-to-end approach A methodology that addresses all phases of the migration—from strategy to implementation—is essential for success. The service provider should have a robust and proven methodology to deliver the complex tasks and skills that are required to execute cloud migration on a consistent basis, at a global scale. The methodology should address the framework for managing the complex transformational project with service level agreements that measure milestone-based progress and results. Cloud Innovate
- 8. Market surveys corroborate the importance of application portfolio assessment for successful cloud migration.² 0 10 20 30 40 50 60% Redesigning apps to work properly in the cloud Disruption to workflow and end-users Understanding SLA and managing cost Gaining understanding of dynamic constanty changing elements potentially associated with cloud computing Gaining understanding of new technology and vendors and how relevant they are to my organization Acquiring new IT skills and IT training End-user training Testing Other 56% 38% 37% 27% 29% 32% 34% 35% 5% Cloud Innovate Figure 1: Responses of businesses when asked about the biggest challenges experienced while migrating infrastructure to the cloud.
- 9. Security, legacy support and migration complexity continue to remain top concerns for cloud adoption.³ 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80% Security and compliance concerns Need to continue supporting old legacy technology Work required to move exiting infrastructure Budget limitations Convincing business decisions makers of need/benefit Concerns over IT managing hetero/multi-vendor environments Disruption to business/end user performance during implementation Inability to prove ROI Lack of skills needed to implemen and manage Embracing the DevOps culture Other 75% 63% 51% 32% 42% 27% 20% 43% 43% 45% 8% Cloud Innovate Figure 2: Responses of businesses when asked about the five biggest barriers to adoption of cloud technologies.
- 10. 1. Portfolio Evaluation Is The Key To Migrating Applications To The Cloud. Forrester Research. March 2016. www.forrester.com/report/Portfolio+Evaluation+Is+The+Key+To+Migrating+Applications+To+The+Cloud/-/E-RES118696 2. Challenges for businesses migrating infrastructure to the cloud in North America 2015. Statista. Accessed March 2017. www.statista.com/statistics/595765/north-america-main-challenges-for-businesses-migrating-infrastructure-to-the-cloud/ 3. Main barriers to cloud adoption for businesses in North America 2015. Statista. Accessed March 2017. www.statista.com/statistics/595737/north-america-share-of-main-barriers-to-cloud-adoption-for-businesses/ Sources Cloud Innovate
- 11. © Copyright IBM Corporation 2017 IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com and Bluemix are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Cor- poration in the United States, other countries, or both. If these and other IBM trademarked terms are marked on their first occurrence in this information with a trademark symbol (® or TM), these symbols indicate U.S. registered or common law trademarks owned by IBM at the time this information was published. Such trademarks may also be registered or common law trademarks in other countries. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the web at “Copyright and trademark information” at ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml Cloud Innovate For more information, visit ibm.com/cloudmigration