Business on the cloud is becoming the norm for many enterprises today, as the advantages of this IT strategy is more apparent than ever. The cloud provides solutions that are efficient, cost-effective, simple-to-use, and scalable, allowing companies to increase their productivity while reducing their costs.
Cloud solutions come in a few forms, such as a managed services cloud provider, a public cloud solution, or an in-house private cloud environment. Some companies find the type that suits them right away, but it is still common for a business to consider the advantages of different types of cloud services, especially as technology improves over time. Enter cloud data migration.
Cloud data migration is the process of moving information in the form of data, applications, or other business elements from a local data center into a cloud computing environment. Data migration is necessary when shifting from non-cloud to cloud or cloud-to-cloud environments. And given the nature of the activity, it can be challenging to accomplish properly. Below are five common difficulties your business should know and anticipate.
1. Downtime
Network and internet service outages do happen, and even the most tech-proficient cities of the world experience their own share of downtimes. Not even Mountain View, California — home to the Google headquarters — was spared when it suffered a significant service outage because of some vehicular-accident-induced infrastructure damage. Experiencing a significant network or internet service outage in the thick of data migration can be disastrous; it can significantly strain your hardware, and not all migration systems allow users to easily resume interrupted migrations.
2. Bottlenecks
Migrating data to the cloud is usually a matter of dealing with bottlenecks, from data storage to information validation to the actual transfer process. Understanding how bottlenecks form at each stage can help you prepare.
A data storage bottleneck can occur when data is pushed into the cloud without first considering how much data will be used up. This typically occurs when the migration is left in the hands of amateurs or do-it-yourself managers who fail to recognize the importance of distinguishing file, object, and database storage from one another. The main difference is that files are accessed through a directory tree, objects through a flat namespace, and databases through query languages such as SQL. Putting all types of data into a one-size-fits-all cloud storage space can eat up a lot of space and make accessing them a headache.
The second bottleneck occurs during information validation, which is an invaluable step in the process because it is the point where checksums — small-sized pieces of data used for detecting errors — are implemented. Checksums can fail to do their job if the preparation of the data is inadequate and the import process is incoherent; and because the data checks are given a thorough go-over at this point, processing slowdown occurs.
The last bottleneck is in the actual data transfer process. Many businesses fail to recognize that the migration process rarely entails the movement of digital data alone; it requires not only digital logistics but physical ones as well. For instance, an 80-terabyte AWS Snowball device may brag of an 8-gigabit-per-second data rate, but many users fail to account for the time required to order the device from a seller, configure and load it, prepare it for return, and allow the cloud vendor to upload it on the backend. Normal turnaround times from reputable vendors teeter between four and six weeks; your service provider should make this known early on so you can schedule accordingly.
3. Security
Cloud computing and cloud storage turn data management into a shared responsibility between your company and your MSP. To avoid crippling problems,understand the security model of your provider and identify what you both need to contribute to maintaining the integrity of your storage system. The problem with this setup is that the requirements can vary, depending on which type of cloud storage your data will be migrated to and the specific services your vendor will provide.
This is where a talented managed services provider shines, as their importance becomes more magnified the more burden they take off their client’s shoulders. Your IT provider should take all appropriate steps to protect your data during migration, when it is at its most vulnerable.
4. Interoperability
Interoperability is a prominent issue in cloud migration because proper communications between applications in newer cloud environments is often difficult to establish. If your applications encounter difficulties in interoperability, it will affect your operations and your bottom line.
You should ensure that all of your cloud-dependent applications and services work well with the cloud provider of your choice; this will mean adapting some of your company’s processes to meet the capabilities of the cloud service you are using.
SinglePoint Global is the top IT services provider in Austin, Texas. We can help you ensure that your cloud migration is done in a seamless and organized manner. Contact us today for a quote!
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