Moving to the cloud is a significant transition for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It offers access to enterprise-grade technology that can unlock numerous benefits for your brand. However, amidst the excitement, it's crucial not to overlook critical components that aid the migration process and ensure a smooth transition. This article will identify the five most common cloud migration mistakes for SMBs and provide practical solutions to prevent them.

Undervaluing the Human Element

When migrating to the cloud, it's easy to undervalue the impact of the people behind your business. The technical knowledge possessed by your employees is essential for understanding the nuances and complexities of your existing environment. They can explain the "why" behind your configuration and help minimize the impact on your business during major changes. It's important to leverage cloud tools, such as automation, to free up time for your employees to focus on high-value tasks that require human expertise. However, upskilling employees can be a lengthy process. In such cases, partnering with a managed service provider like ANS can provide access to specialist engineers who work alongside your team, ensuring a smooth cloud migration while keeping your existing staff informed and involved.

Failing to Put Governance in Place

Implementing governance is crucial for ensuring that your cloud architecture aligns with your business goals. Cloud governance involves establishing tailored rules or standards that your company adheres to when using cloud technology. This ensures that your cloud plan remains efficient and cost-effective, focusing on areas of development, optimization, and growth. ANS provides pre-defined governance for their customers through their Cloud Platform Landing Zones. This ensures a consistent configuration while allowing for necessary modifications. By exercising cloud governance, you can make informed decisions regarding data security, return on investment, and other critical factors.

Getting Carried Away

While a cloud migration may seem like the ultimate solution to all your IT challenges, it's essential to approach it with caution. Not all applications or workloads are suitable for the cloud without fine-tuning, and some may not work at all. ANS recommends close collaboration with your technical team to understand the intricacies of your existing systems and make early recommendations on workload compatibility. Taking the time to consider the bigger picture and the specifics of your migration is crucial. ANS, as a reputable digital transformation partner, can provide a tailored cloud plan that aligns with your specific needs and prevents losing sight of your overall objectives. It's important to take a gradual approach, moving workloads to the cloud at a pace that allows for thorough testing before your customers and users experience the new platform.

Not Keeping Track of a Budget

Moving to the cloud can be exciting, but it's important to keep track of your budget to avoid overspending. While it's tempting to utilize all the new tools and technologies available, monitoring your spending alongside performance metrics ensures that your budget is allocated wisely. By reviewing these metrics, you can identify areas that provide the best return on investment and optimize your cloud strategy for maximum performance and cost-effectiveness.

Not Implementing a Proper Backup Strategy

It's critical to back up all your data before and after migrating to the cloud. Creating a backup not only ensures that you have a recovery strategy in place in the event of power outages or data loss but also provides a point in time to roll back to if the migration doesn't proceed as planned. While partnering with a reputable cloud managed services provider like ANS reduces the likelihood of resorting to a backup, having this insurance policy in place offers data protection, security accreditations, and peace of mind. The complexity of your backup system can vary, but the important thing is to have a reliable backup in case data recovery becomes necessary.

Conclusion

Moving to the cloud can be a transformative step for SMBs, but it requires careful planning and execution. By avoiding common mistakes such as undervaluing the human element, implementing governance, staying grounded, tracking your budget, and implementing a proper backup strategy, you can ensure a successful cloud migration. Partnering with a trusted provider like ANS can further enhance your journey, providing tailored expertise and support. Embrace the opportunities that cloud technology offers, but do so with a strategic mindset and a focus on optimizing your business operations.

Remember, cloud migration is not a one-size-fits-all process. Take your time, assess your needs, and make informed decisions to ensure a seamless transition. With the right approach and support, your SMB can harness the power of the cloud and unlock new possibilities for growth and success.