So you’ve read my colleague Dave McCary’s blog about when to move to the cloud, and perhaps you’ve decided cloud computing is the best option to help your business move into the future. I want to expand on the idea of moving to the cloud in phases and share some of the most common migration methods that help customers achieve the best results for their businesses.
There are basically two approaches to migrating to the cloud. Think of it like jumping into a swimming pool: you can ease in slowly or cannon ball into the water. There are benefits and drawbacks to each method.
Ease in Slowly
The first option is to gradually move servers to the cloud over time. Most customers who chose this method are initially looking for a way to test the cloud, to get one server and try it out—kind of like dipping your big toe into the pool to test the water. Over time, you get used to the temperature and ease your way in.
I jokingly call this the “sucking the watermelon through the garden hose” method. One drawback of this method is that every time you move new servers to the cloud, you have to get retrained, and—let’s face it—change is hard.
Cannon Ball into the Cloud
The second option is to migrate all your servers in one fast jump and get it over with quickly. With this method, you learn everything new all at once. The biggest worry for customers that choose this approach is trust. Can I trust my cloud provider with all of my data and IT resources? Will this really work?
Partner Wisely
The right cloud partner can help you with whichever method you choose.
At Zumasys, we have a dedicated cloud migrations team that helps make sure our customers understand every part of their new solution and get the training they need to be successful. Our solid business track record and our nearly 10 years in cloud computing help our customers feel confident in their solution. And when it comes time to actually implement the migration, we have proven migration strategies that allow our customers to choose the degree of complexity, cost, and impact to the end user.
So it’s possible to migrate to the cloud in sections or all at once, but you need a plan. Neither option is right for everyone, but knowing these details about migration can help you make the right choice for your business.