We’re all aware of the technical advantages cloud computing offers. Accessibility, security, scalability, cost, reliability, etc. But none of these ‘technical benefits’ answer your question – not from a holistic perspective, and that’s the critical piece.
Any major infrastructure change has the ability to profoundly transform your business, or not. Make the transition about solving a technical problem, and you’ve missed an opportunity to have a real impact. With that in mind, here are three questions you should absolutely consider during the planning phase of your migration.
1) How will the technology match your business operations?
Alignment between technology operations & business operations is critical. Will the disaster recovery component meet the business needs? Are you addressing document management or version control? Have you given consideration to current SaaS applications that may offer better performance (or be more cost effective) in your cloud? Do you have a plan for “siloed departments” that require collaboration without compromise to security?
Take this opportunity to review all facets of your business and your overarching strategy, and align your cloud solution to meet these needs.
2) How will your needs change over the next three to five years?
While cloud technology is easily scalable (up or down), not all applications play nice in every environment. What upgrades, migrations or enhancements are you planning? Any mergers or acquisitions on the horizon?
Your cloud provider should perform an in-depth discovery exercise, and all of the above should be discussed. What does the future look like? How will that be impacted by what you’re implementing today? Make the wrong choice now, and you could be migrating again in a few years.
3) Is your IT provider asking these questions, and is that important to you?
There’s a certain level of discovery that goes into any business relationship. Lawyers and accountants require almost complete transparency, and technologists are no different.
Our clients understand the importance of having their technology in sync with their business strategy. In addition, they look to us as trusted advisers and rely on our guidance, knowledge and experience. They expect us to ask the questions, make the recommendations and implement solutions that work for their business and help to deliver a competitive advantage.
Today’s technology can, and therefore should, do more than solve a technical problem. Your IT operations can impact your business operations in amazing ways, but certain criteria must be considered. Tackle these issues during the exploratory phase and you’ll be ahead of the game. Focus only on solving a technical problem, and you’ll continue to spin your wheels with IT solutions that never really meet your expectations.
Are you planning a move, or have you recently moved to the cloud? We’d love to know how it went and hear your feedback. Drop us a line anytime, or leave a message on one of our social media pages.
Learn More About Matt
Matt Rosenthal is CEO and President of Mindcore, a full-service tech firm. He is a leader in the field of cyber security, designing and implementing highly secure systems to protect clients from cyber threats and data breaches. He is an expert in cloud solutions, helping businesses to scale and improve efficiency.
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