Cloud Migration is a vital step toward digital innovation. It enables organizations to reduce capital expenditure and operational costs.
Cloud Migration is the process of deploying a company’s data, applications, and services from on-site computers to the cloud. The migrated assets are accessible behind the cloud’s firewall.
Another type of migration is cloud service migration which transitions a company’s business elements from one cloud service provider to another.
Advantages of Cloud Migration
Cloud computing is an attractive concept. The main advantages include low cost, flexibility, scalability and easy access.
Another benefit for companies that consider cloud migration is enhanced security features. Cloud providers handle security issues and ensure that your data is safe from outside security threats.
How Does Cloud Computing Work?
An example of cloud computing can be an online email account when you log into a web email account remotely through a browser, but the storage for your account is not on your computer. It is stored in the email provider’s cloud.
Cloud computing architecture consists of Front End and Back End which are connected by the Internet. The front end is the user’s computer from which the cloud computing system can be accessed via the Internet browser. The back end of a cloud computing system is comprised of computers, servers, and data storage systems that store all your files and information. There’s also a central server that administers the system, monitors all traffic, and ensures that everything runs smoothly. The central server follows a set of rules (protocols) and uses software (middleware) that allows computers to communicate with one another.
Using cloud computing allows you to access your applications and data from anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. Yet for some companies the change is scary, and moving their IT environment to a cloud service may seem intimidating.
Whether you’re contemplating migrating all of your digital assets or just a part of it, you should be aware of the challenges that might arise along the way. And that’s when having a solid cloud roadmap is essential for a successful journey to the cloud and will help avoid cloud migration issues.
Businesses have to invest time and money to come up with a cloud computing migration strategy that fits them.
Cloud Service Providers
Cloud service providers (CSP) are companies that offer network services and infrastructure in the cloud. Amazon was the first major cloud provider to offer reliable and inexpensive cloud computing services. Amazon Web Services (AWS) made the idea of cloud services popular. Other notable cloud service providers are Microsoft Azure, Google, Cisco, Oracle, etc.
Companies that consider cloud computing need to thoroughly research the CSPs to determine which one suits them the best, as well as how much support they can expect from their cloud partner.
Cloud Models
The most commonly used cloud types in cloud computing are:
Public
Private
Hybrid
The names speak for themselves.
Public cloud is accessible to the public and can be used by anyone. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google AppEngine are just a couple of examples of public clouds. In this cloud model, the organization providing the cloud service owns all hardware, software, and other supporting infrastructure, not the user. It’s inexpensive to set up and requires no maintenance since the service provider takes care of it. Additional costs may only incur based on the capacity that is used. Public clouds can be ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, but may not be the right fit for every company, especially if the company handles sensitive data and is subject to compliance regulations.
Hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private clouds. This way the company can use the public cloud for keeping confidential information and host more general content on public cloud. The downside is having multiple security platforms and making sure all aspects of your business are connected with each other.
Cloud Computing Services
The most commonly used cloud types in cloud computing are:
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
SaaS is the most familiar form of cloud service for consumers. It consists of applications used by the end-user. Gmail, Dropbox , Cisco WebEx, and Salesforce are just a few of the SaaS applications that users often interact with. They run from a web browser without any download or installation requirements.
SaaS customers don’t have to worry about development, maintenance, support, or update. The SaaS provider is the one responsible for security and stability.
PaaS offers tools and services to deploy applications. It gives developers a framework upon which they can develop or customize applications. PaaS makes the development, testing, and deployment of applications quick and cost-effective. Examples of PaaS are Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure, and Heroku.
IaaS offers cloud infrastructure (servers, storage, and networking) in a pay-as-you-go model (usually by the hour, week, or month). Companies often choose IaaS to avoid buying, managing, and supporting underlying infrastructure. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and SoftLayer are examples of independent IaaS providers.
Vendor Lock-in
After security and privacy concerns, vendor lock-in is probably the biggest worry with cloud migration. This happens when a customer using a product or services of a vendor can’t switch to a competitor. It’s a technique that ensures customer dependency on vendor services. Vendor lock-in is the result of the incompatibility of technologies between the competitors. The best way to avoid vendor lock-in is to be knowledgeable about the existing providers and how they operate.
Margasoft will handle all your migration needs without disrupting your everyday operations. We will use automated scripts to migrate all your data within our given timeline and ensure data consistency every step of the way.