Cloud Planning Lessons Learned Part 2

Lesson 2: Just Move, Then Transform

Your Questions Answered.

Our last blog highlighted how important it is to do your homework before making the right decisions to ensure success in the cloud.

Here we will highlight what questions you are or should be asking before migrating.

Will our applications work in the cloud?

Yes, there is a great chance that your applications work in the cloud. In fact, your applications are most likely already virtualized (VMWare or Hyper-V) and therefore largely cloud ready. You will need to look at licensing, as it can be more expensive or less, depending on the product(s). Some of your applications may simply not run in the cloud e.g. Sun, AIX, AS400, Mainframe or applications that require specialized and dedicated hardware. Obviously, each situation will require its own strategy.

Do I need to replace my staff?

No, not necessarily. However, you will likely need to skill up and possibly augment for a period if your current team is not well versed on the chosen cloud platform(s). After you decide on the cloud platform(s) you are going to utilize, we recommend getting your staff certified to increase their knowledge. Additionally, it makes sense to hire a systems integrator/professional services firm to guide you through the migration process.

Should we transform applications during the migration?

Not recommended. Most of time, we do not recommend transforming applications during the migration. Instead, we recommend lifting and shifting the current applications because this is the fastest and safest way to get into the cloud. Trying to transform your applications to cloud native during a migration will cost more, take longer, and leave room for error. Additionally,. the sooner you get to the cloud and increasing the amount of time spent in the cloud, key learnings will be achieved which will lead to more informed approaches to transformation in the future.

Should I expect everything to work perfectly?

Nothing works perfectly, especially right away. The cloud is different than on prem and therefore there will be differences that need to be overcome during the migration. In addition, IT items often break when they are moved, however, the changes or fixes are usually minor and can be overcome quickly.
The slower you migrate the confident you can be; however, the slower you migrate the more it costs. Once you have made the migration, then take the time to transform.

A Vision For Providing Experience-Based IT Transformation