5 Top Tips for Successful Cloud Development & Adoption Strategy
5 minute read
With the inundation of cloud technology being leveraged by essentially everyone, whether they’re the company using the cloud platform or the consumer interacting with it, the application of cloud tools has become widespread. While a multitude of organizations have at least some level of reliance on cloud tools, many of them haven’t fully incorporated the overlying cloud aspects into their frameworks. These cloud tools are being used, but their application is watered down.
There organizations in question have no cloud development, migration, or implementation strategy. When asked, they may claim they have their cloud affairs in order and ducks lined up, but what they believe to be an effective strategy will, in reality, lead them to make mistakes along the way that can be time and money consuming.
The unoptimized nature of the state of these organizations’ cloud infrastructure is a product of an unfulfilled strategy. You won’t reap all the benefits of cloud adoption without an effective strategy that utilizes the full potential that your cloud platform, framework, and tools offer. Here we will present some top tips to ensure you are on your way to successful cloud development and adoption.
5 Top Tips for a Successful Cloud Strategy
When approaching your cloud strategy, you have to start off by keeping in mind that you’re not locking down the migration process in iron chains from the get-go with a dense, 100 page brick of outlined processes and organizational charts. The longer and more detailed you make your strategy, the harder it’ll be to follow it.
According to Gartner, an ideal cloud strategy should be concise, running between 10-20 pages, and should be a living tool. You cannot expect to follow the same draft of your strategy from the beginning without hitting snags, roadblocks, and unexpected challenges. A living tool helps ensure your plan is updated regularly as needed, keeping your business aligned to a flexible plan of action. It shouldn’t exceed 20 pages and should not cover topics such as how to move your applications to a cloud service provider.
1. Base Your Cloud Strategy on Business Goals and Desired Outcomes
For all the ambitious designs you have in store for growing your company through the cloud, every decision must be based on a foundational driving element: your business goals. Setting and pursuing these fundamental goals ensures your company stays on track, reducing excessive time and money loss from overextension.
Now, even with those goals set, sometimes you won’t be able to achieve all those goals. Not all at once, at least. Though these goals take priority, it may take time before you’re able to fully and effectively realize them. In the meantime, any goals you are able to achieve should be celebrated, while progress made towards other goals not yet attained should be encouraged.
Keep in mind that cost savings is not always achievable through cloud adoption, but business efficiency through innovation is. The cloud is a powerful resource, but just because it’s in your pocket doesn’t mean your problems are solved. It is a means to an end, and what actually bears the most impact on how functional your company is is how you steer it through your available tools, resources, and strategies.
2. Keep an Open Mind for Vendors
All-in-one utility is a popular advertised service among the many cloud vendors you’ll research online. They want you to believe they're the single platform provider you’ll ever need for any and every business requirement you may have. Certainly, any given vendor will have a wide assortment of tools and services available, but that doesn’t mean just any vendor will be the right pick for your company.
The mindset that you can “marry” a single vendor and expect their offerings to forever maintain your infrastructure is short-sighted. Sourcing all the cloud services you need from a single vendor is extremely difficult, especially if you take a broad approach to cloud computing. Gartner suggests implementing a strategy that includes all options to supplement your company’s needs:
- Cloud: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS
- Hybrid cloud
- Multicloud
- Distributed cloud
- Non cloud
You may love the services provided by your first cloud provider, and there’s no need to ditch them if you’re still receiving quality support that mobilizes your company’s framework. However, the point we’re making is that you shouldn’t constrain yourself to only working with that provider if there are other options that can provide ample benefits not available through your initial provider.
Other vendors may possess the specific service packages more suitable to certain types of workloads that are not as accessible through your current suite of tools and resources. Keeping an open mind to the vast array of potential cloud services available helps your company adapt, overcome, optimize, and accommodate to many types of scenarios, situations, needs, multiple vendors, multiple services, and multiple options that may be presented.
3. Choose the Right Outsourcing Partner
Designing and implementing cloud strategy isn’t done in a day. Even though we recommend you keep that outline between 10 and 20 pages, every step has to maintain a standard of compliance with how your company operates and what it needs to thrive on the cloud. As well as you know the inner machinations of your workplace, cranking out a specialized strategy over a workday and a cup of coffee will only result in a mismatched plan of action.
Devising your own cloud strategy may not sound like your area of expertise, and that’s fine! In these instances, you’ll want to partner with a third-party services provider to develop that cloud strategy in your stead. They’ll do all the necessary research, orchestrate what data will and will not be transferred, and deliver a final product while you focus on your core competencies. Just be sure you keep in close contact with them. You need a completely personalized strategy that accounts for your unique infrastructure, not a free fit-for-all sample.
4. Consider an Enterprise or Solutions Architect to Devise the Strategy
Cloud migration is a level of intimate sensitivity that calls for a professional’s touch. After all, any bungled step along the way carries expensive costs down the line, and you want a streamlined migration plan that ideally mitigates any cuts and bruises along the way. Calling on the services of an enterprise or solutions architect enables access to a specialized skill set designed for creating your cloud adoption strategy.
By working with an individual with a distinguished talent for this industry, you’re provided with access to unique benefits. An enterprise or solutions architect can have a more open mind while devising your cloud adoption strategy, widening your pool of choices for collaborative vendors. They’ll also be able to determine which aspects of your company need to be moved first, rather than all at once.
Forcing your company to start using cloud for absolutely everything can be detrimental and ineffective. A cloud strategy is not just about moving data, but also where to keep new workloads. Prioritizing which portions of the company warrant immediate cloud transfer versus those that can remain behind without impacting productivity is vital for a smart, cost-effective migration.
5. Involve All Business Areas
Cloud migration is IT centric, for sure. That’s the department most responsible for the process, transferring relevant data and securing a cloud infrastructure designed to accommodate your business. Saying it’s only IT’s job, however, is saddling the department with a larger workload and responsibility than necessary.
People outside of technology focused departments also have specific skills and knowledge that you need to consider when devising a cloud strategy. Their processes, after all, will be inherently affected by cloud adoption, and leveraging their expertise ensures a smoother transition. Cloud adoption will impact the whole business, and non-technology departments should have a say in how it's handled.
Every department needs to be prepared, contribute to the strategy to make sure it’s successful, and take into consideration how the cloud implementation will affect and benefit their specific areas. Don’t wait until after the strategy is devised before showing it off to the other departments and expecting them to immediately comply. Acknowledging and incorporating the needs of the entirety of your company makes the design process easier and more effective.
Conclusion
Proper cloud development and adoption strategy must be considerate of your company’s holistic makeup while incorporating a flexible, adjustable approach towards the overarching process. Devising your strategy can be kept in-house or it can be outsourced to partners who are capable of outlining it for you. Any approach you take must be geared toward your company’s goals, prioritizing immediate needs over ambition. So long as you take every essential step in designing and implementing your migration strategy, avoiding costly mistakes and experiencing an optimized transfer should be well within reach.
iTexico, an Improving company, specializes in custom software development services, including assisting your company’s move to the cloud. Whether you’re looking for an extra pair of hands to help with migration, DevOps, or development, we can provide the nuanced expertise required to streamline your processes and growth. If you’re interested in learning more about what iTexico can offer, visit us at our contact page.
Post Your Comment Here