An outline for conceiving a cloud migration framework: Overview of the initial assessment, migration

Introduction

Cloud migration is a collaborative approach in which different types of stakeholders come together. The formation of a cloud migration framework is usually a phased approach in which management and accountability are critical factors. One of the thumb rules for drafting a migration strategy is the consideration of a chronological approach which is discussed below.

The initial assessment

It is important to understand various facets of IT infrastructure before migrating to the cloud. It is important to get a know how about the storage capacities of an organisation as well as the related security aspects. Next in line is the provisioning of network bandwidth and other resources. This is extremely important to determine the state of cloud readiness of an organisation.

The assessment that is carried out is extremely important from the point of view of cloud migration services. For instance, an organization works with highly sensitive data which is secured through various ways and mechanisms in its present environment. Upon migration to the new cloud environs, various aspects of this sensitive data may come under security threats. Hence, it is highly recommended that the migration team should assess the probability of such incidents and draft a detailed strategy for various security aspects in the cloud environment. This may even demand a holistic assessment of network services, data storage, and other applications. The use of automated tools is highly useful when it comes to assessing the security aspects and compliance issues.

Initializing the migration process

Before the initialization of the migration process, it is extremely important to consider aspects like service legal agreement. The usage of network that is related to applications should be in compliance with the service legal environment. When it comes to the cost issues, we may find that the execution of applications on the cloud may run beyond the expected budget. This is where we need to make certain changes in architecture. Such changes are necessary because they not only increase the performance but also decrease the latency. Such changes are also a precursor of adequate security provisions associated with the cloud environment. When all the above requirements have been fulfilled, the pilot testing phase can then be conducted for verifying the functionality of applications.

Cloud migration levels

The entire process of cloud migration is usually executed at three levels. The first is the infrastructure level where the preparation for application migration is done. The second level is called the application level where the design and development of each application take place. The hosting and replacing of applications if required are carried carried out at this level. The final level is the data level where we utilise software as a service for moving data into the cloud environs. As such, a new database is set up and cybersecurity aspects are assessed.

Concluding remarks

The optimization and operationalization of applications mark the beginning of a new journey to the cloud. The future steps are related to management and security aspects so that a wide range of applications function in a smooth manner.

Saajan Sharma likes to read and write actively on upcoming HR trends and how HR is reshaping the business landscape. He likes to help businesses stay informed and up to date with established and emerging technologies like Payroll Software, SAP, etc.