How to Avoid the Leading Cloud Migration Mistakes

Moving operations into the cloud doesn't have to be a floating nightmare, but it isn’t a cure-all for organizational shortcomings, either. Here we list five common migration mistakes. If you can avoid them, it can go a long way to ensuring a smooth and fast transition.

Moving from on-site servers to the cloud is a complex process that demands careful planning and a thorough understanding of both cloud operations and vendor requirements. It also helps to avoid falling victim to one or more of the common errors that can make a cloud transition more challenging than it has to be. Here are the five top traps you need to watch out for:

Failing to Define Specific Goals

Many new cloud adopters move forward with muddled and confused objectives, driving their transition with no clear barometers of success, said Jeremy Roberts, a consulting analyst with Info-Tech Research Group. "The cloud is not good for its own sake; it should exist in the service of a business goal," he explained. "Unfortunately, in their zeal to get out of the data center, this critical detail is sometimes overlooked."

The cloud should never be viewed as a panacea for current data center woes. "Bad cloud deployment can be more expensive than [operating] a premises-based solution and can introduce performance and management headaches that aren't justified by any benefits," Roberts said.

The cloud is like any other tool; the trick is to apply it correctly, Roberts noted. The cloud also encompasses areas beyond IT. "For many organizations, it represents a fundamentally new way of thinking about operations," he said. The enterprise will have to adapt to a self-service, measured, elastic way of doing things to leverage the cloud fully. "If that's not going to happen, the cloud might be more trouble than it’s worth," Roberts warned.

Wait, there’s more. You can learn about the other four cloud migration mistakes by clicking on the full InformationWeek article here.