After completing the review phase, the next critical step is to develop a robust migration plan for your cloud solution. Moving enterprise data and applications to the cloud requires careful planning and coordination to ensure a smooth transition. It is essential to ensure that everyone within the organisation is aligned with the plan and understands their roles in the process.
A key aspect of the migration plan is governance. With data residing in the public cloud, data control and security responsibilities shift to the cloud providers. Organisations need to adapt their governance strategies to rely less on internal security measures and more on the offerings provided by the chosen cloud provider. Additionally, verifying that the cloud provider’s certifications are up-to-date is vital for ensuring compliance and data protection.
In conjunction with considering business data, costs, security, and the challenges involved in cloud migration, your IT cloud partner must also determine the appropriate migration timeframes for moving the business data and applications. While some partners may opt for a complete “lift and shift” migration, it can be more effective and less risky to break the migration down by workload, starting with less critical applications first. Moreover, the plan should address the handling of any remaining on-premises technology, with the possibility of repurposing hardware to maximise its utility.