Cloud migration has become a top priority for many organisations looking to improve their agility, scalability, and cost efficiency. However, migrating to the cloud is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution.
Before moving any applications or data to the cloud, your business needs to conduct a thorough assessment of its existing IT environment to ensure that it is fully prepared for the transition. A cloud migration assessment involves evaluating your organisation’s current infrastructure, applications, and data to determine the feasibility, risks, and costs of migrating to the cloud.
We will discuss various tools and tips that can be used to conduct a successful cloud migration assessment and ensure a smooth transition to the cloud.
Types of cloud migration assessment tools
When it comes to conducting cloud migration assessments, there are several tools available to help your business assess its readiness for migration, evaluate the potential risks and costs, and optimise its cloud infrastructure
There are two main types of assessment tools:
1. Infrastructure assessment tools
These tools offer a comprehensive assessment of your business’s current IT environment and provide insights into the feasibility, costs, and risks of migrating to the cloud. They typically evaluate factors such as application dependencies, data volume and complexity, network performance, and potential security risks
2. Cloud migration assessment tools
These tools help assess your business’s readiness to move its applications and data to the cloud. They evaluate factors such as your company’s current infrastructure, the complexity of its applications, and its data security and compliance requirements. Some examples of cloud readiness assessment tools include AWS Application Discovery Service, Microsoft Azure Migrate, and Google Cloud Migration Assessment.
However, to obtain a comprehensive, unbiased overview of your current infrastructure, some businesses find it beneficial to collaborate with a third-party provider. This gives them a complete understanding of how their system functions, potential improvements, and the various migration approaches they can pursue. Depending on your business type or existing infrastructure, there are various assessments available. At M247, we offer the following options: a Migration Assessment, a CloudCheckr review, or a Well-Architected Review.
To understand the differences between these assessments, determine which one is suitable for your business, and access an exclusive assessment summary on the Cloud Migration Review, CloudCheckr, or Azure Well-Architected Review, please refer to our Cloud Migration Assessment Quiz below:
Tips for performing a cloud migration assessment
A successful move to the cloud is influenced by its foundation, or migration assessment. In order to give your business and pitch the best chance of success, it’s vital to consider the following tips during the first stage of your migration process.
- Assess business objectives. Evaluate your organisation’s business objectives and determine how cloud migration aligns with those goals.
- Evaluate data security and compliance. Measure your organisation’s data security and compliance requirements, and ensure that the cloud provider you choose can meet these requirements.
- Involve all relevant stakeholders. Engage IT staff, business owners, and end-users in the assessment process to guarantee that everyone has a clear understanding of the potential benefits and risks associated with cloud migration.
- Start small. Consider beginning with a small pilot project to get a feel for cloud migration and gain experience before tackling larger projects.
- Consider working with a 3rd party cloud provider. Collaborating with a skilled cloud provider offers you a precise, impartial assessment of your existing infrastructure and guidance on initiating your cloud migration process.
Conducting a successful cloud migration assessment
Performing a cloud migration assessment using a tool, quiz, or conducting an internal review is a crucial step for your organisation’s move to the cloud. It will help your business evaluate its current IT infrastructure, assess the feasibility and risks of cloud migration, and optimise the cloud infrastructure.
You can set your business up for a successful cloud migration by using the right assessment tools, setting realistic goals, and considering data security and compliance requirements.
Working with a third-party cloud provider can provide valuable expertise and unbiased insights into your organisation’s infrastructure, making the migration process smoother and more efficient.
Book your free migration assessment
Moving your business to the cloud is a project that comes with many hidden challenges. Start your migration journey with a free 30-day cloud assessment, worth up to £1,500, to get a complete scope of your business needs, current process & performance, and areas for improvement.
