In addition to the technology considerations, CIO’s should keep the following in mind when migrating legacy applications and data to the cloud:
1) Investment in Cloud Migration and Ongoing Maintenance. Cloud adoption requires a considerable investment up front in cloud infrastracture, be it Cloud development platforms in Azure or Google and/or Cloud Data Platforms such as Snow Flake. One cannot simply move legacy applications and data to the Cloud without Cloud platforms in place, and the skill sets and resources to implement and maintain, including the skills to migrate to the cloud. With such upfront and ongoing costs, what should CIO’s consider?
2) Migrate what is required for the Business and Risk Management. Keep your CDO (Chief Data Officer), CIO (Chief Information Officer), CSO (Chief Security Officer) and CRO (Chief Risk Officer) happy. Work closely with your Business partners to identify those Cloud application migrations that make the most business sense. This is often determined by such factors as cost recovery and risk mitigation, which are not always top of mind when considering moving to the Cloud. Your Business partners are often anxious to move to the Cloud to reap the perceived benefits of Cloud computing such as cheaper storage, capacity on demand, more efficient development and faster time to market. CIO’s must consider migrating applications and data to the cloud not only in terms of Cloud benefits, but also of decommissioning and removing the costs of legacy environments. This is critical, as the elimination of legacy on-going costs (and future investment in it) are what typically pays for Cloud adoption & migration, and reduces overall cost to the business.
A second factor, is also targeting those legacy applications that represent risk to the business such as software/hardware currency and security issues. Older applications no longer supported are subject to business disruption and security risks, businesses cannot afford to take.
3) Work closely with your Business partners on your Cloud migration strategy. Incorporate cost recovery and risk mitigation strategies, and focus on those applications and data bringing the most value to your organization. It is important to have a ‘living roadmap’ and plan for all of your legacy applications and data, and prioritize investments in the cloud accordingly.
About Next Pathway
Next Pathway is the Automated Cloud Migration company. Powered by the SHIFT™ Migration Suite, Next Pathway automates the end-to-end challenges companies experience when migrating applications to the cloud. For more information, please visit nextpathway.com.
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