9 Cloud Implementation Best Practices

Cloud adoption is growing at an even faster rate from one year to the next. There are many compelling advantages for moving to the cloud, but it’s important to have a strategic approach to reap the full benefits of digital transformation. A well-developed cloud implementation plan that considers industry-wide best practices will ensure success during the transition and in the long term.

Also read: Creating a Cloud Strategy: Tips for Success

Best practices for cloud implemetation

Cloud implementation is no easy feat, but these best practices help:

• Establish Firm Governance: Cloud adoption benefits from governance and management structures that thoroughly cover processes, workflows, security standards, etc. when evaluating service selection.
• Know Your Inventory Needs: Get a good sense of how cloud migration must support day-to-day operations. Find out what your stakeholders and users require in terms of access, availability, support, functionality, and mobility.
• Look for the Five Essentials for Cloud: For the cloud, these five essentials are on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured services.
• Promote Automation: Influencers will lend support if they’re made aware of how many tedious, time-consuming manual tasks can be automated in the cloud.
• Think About Your Service Level Management: IT has to stay on top of the provider so specific needs on granularity, scope, availability, and more are documented and enforced.
• Timing Is Everything: Be methodical in your approach. If you migrate functions too quickly without evaluating immediate performance impact, stakeholder pushback could thwart your good intentions.
• Stick With Enterprise Cloud Services: Keep in mind that some cloud services are best suited for consumers. An enterprise may require performance capabilities like agility, redundancy, and managed or monitored services.
• Hire Top Cloud Talent: Your cloud provider should have certified engineers running the operation center, ones who understand the big picture and can provide helpful, forward-looking IT recommendations.
• Don’t Overcommit to One Cloud Category: In terms of private versus public cloud, many organizations practice “cloud bursting” by initially using a private cloud until internal demand increases to the point where a public cloud is needed. Hybrid cloud is also emerging as the dominant cloud adoption framework.

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