Are You Undecided about Moving to the Cloud or How to Do It?

It seems the business world is constantly buzzing about the cloud. As Lowell McAdam, the chairman of Verizon, once said: “Cloud computing is the third wave of the digital revolution.”

Indeed — search the web for the term, cloud, and you’ll probably see about 700 million search results.

Of course, many businesses are sold on cloud technology. Many have decided not to move to the cloud. Other executives favor the idea, but are unsure how.

For companies hoping to make the move, there are tactical decisions to make.

(Note: If you’re undecided but open to the idea, scroll down to the end of this piece to see an infographic that explains eight benefits of the cloud. The infographic is followed by a link to a risk-management article explaining what you should ask of a cloud provider.)

True, the tactics have implications for your business such as in finance, human resources, marketing and sales.

Points to consider

1. Switching to the cloud requires a new way of thinking, especially for managers who worry the change will cause them to lose the benefits they’ve come to enjoy with their systems. Instead of staying stuck on old practices, it’s best to be open-minded and forward-looking.

The Digital Age has evolved so rapidly, many tech components of their systems are probably outdated which means they likely risk losing a competitive edge in their respective sectors.

2. If you’re contemplating a move to the cloud, your company needs to determine where to start – the departments, processes and jobs that will be affected.

3. Use due diligence in picking a cloud provider. Preferably, you can select a cloud vendor that has the architecture to handle all your needs.

You might be asking for trouble if you have multiple cloud providers. In doing so, you’ll be using different data models. They would require a frequent monitoring and reconciling – keeping you from other important duties.

4. Make certain your provider will be in sync with your business objectives, strategies and budgets.

Finally, below as promised is an expandable infographic for easier reading that lists eight benefits of the cloud (followed by a link to a risk-management article that recommends 10 questions to ask of your prospective cloud provider).