Legacy to Cloud Transformation – Are You Invested Enough?

When it comes to modernizing with a Cloud, business heads, decision-makers, and transformation leaders should weigh these challenges to select a cloud solution that best solves their specific problems as opposed to the fastest or most affordable option, explains Sanjay Jupudi, the founder and president of Qentelli.

There is more than one way to initiate application modernization, and no one routine is right or wrong. But whether you chose an approach from Gartner’s 7 methodsOpens a new window or something beyond, it is important to be aware that each approach differs in purpose, effect, value, cost, risk, and impact, which makes ROI for each of these options a sliding scale. 

Fear or hesitation of making that big modernization leap is commonly felt, but it’s easy to know when you need to start investing. It is true that legacy systems can become cumbersome, unruly, and challenging to update but if you do the demand and supply math correctly, modernizing an application can generate so much ROI that outcounts what you’d save from not investing in cloud transformationOpens a new window . The first step of knowing when it is time to modernize can be identified by examining demand from the business perspective.

How many of these situations sound familiar to you?

• You have new customer demands and business requirements the current application cannot meet anymore.
• The current application is lacking value and quality in terms of the support and information it provides.
• The current application and its ecosystem are not able to cope with changes at an expected pace.
• The total cost of ownership (TCO), operation, maintenance, and/or reshaping the current application is too high when compared to its business value.
• The inter and intra-complexities of the current application are creating problems.
• There is a risk of security, compliance, supportability, and scalability. Outdated application platforms, languages, and the risk of skills shortage are also major concerns.

Even after recognizing one of the above scenarios or something stronger that is compelling you to opt for cloud transformation, it is not a walk in the park. No one can deny the obvious risks in cloud adoption. But industries eventually shift, and companies with outdated systems will fall behind competitors with more effective and efficient modes of service and communication. Being mindful of common challenges when ready to make a shift toward Cloud can better frame expectations, preparing a team for potential roadblocks, allowing smoother transitions throughout the process, and helping to find that best fit along the way.

Learn More: Java for Big Data – Why To Learn and Where to Start

Top 3 Challenges of Cloud Shift

1. Time

As with any digital transformation effort, cloud migration takes time, too. Preparing the data for the big move is a slow process that requires time, manpower, and strategy. But rushing into the process without understanding the consequences can slow down the transition and might even cause data loss. 

How to overcome the peril?

• Diversify in-house talent and start designing in cross-functional teams.
• Prepare for a slower migration process. Focus on the prolific value outcomes more than a faster integration.
• Revisit the cloud roadmap and revise it frequently to locate red flags. Beware of mischaracterization of the technology.

2. Security

Many businesses operating through applications which store, retry, or deal with sensitive data often prefer to keep their data on local servers to meet compliance requirements, typically making security the most common fear amongst business leaders with regard to cloud technologies. Applications and data being hosted in public cloudsOpens a new window are prone to vulnerabilities; therefore, extensive security measures should be taken to prevent misuse or unauthorized access. 

How to overcome the peril?

• Strategize the migration in stages, beginning with non-critical or redundant data. Upgrade yourself to a private cloud or opt for a hybrid cloud along with on-premises infrastructure.
• Familiarize yourself with your cloud partner’s security practices.
• Constantly monitor the data integrity and application’s operational continuity during the migration.
• Explore breach and attack simulation software (such as Gremilin’s Simian ArmyOpens a new window ) to identify the hidden vulnerabilities and understand the system tolerance. 

3. Change Management

A solid change management system determines the result of the cloud transformation project. Not monitoring and managing the transition can affect employee productivity, technology efficiency, customer experience, and ultimately your ROI. 

How to overcome the peril?

• No matter who or how the idea was initiated, a transformation initiative should always be endorsed and envisioned by the chief executives of the firm because employee buy-in is highly influenced by their leadership.
• Create opportunities for teams to upskill themselves.
• Establish a cloud center of excellence with an emergency change advisory team/board. Having a system in place can turn a mistake into a documented experiment and a learning experience.

Learn More: Highway to Heaven: Building a Strong Cloud-Based Business Roadmap

Big Opportunity for Growth Through Cloud

Despite the challenges and obstacles of transition, cloud migration is the fastest way to holistic organizational digital transformation. Whether it is IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, or XaaS, cloud computing has the ability to empower a digital enterprise. After moving to the cloud, you can look forward to benefits such as:

• Flexibility of management, operation, development, and innovation.
• Scalability through a tailor-made ecosystem.
• Availability through on-click backups.
• Collaboration between people and teams across hierarchies, geographies, and organizations (associations).

Leaders must ask themselves… Is cloud-first your intent or your strategy?

A sad reality is that business leaders very often have futuristic intentions, but not all of them are translated well into their business strategies. Becoming a cloud-smart organization requires the cloud to become an integral part of all of your business operations and services. 

Along with substantial requirements, a reliable service provider, and team coordination, the success of the cloud adoption also demands a complete buy-in and sustained commitment of the organization’s C-level leaders. A chief officer of a company that is on a journey toward Digital or Cloud Transformation should ‘lead’ by re-defining the cloud as a new foundation for digital business, ‘transform’ by scaling cloud across the enterprise operation model, and ‘align’ teams by building a culture of innovation.

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