Being in the cloud makes a lot of things easier. But getting there can be a different story. 

Any time your data is in transit, the risk is higher that it could get lost, stolen, or corrupted. How, when, and where you move your data can make a world of difference. But before you start thinking in terms of a cloud migration strategy, here are a few pitfalls to avoid. 

The Top 5 Don'ts of Cloud Computing

Some of these may be fairly obvious, but believe it or not, we’ve still seen some businesses make these blunders over the past few years. But to be fair, even fully staffed, highly skilled internal IT teams just don’t do this type of work every day. And just like with every business trend, in order to get the ROI that everyone’s talking about, you need to be patient and strategic. 

And that brings us to our first don’t…

1. Don't Do It for the Money

Costs and savings are at the forefront of most important business decisions. When it comes to migrating to the cloud, you shouldn’t do it for the sake of saving money alone. While this is an acceptable reason for considering a move to the cloud, this should not be your sole purpose. Some programs can be run more efficiently in the cloud, allowing your business to realize cost savings. But you’ll also have some additional costs that you don’t want to overlook — like data transfer and ongoing data storage costs. It’s also important to understand that many line-of-business applications still require an infrastructure investment, and therefore, are not cloud-compatible. 

Do: Make your purpose for transitioning to the cloud more about enhanced functionality and flexibility for your users.

2. Don't Underestimate Security

Security is a very important facet of cloud computing. The cloud is safer than most data storage solutions — and often safer than people assume — but there’s still a chance that your data could be lost or stolen.  

Do: Properly evaluate the data your company works with on a daily basis and ensure your cloud environment provides the level of security necessary. In many cases, a hybrid cloud environment is the best solution because enhanced security measures specific to your organization can be implemented. 

3. Don't Choose a Provider Based on Your Previous Experience

Although your current provider may excel at providing you with excellent IT services for your on-premises infrastructure, those skills don’t always translate into the cloud. Misconfigurations are common, and unfortunately, the right configurations for one business aren’t the same for another. 

Do: Choose a provider based on their previous experience with cloud solutions rather than your previous experience with their company.

4. Don't Underestimate the Impact

Assume your migration to a new computing environment will require some changes and adaptability from your users. People are naturally resistant to change, and after the pandemic, global unrest, persistent supply chain issues, and the recession, change fatigue and workplace anxiety are worse in 2024 than they were in 2021. 

Some tools that promise huge productivity savings in the long run still take time to get to know, and that might put additional stress on employees who are already balancing heavy workloads. 

Do: Share your plan and your expectations going forward! Communication and information can go a long way towards reducing anxiety and opposition.

5. Don't Make the Decision Alone

Whether you are the CEO or head of the IT department, the decision to implement a cloud computing environment should not be made individually. Each department within your business will be impacted differently by the change, and it’s important to know exactly how it will affect their work.

Do: Consult a diverse internal team before you make the switch. They can also help you champion this decision, communicate it to their teams, and help employees adjust!

The Easiest Way To Get to the Cloud

The easiest way to get to the cloud is to work with an IT provider that guides companies there all the time and has a track record of doing so quickly and successfully. They’ll be able to recommend solutions that are aligned with your business’s short and long-term goals and help you navigate a successful, smooth migration. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to sign a big long-term contract. Many IT providers will partner with internal IT teams to help facilitate larger projects. 

Not only do we have our own team of cloud specialists at Marco, but we have also partnered with many SaaS providers to offer you best-in-class support and insider pricing. 

Click the link below to learn more!