The Biggest Benefits of Cloud Migration for Businesses

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You might have seen the term “cloud migration” trending online. According to Gartner’s research, more than 70% of companies have migrated some workloads to the cloud, with momentum expected to continue. In fact, ReportLinker says that the cloud computing market volume will hit nearly 950 billion by 2026.

So, what is cloud migration, exactly? Simply put, it’s the process of partially or entirely shifting services, databases, applications, and resources to the cloud. Some companies also shift from one cloud to a more advanced infrastructure during a cloud migration.

The process can take anywhere from a few months to over a year, depending on several factors. These could include the size of your company, your assets, and the capability of your IT partners.

Cloud migration can be a complex undertaking. To avoid significant downtime, compliance issues, security problems, and other needless problems, many organizations outsource the process to professionals. For instance, with Softlanding IT managed services, organizations can embrace cloud adoption with a world-class cloud roadmap and strategy on a public cloud like Microsoft Azure.

So why are businesses going through such a complex and costly undertaking like cloud migration?

Speed

Some cloud platforms are surprisingly fast and user-friendly. For example, Azure allows companies to quickly build, deploy, and manage applications of varying complexity with an easy learning curve.

Cost Reduction

Although the up-front costs of migrating to the cloud can be sizable, the investment can result in lower costs in the longer term. According to one survey of IT professionals shared by Tech Republic, 95% of respondents said that moving to the cloud reduces setup and maintenance costs. On the cloud, companies have less expensive equipment to manage themselves, slashing operating costs.

Scalability

It’s much easier to scale operations on the cloud by paying on demand. Companies that need extra expensive equipment during peak seasons must still maintain it during other seasons of the year. They may also eventually have to upgrade the equipment to keep up with technological developments. But with cloud-based services, they can reduce their fixed and variable costs by only paying for infrastructure as they need it.

Some companies even sell off on-site technology after completing their cloud migration. This allows them to raise capital and reduce costs.

Working on the cloud also allows companies to adopt remote working more efficiently. They can thereby slash expenses like rent, salaries, and energy bills. It’s not a coincidence that cloud migration rose in popularity during the pandemic when remote work became something of a necessity.

Innovation

Organizations realize they can afford to take more risks after migrating to the cloud. They can experiment with new services, applications, and innovations. This is because the cloud-based business model can be flexible and cost-effective.

Stability

As cybersecurity threats like ransomware attacks rise, cloud-based infrastructures can offer businesses more security and stability. Microsoft, founder of Azure, has announced a $20 billion five-year spending plan to bolster cybersecurity even further.

Additionally, businesses on the cloud are less prone to downtime due to power failures and local hardware and network problems. Cloud-based services also offer excellent disaster recovery options.

Conclusion

While cloud migration isn’t a straightforward task, businesses are embracing the shift to reap the multiple benefits. Of course, it’s best to partner with an experienced team for the most seamless migration journey.