Even though each organization will have its own unique migration issues, we can offer a few more high-level recommendations to complement those shared throughout this report:
Spend time optimizing current cloud-based workloads. Have you scheduled time to do your own post-mortem assessment of application workloads already migrated to the cloud? Doing so can help you find ways to improve on what you’re already doing.
Regularly evaluate and adjust for optimal cost and performance. Take advantage of cloud’s flexibility and routinely evaluate reports and dashboards to identify possible areas for improvement.
Build a cross-functional team. Consider bringing together diverse constituents from the business side and technology side of your organization. A successful cloud migration requires close partnership between IT and the business. Organizations that have created a Cloud Center of Excellence or Cloud Strategy team tend to succeed more at cloud migration. In short, make sure you also “bake” business into your cloud projects.
Plan to develop FinOps capabilities. If your organization is still relatively new to cloud services, start implementing the guardrails, processes, and best practices to properly govern and manage cloud operations. See our first Horizon Report on cloud cost optimization for more information on FinOps best practices. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions here as well, such as: “Are we prepared for an OpEx cloud model vs. the CapEx we are currently paying for?”
Build upskilling into your project plans. Seek answers to the following skills-related questions: Do we have the skills in-house to aid in cloud migration or cloud transformation? If not, what plans should we add to help upskill our operations team to handle the new environment? Consider adding skills assessments, technical skills mapping, and planning into your strategy.
Don’t do it alone. Seek outside expertise and guidance from industry peers and trusted third parties to help you navigate the challenges of cloud migrations.