Are you ready to embrace the cloud, but still want to have data on the ground? Fortunately, your cloud migration journey doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” scenario.
Choosing a hybrid cloud approach will allow you to get started with a cloud migration strategy, while also maintaining some of your on-premises data.
To modernize cloud strategy in a way that is stable, agile and scalable, enterprises need to shift seamlessly from a legacy state to a future state—which can be daunting.
Benefits of a hybrid cloud strategy
That’s where a hybrid cloud strategy comes into play. Not only can a hybrid cloud strategy help you transition to cloud, it can also minimize your physical footprint, reduce costs, add flexibility, and help you to better manage business expectations.
Whether you are trying to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of digital transformation, or stay ahead of client requirements, pursuing a hybrid cloud model is an elastic, scalable way to proactively handle data moving forward. And most business leaders agree.
According to the 2020 State of the Cloud Report from Flexera, cloud spend is rising as organizations adopt multi-cloud strategies and put more workloads and data in the cloud. The report shows that 87% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy, and 61% of organizations plan to focus on cloud migration in 2020 and beyond.
4 Reasons to choose a hybrid cloud migration solution
For many organizations, getting started is half the battle. No matter where you are on your journey from legacy IT to future IT, consider these four reasons to ensure a successful a hybrid cloud migration:
1. Cut the fluff
Taking a hybrid cloud approach can reduce your on-premises physical footprint significantly. Even if you aren’t ready to give up your data center entirely, operating in a hybrid environment will allow you to slowly transition to the cloud, while also lowering the cost to procure, implement, operate and maintain hardware.
Not only does this remove the need for as much physical space, it also cuts back on the amount of hardware and software needed. Maybe you are looking to move some applications to the cloud, or maybe you want to limit the amount of space you are using. Either way, you are reducing your on-premises presence.
Expert Tip: Not sure when to make that initial jump to cloud? Companies often choose to do so when they are due for a refresh so that they can avoid additional new hardware costs and ease the burden of migration costs. Work smarter—not harder, right?
2. Ease into the cloud—it’s a marathon, not a sprint
If you want to transition from legacy IT to future IT, a hybrid cloud approach allows you to take that next step without uprooting your entire ecosystem all at once—so you can go at your own pace, one step at a time. Because let’s face it, a cloud transition probably isn’t the only IT initiative you have going. Having a flexible cloud migration schedule allows you to accomplish your cloud goals while still maintaining business continuity and executing on other recurring or critical digital projects.
Hybrid cloud is the connective tissue between your on-premises data center and the public cloud. Migrating to a hybrid cloud allows you to move your applications and workloads into the cloud quickly and seamlessly—on your own schedule.
This approach gives you the flexibility to test and evolve your cloud strategy while maintaining the stability of your hardware and software on-premises. This phased method to migration allows you to maintain operational consistency and take advantage of the features and services in the cloud in a way that is complementary for your data processes.
Expert Tip: Remember, the cloud is not all or nothing. A hybrid migration approach lets you strategically choose which applications should go to cloud first, so you can test your strategy before going all-in. This elasticity enables your cloud strategy to evolve with the ebb and flow of your business needs and priorities.
3. Operate with flexibility, security and control
Working in the cloud gives you a great deal of flexibility and room to grow. Operationally, a hybrid cloud migration strategy allows you to work faster and have the freedom to use and manage your data as you see fit. Having the ability to easily move your applications between the public and private cloud gives you the control and security you need to maximize your data migration strategy. It also gives you access to services that cannot be built on-premises and the ability to activate and remove capacity on-demand, based on your specific needs at that moment.
With a hybrid migration strategy, your organization can leverage the speed, agility and innovation of the cloud while still maintaining your on-premises operations. And since you can have the best of both worlds, why not take it?
Expert Tip: Keep in mind that while having data in the cloud and on-premises safeguards information and provides flexibility, it’s important to monitor what information is sent back on-premises from the cloud to avoid extra costs.
4. Better prepare your business for the digital age
In addition to increased flexibility and faster operating time, there are critical business reasons to use a hybrid cloud migration strategy as well. As more organizations make their journey to cloud, more clients and partners will expect you to be in the cloud—from a collaborative and competitive standpoint. As an industry, we’ve passed the point of failure or downtime being acceptable.
A hybrid cloud migration can help you accelerate your digital strategy so you don’t get left behind in today’s fast-paced IT race. Furthermore, some companies are now requiring you to have a cloud strategy if you plan to work together. These types of requirements could impact the success of your business tremendously—now and certainly in the future.
Expert Tip: Don’t jump to the cloud prematurely just because you think you are supposed to. Don’t let peer pressure be your driving factor. Let your business requirements steer your decision to enable a cloud strategy—so you can move at a pace that best meets your business needs.
Accelerate your journey to future IT with hybrid cloud migration
Choosing a hybrid cloud migration solution is a great step toward modernization without risking a drastic impact on your workflow.
With a hybrid solution, organizations can also start their journey from legacy to future IT without relying on new hardware or associated costs. It allows you to maintain the on-premises data you already have, while progressing your cloud strategy in the right direction.
Starting the journey from legacy to future IT can be daunting but, remember: it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
