Cloud computing services are often the most efficient way to build a scalable IT infrastructure. The process of moving to cloud services, though, demands significant planning. Before you start migrating to the cloud, you should design your plans to address these three issues.
Use Case
The cloud is a broad idea, but there are many narrow use cases within it. One of the most common use cases is scalable storage for archiving or sharing. However, many organizations are turning to cloud services for added computational capabilities, deploying remote services, and even replacing existing desktop solutions.
It's critical to match your setup to how you are most likely to use it. While you may be able to squeeze the necessary functionality out of a mismatch, there's no reason to do so. Services providers offer diverse options, and you should talk with them about your specific goals.
Long-Term Projections
Scalability is a huge selling point for the cloud. When you're thinking about scalability, it shouldn't just be in terms of seemingly infinite storage or user licenses. Instead, you should think about how your operation is likely to scale over a 5 or 10-year timeline. During initial setup, you want to be sure your chosen solution will scale beyond your projections so you can have sufficient overhead. This will give you a good starting point for calculating low, medium, and high scenario costs.
Administration, Privileges, and Security
A cloud-based setup offers the same functionality you'd expect from a desktop or server. Consequently, it also comes with many of the same security and authorization concerns. Foremost, you'll want to have a solid administrative structure in place. Just as you may have needed admins to handle a bare-metal server, you'll also need someone in the same role to handle your cloud configuration.
Similarly, the admins will need to arrange privileges for all of your expected users. The best practice is for you to provide the least amount of privileges necessary. This reduces the odds that someone will mess up files or accidentally stumble into seeing something they weren't supposed to. You don't want an employee browsing your officer data, for example, only to stumble into the payroll files and see what everybody else is making.
Outside threats are also relevant. While the cloud services company will provide significant defense in the form of firewalls and network monitoring, you'll also need to deploy security measures. These are often industry-specific, such as the ones used by the payment card industry for processing credit card payments. Outline all of your security requirements and how you'll meet them before starting your cloud deployment.
For more info, contact a cloud service near you to get started.
Share