Many businesses and enterprises have moved to cloud in the last two decades. According to research around 69% of businesses are already using cloud technology. Gartner predicts that this trend will continue through 2023. In 2020 the pandemic accelerated the cloud migration due to global economic shutdown imposed by governments around the world. Cloud services come with a number of attractive advantages given the maturity of services and regulations. Some of the benefits of cloud computing include cost savings, security, scalability, flexibility, disaster recovery, data loss prevention, increased collaboration, security and mobility. When considering moving to cloud, we recommend the following approach.

Recommanded Four-Phased Approach

• Phase 1: Research and Pre-planning
• Phase 2: Planning and Purchasing
• Phase 3: Execution
• Phase 4: Operations and Maintenance

Cloud Computing Adoption Lifecycle

• Proof of Concept
• Cloud Strategy and Roadmap
• Cloud Modeling and Architecture
• Cloud Implementation Planning
• Cloud Implementation
• Cloud Expansion
• Cloud Integration
• Cloud Collaboration
• Cloud Maturity

Cloud Service and Deployment Models to Select

Service Models:

• IaaS
• PaaS
• SaaS

Deployment Models:

• Public
• Private
• Hybird
• Community

Cloud Considerations and Key Questions for Vendors

When considering cloud solutions, make sure you explore the following critical issues. You want the vendor to officially respond to how they handle data security, system downtime, cost and compatibility issues. Additionally, ask the following questions:

• Where are the data centers located?
• How is the CIA (confidentiality, integrity, availability) handled by the vendor
• Is the data in transit encrypted? Who has the key?
• What certifications and accreditations the vendor has?
• Is the vendor GDPR compliant?
• Can the data be ported to another provider?
• How is the networkk latency?
• What are the service level agreement terms?