Cloud Migration Means Teamwork: Everyone’s Involved

As organizations shift to hybrid- and multi-cloud environments, the scale and dynamic nature, not to mention the explosion of data they produce, make migration management increasingly complex. 

During this process, the IT operations team may struggle to monitor and manage cloud-based resource performance effectively. 

Olivier de Turckheim, solution architect at Cycloid, says that before anything happens, organizations need to run a comprehensive assessment of existing workflows, applications, and data structures to identify areas for optimization and improvement. 

“Workflows need to support team collaboration and therefore involve all teams,” he explains in an email interview. 

For example, governance can be supported by sending an approval request to a manager with the estimated cost of infrastructure, and upon approval, the deployment would automatically start. 

“Leadership teams need to foster a collaborative environment between teams, a strong strategy to migrate to cloud-native solutions, encouraging cloud-centric innovation and, most importantly, a true DevOps mentality,” de Turckheim says.  

IT Operations Takes the Lead  

Amir Khan, CEO of Alkira, says because cloud migration impacts various teams across an organization, the IT operations team will be shouldering the bulk of the responsibility of provisioning and managing resources in the cloud. 

Related:8 Cloud Migration Challenges

“With the rate at which things are evolving, this team will need to adapt to new tools and platforms compared to traditional on-premises infrastructure,” he explains in an email interview. 

Khan notes most teams across any business will be affected in some way by cloud migration, so it’s critical that everyone is aware in advance that a migration is about to take place, and how it will affect their day-to-day roles. 

For example, teams might face temporary slowdowns that will require adjustments to their daily routines. 

“Clear communication from the top is a crucial element so teams are prepared, which can make a noticeable difference as a business migrates to the cloud,” he says. 

Those that can leverage technology platforms to bring all these moving parts together can make the cloud migration process a lot more cohesive and less siloed. 

“Employees still should be aware that things are changing, but it can make the process much smoother and, in some cases, can have a minimal impact on day-to-day workflows,” he says.  

Building Talent, Embracing Innovation 

To foster a culture and mindset that embraces cloud adoption and encourages innovation, leadership must champion the initiative and communicate its strategic significance, says Andi Grabner, DevOps activist at Dynatrace.  

Related:Navigating the Cloud: Ensuring Visibility Across the 3 Phases of Migration

“Encouraging experimentation and learning by providing resources and training opportunities is key,” he explains in an email interview. 

Organizations must equip their teams with unified solutions and establish governance policies to ensure consistency and security. 

“These strategies collectively cultivate a culture primed for successful cloud adoption and continuous innovation,” he says.  

Kausik Chaudhuri, CIO at Lemongrass, explains via email that organizations should ensure they have a skilled IT workforce adept in cloud computing who understand cloud infrastructure, data migration, and security. 

“Having team members proficient in project and change management is essential to oversee transformation efforts,” he adds. 

Enterprises should also invest in upskilling and certification programs for existing employees to foster up-to-date competencies, while hiring talent with specific cloud expertise can also supplement skills deficits. 

“By strategically nurturing and acquiring talent, organizations can better position themselves for both a successful cloud migration and long-term resilience,” Chaudhuri says. 

Related:Using Cloud for Competitive Advantage

Managing Expectations, Ensuring Alignment  

Khan explains that IT professionals are the ones in the trenches during a cloud migration project, so being able to manage expectations throughout the process is vital. 

“Going into the project, the team should set clear goals, metrics, milestones, and timelines, so they can share regular updates and how things are playing out against the original plan,” he advises. 

There will undoubtedly be bumps in the road -- especially if they’re handling the migration process in-house -- so it’s important that they are proactive and forthright about any challenges that come up. 

“This way, stakeholders have realistic expectations of when to anticipate certain results,” he says. 

If there are adjustments to the plan and stakeholders are not aware, this can cause unnecessary panic and stress for the organization. 

“Having a dedicated team lead who’s responsible for transparency and regular communication with stakeholders should be a priority from the start,” Khan says.  

From de Turckheim’s perspective, it is crucial to define clear business goals and objectives as early as possible to ensure alignment between technical solutions and business needs. 

During the migration project, the team must provide continuous communication with business stakeholders including progress reports, key performance indicator (KPI) updates, risk assessment, and demonstrations. 

Organizations could also create communities of practice, special interest groups, or innovation forums where employees can share insights, showcase projects, and collaborate on innovative initiatives related to cloud adoption. 

He says as with any project, open communication and collaboration among cross-functional teams is essential. 

“Clear roles, responsibilities, and ownership for each aspect of the cloud migration process will provide people with autonomy to get the job done without micromanagement or the need for too many meetings,” de Turckheim says.