The use of cloud technology is on the rise. Businesses are becoming aware of several incredible benefits cloud computing can have in terms of profitability, efficiency, and productivity.
Whether you’re looking for a public, private, or hybrid cloud computing model, it’s a good idea to become a part of the over 70% of American businesses that currently use this technology.
However, every business owner needs a good understanding of how servers work as they can be an expensive investment. Knowing the ins and outs of what file servers are and how to access them will benefit you as you search for the best cloud-based server for your needs.
7 Challenges Businesses Face When Moving to the Cloud
Besides researching what servers work best for hybrid on-premise cloud solutions, you also need to consider a few common challenges you may face during cloud migration.
1. Initial Costs
While it’s true that the cost of cloud migration sees both an immediate and long-term return on profitability and productivity, the initial expense can be devastating for small businesses.
We recommend following a batch adoption (mitigate incrementally) or a hybrid cloud (only if you have applications with consistent usage) because these options will help you manage costs.
2. Incompatibility
Businesses unfamiliar with how servers run and operate may accidentally purchase a package that doesn’t include something they need or misses the mark entirely.
Before settling on an infrastructure, determine what you need your server for and whether or not you want to place everything in a public cloud. Usually, the best and most secure option is half private, half public.
3. Skill Shortage
As far as the Internet is concerned, the cloud is old news, but the institutions that teach new technology still haven’t caught up with consumer trends.
Due to this, finding someone who has the skills to manage and migrate data to the cloud is quite difficult.
You may need to train your IT staff internally or hire employees who have earned (or want to earn) a cloud-based certificate.
4. Vendor Lock-In
Third-party vendors will lock in their customers in one of three ways: application, data, or infrastructure. Lock-ins can occur as you’re trying to extract and switch your files over to the cloud.
To minimize this risk, sign up with a cloud provider with experience moving large application products, but regardless, transferring over your files will always be time-consuming.
5. Segmented Use
Bottlenecking is a problem in almost any industry, including cloud computing. If you plan to use ad hoc security strategies or isolated cloud transfer methods, you’ll double or triple the time it takes for you to use cloud software in its entirety.
A slow adoption is fine if you’re knowingly batching your files, but you need to create a plan of action before swapping over.
6. Data Security
Although public cloud providers are responsible for their cloud’s security, they won’t take the fall for businesses that mishandle their servers, applications, or data security.
The onus is on the business owner to ensure providers comply with federal regulations. Still, it helps to encrypt and secure your own data with passwords and anti-virus software, just to be safe.
7. Business Downtime
Once your clients, employees, and higher-ups understand that your business is on the cloud, they’ll expect complete data accessibility from anywhere. Unfortunately, most providers won’t allow you to access your files without an Internet connection.
If your business is solely on the cloud, you’ll need to have a data backup to reduce downtime caused by outages.
We also recommend a hybrid solution for this very reason. If your provider experiences an outage, you can still access your client’s information from your on-premise server.
