True or false? Learn the facts about cloud migration with Microsoft Azure

The cloud was once nothing more than a science fiction dream of tomorrow. However, today it is a critical tool enabling businesses to streamline operations, adapt to changing demands, and improve their collaboration with customers, stakeholders and staff.

However, for those unfamiliar with the reality of the cloud, embracing migration can seem daunting. To them, it’s too costly, too risky, and without tangible benefits. Research even demonstrates that many business leaders believe cloud migration costs are too high, and that making the switch will remove their power to make decisions. These beliefs are mostly due to a lack of knowledge around how the cloud actually works and the ways it can be used to help businesses reach their full potential.

The truth is, with the cloud you can unlock more opportunities than ever before. Take Microsoft Azure. This cloud platform offers thousands of applications that can assist in managing, growing and streamlining operations while offering a cost-effective and stress-free onboarding process.

Still not sure? These true and false facts can help bust the cloud migration myths keeping you from taking things to the cloud.

TRUE: it’s more cost-effective to migrate to the cloud than maintain your current systems

There will always be some up-front costs to begin with, but migrating to Azure will give you the power to reduce your operating costs over time and allow you to invest more in growth. This is thanks to:

Automatic software updates
Visibility of spending with cost management and analysis tools
Set spending thresholds
Improved processes through automated tools
Identify opportunities for workload changes to help optimise your costs

With these features and Azure’s Microsoft Cost Management, you could save up to 34% in your first year.

Plus, the ongoing costs associated with Microsoft Azure will be much lower than what it would be to maintain your physical IT infrastructure and legacy systems. Today’s technology demands greater processing power that the cloud can easily manage. However, legacy systems struggle to keep up with the needs of new tech and applications. That means that staying with your current system will require you to continually invest in CPU and memory to perform simple tasks, holding you back and costing you more.

FALSE: migrating to the cloud will expose your business to cyber-attack

Microsoft takes cyber security very seriously, investing $1 billion into it every year. Microsoft Azure leverages this investment, making it one of the most secure platforms out there. Designed to keep you safe and operational while operating over the internet, Azure is backed by the expertise of over 3,500 global cyber security experts. It also possesses built-in disaster recovery and backup capabilities, allowing you to enjoy peace of mind knowing the impact and chance of downtime and data loss is minimised.

You can also enjoy 99.95% availability, 24/7 support, and consistent health monitoring via Azure’s network of data centres in more than 60 locations around the planet.

TRUE: operating a new cloud system is simple

Some level of training will always be needed with learning a new system, but you don’t need to be an IT expert to operate Microsoft Azure. It is specifically designed to be user-friendly so businesses can harness it with ease.

OSS Group will even provide you with subsidised Azure technical training, access to a library of self- guided resources, and step-by-step guidance from experienced Microsoft Azure engineers.

FALSE: the complexity of cloud migration makes significant downtime unavoidable

Despite what many cloud myths may say, cloud migration can be simple. Azure may take a primary role in your operations once migration is complete, but that doesn’t mean you need to shut down your entire system to put it in place. There may be some brief moments of downtime, but these will be significantly diminished thanks to prior planning and assessment.

The assessment will include a real-time review of your business data to identify a roadmap for your cloud migration. It will account for your strategies, workload, costs, capacity and more to ensure things are clear and achievable.

OSS Group can then turn these findings into a detailed report and deliver it to you, most times within 72 hours of your assessment. This report will be vital for determining a migration strategy that suits you, and offering a clear timeline. You may find out that your business has large data volumes to process so will need a phased plan, or you might find that your Azure migration will take only a few weeks with minor impacts to your day- to-day.

Begin your cloud migration journey and book your free assessment with OSS Group

Now that we’ve uncovered the truth of the cloud, we are here to help you leverage all the benefits at your fingertips when you migrate to Microsoft Azure. The first step is to arrange your Cloud Assessment, allowing you to move your operations into Microsoft Azure in a way that is most effective for your business.

Once completed, our team at OSS Group will guide you through your migration, allowing a seamless, secure transition for your data, systems and applications. Learn how Microsoft Azure can help your organisation be its best with powerful cloud services, enhanced innovation, streamlined collaboration, and more.

Now is the time to take advantage. Register for a Cloud Assessment today and see what your business could become! Get in touch with our Cloud Services Team now!