Marvellous Migrations: Part 2. Harness the benefits of moving your data to the cloud – no rain in sight

.

Migrating your data to the cloud can be daunting. However, there are preparations that you can make to ensure this process is seamless. It is achievable to migrate an entire network share into a single SharePoint Document Library in one go. But just because it is achievable it does not necessarily mean you should. Document Libraries are usually not a product of design but a product of time. SharePoint Document Libraries tend to grow organically with the business which usually lead to inconsistencies in folder names, structure and access requirements if not arranged and designed correctly. By carrying out a bit of forward planning, you can harness they key preparations and benefits of migrating to the cloud.

The most successful journeys to the cloud start with an established business outcome. By undertaking data migration, it is your chance to re-think and re-organise your data and file structures. This will enable your data to be future-proof. Take the time before the migration to get to grips and understand your business. Where are you now? Where do you see yourself in the future? Design your migration this way and the data carried over will be better organised and governed. Most importantly, it will be kept consistent for the future. Organising your work in advance will ease the potential for headaches in the future and make this digital solution a success once the migration has taken place.

The people at the heart of the process

Migration, although primarily a technical solution, affects its users as well. People are at the heart of the process although it is technology that does the work. Migration enables people to become better within their job roles and more productive day-to-day.

When carrying out data migration, it’s important to set out the map for the user journey. It is also best practice to illustrate the technical aspects of the implementation. There are many ways that data migration can take place.

‘Cut-over’ migration: when people come in to work to find a new system in place.

‘Staged’ migration: when people work across old and new data stores until the data migration is complete.

Whichever way you choose, it is best to keep employees in the know about what is happening and what to expect. Equally important is to potentially line up training for employees on new systems and features if needed. Taking these steps will help ensure you end up with both a productive work force and a successful on-boarding experience. Change can be a daunting experience. User resistance could be a factor that needs to be faced. Share your plans, goals and benefits of the migration while outlining the support available to colleagues. This will not only help everyone accept the changes but also excel in these changes.

Getting it right

Undertaking data migration to a cloud platform such as Office 365 has a host of assets and will release an array of benefits for the organisation. These include but are not limited to; reduced infrastructure costs, liberated workforce, increased efficiency, discovery and governance. A process that is seen as a technical project, is in fact a thoroughly designed plan. A plan that involves a variety of different people and skill sets for it to be truly successful.

Take time to consider your goals, aspirations and what you want to achieve from the migration. This is the first steps in this process. Done correctly, your organisation will reap the benefits of a well planned and executed data migration. Complete with an up-to-date motivated workforce.

Undertake suitable preparation and your on-boarding experience will be plain sailing to the cloud – no rain in sight.

Want to know more about the preparations and benefits of migrating to the cloud?

Contact us at Appetite for Business and start your journey to the cloud today.