If you’re in the process of migrating your business out of a legacy environment and into the cloud, there are some important considerations to keep in mind. You need to find a partner who shares your values, is willing to work closely with you rather than provide technical expertise, understands the needs of your business, and has the necessary skillset.
This blog post will examine tips to choose the ideal partner for your cloud migration project.
1. Choose a partner that can work closely with you
Your migration partner must have the skillset and experience to support your transition. Choosing the right partner is key, so make sure they have the right skills and experience. You are entering uncharted territory with cloud migration, so it’s important that the migration partner has previously been through this process and understands its complexity.
The migration partner should understand the process your organization will undergo, both in terms of timeline and maturity. They should be able to identify the parts of your old cloud environment that need provisioning or modification to meet the needs of your business. This will help them know where you need help and how much time they’ll require to complete those tasks.
2. Choose a partner with good communicators
If you work with a partner and find they’re difficult to communicate with, it’s likely they’re not the right fit for your migration. Communication is key — and that extends beyond just the technical aspect. You should look for this when interviewing candidates; most migration partners will have an experienced team of people to help them during their transition. You need to know who they are and how they will interact with your team throughout the project.
It may be that the migration partner doesn’t have a dedicated communications person. It’s also possible that your negotiation process has led to you talking to a company representative who communicates with your team, and they happen to be the partner’s head of communications. Make sure you know what their team is like and how they interact with your team.
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3. Choose a partner that’s not afraid to ask questions
Your migration partner must ask the right questions. They should know the difference between a good and bad question, which is why you should look for a company that has experience working on cloud migration projects. The partner should take an active role in the project, especially if they are involved as a technical partner. This is because technical issues are bound to arise as your team struggles to adapt to their new environment.
There will be many questions that you’ll need to be answered during your migration. The migration partner should have the experience to deal with them — if not, you’re probably looking for a technical partner who doesn’t have terms of reference. Since your organization is taking a risk by moving to the cloud, the partnership needs to work closely together and solve issues as they arise.
4. Choose a partner that understands your business
When choosing a migration partner, you should look for one that can communicate with your team and understand your organization’s needs. The migration partner should have someone who can represent the challenges your business will face when transitioning to the cloud. These issues may include availability, compliance, governance, and security challenges. They must have the expertise to help design and implement solutions to these issues.
The partner must understand where you are in the process of transitioning to the cloud. They should also understand where your organization will be after enterprise transformation, which is why having a partner who can represent your business and communicate with your team is so important.
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5. Choose a partner that offers transparency and honesty, not just competency
Migration partners should be transparent when communicating with you throughout the system migration process. They should be honest about the current state of an environment rather than sugar-coating issues and offering a false sense of security. They should share information that is truly needed to help solve problems as they arise, whether finding a solution to an esoteric problem early in the project or deciding the future direction of your environment.
The migration partner should provide information that helps your organization make important decisions, not just based on technical competency. They should guide you and your team in making informed and well-rounded decisions.
In conclusion, make sure you choose a migration partner that has the skills, experience, and team needed to pull off your migration. A good partner will work with you to understand your needs and ensure they are met throughout the process.