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5 Steps for Prosperous Data Center Migration

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shutterstock_92066165The changing nature of business requires constant adaptation. Company mergers, directives to consolidate, or aging on-site facilities can compel the need for data center migration.

And although there are many options available, transferring IT equipment and workloads can be an expensive and laborious undertaking if not done properly.
Whether the plan involves moving to a colocation provider or an established, consolidated new facility, applying logical best practices can help any company ensure that the migration is successful.

Step #1: Strategy

The first step involves choosing which equipment to transfer. Data center migration is an opportunity to analyze inventory. Perhaps some older equipment should be phased out? Maybe it’s time to trade-in rentals? Can certain hardware or software contracts be terminated? This is an excellent time to assess the value of various service contracts.

Moreover, companies should know if equipment adaptations are required for the new facility. Is it possible to design a higher density environment? Can aisle containment or pods be implemented? Looking at the new data center location in terms of functionality can allow the migration to double as a power structure planning process as well.

Step #2: Scheduling

Companies should schedule data center migration according to their needs. If downtime doesn’t present a significant impediment, the move can be conducted all at once with the right personnel. However, moving equipment in chunks or stages can offer the advantage of having key elements operating in the new location to aid system transfers.

The ideal moving date should be scheduled after business hours and during off-peak usage. For instance, it’s not a good idea to schedule a data center migration during a new product launch or intensive in-house project.

Step #3: Inventories and Facility Reviews

Listing all of the equipment intended for the transfer and reviewing service contracts is a crucial part of data center migration.

Companies should pull system logs and inventory documentation to visually verify existing items and record any new equipment before packing. Disaster recovery (DR) contracts will require notification to the new location, and businesses should plan for possible loaner equipment or a short-term service contract to guard against any accidents that might occur during the migration.

Physically label each item being moved, and gather and record all of its warranty information, including serial numbers. Double-check to ensure that nothing during the migration process will void warranties.

Prepare, adjust, and run backup and DR plans. In addition, having a physical back up in addition to one in the cloud can be helpful.

Step #4: Making the Move

Organize the moving personnel into groups according to function, and confirm access to the new location. Companies that create a comprehensive data migration strategy can ensure success by including a step-by-step process for equipment transfers, reinstallation, and back-up plans.

Label the equipment, cables, and other items according to where it will be located to speed up the reinstallation process. Also, dispose of old equipment according to purge/safety protocols.

Security should be a high priority. Data center migration creates vulnerabilities, so track everything and closely monitor security logs.

Step #5: Equipment Testing

After installation, perform applicable tests to verify functionality and perform a visual check that all of the equipment is in place.

Document the process from beginning to end. This offers companies actionable intelligence that can help identify any inefficiencies or problems to avoid during future migration processes.

Reasons Why the Cloud Still Provides Secure Storage

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Data securityMany businesses have cloud security concerns because of past hacking incidents. However, many of these events could have been prevented with proper cloud data backup.

Cloud technology is still a secure storage solution for a number of other reasons as well. Companies should look at the security options that providers offer to avoid compromising sensitive data.

There are several reasons to choose cloud services:

Enjoy More Protection

Data kept in data centers is often vulnerable to a number of risks, such as natural disasters and system failures, leaving businesses vulnerable to additional downtime or loss of data. The benefit of cloud technology is that data is stored on multiple data center locations, meaning that if one fails, backup still remains on other servers to avoid disaster.

Retain Full Control Over Storage Locations

Localized data centers can present a few issues for businesses. One would be the concern over unintentionally breaking local compliance laws, and another would be the hassle of purchasing new equipment to relocate a data center when a company moves. With cloud storage, companies can select data centers in several different locations, avoiding the restrictions of local data residency laws. Cloud providers can allow businesses to store data and access it from these various locations when needed.

Get Total Security Coverage

Not only does using a cloud provider strengthen security at data center housing locations, but it also helps ensure that secure network connections are properly established and maintained. Data is also heavily encrypted by using admin credentials on service providers’ encryption keys. There is no event that will allow outsiders access to data because of this encryption.

Cloud Service Providers are Regularly Assessed

To maintain maximum data security, many cloud service providers undergo audits. Every aspect of the infrastructure is examined to prevent compromises, including physical security measures, network setup, storage, and accounts. Customers can see these reports and determine if the vendor is right for them based on the results.

Look for the Right Cloud Vendor

Different cloud service providers work in different ways. Security measures might differ and could conflict with a company’s particular cloud storage requirements. Businesses should have a comprehensive discussion with a cloud service provider before utilizing their services. A good vendor will clearly communicate security measures as well as specific storage locations.

If a company wants to keep data secure at all times on the cloud, it should scrutinize every aspect of the cloud provider’s security measures and storage capabilities. Businesses need to know about controls, storage locations, and encryption steps in order to avoid threats to security. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are vital for companies to help compare data storage and uptime, with detailed steps about adding and removing data from the cloud.

With the right cloud service provider, there should be no exploitable weak points in data storage. Intrusions should be blocked, and any server failures should be inconsequential with data redundancy in multiple data center locations. Proper cloud security measures ensure that businesses avoid catastrophe.

Cloud Computing Still Rising Trend in 2015

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Cloud migrationA recent Computerworld article indicates the trend toward cloud computing will continue its upward climb in the enterprise IT world. When 194 IT executives answered a November 2014 poll, one quarter had moved applications to the cloud and intended more moves in the near future.

The survey also revealed that: Roughly 14 percent of IT executives have migrated email, calendar tools, storage and documents to the cloud. Additionally, nine percent were in the process of moving a portion of their networking and data center infrastructure.

Roughly 16 percent of executives surveyed named cloud computing as the technology of primary importance to their IT departments; 18 percent believe the cloud will be the most disruptive business technology for the next three to five years.

Gains still to be made

Market analysts see cloud migration continuing to grow as businesses ramp up cloud use instead of pursuing an “all or nothing” transition. By moving workloads and apps in planned, systemic migrations, IT organizations are achieving the agility they need while still addressing their security concerns.

Many IT leaders agree that migrating data and apps is a great way to slash costs because it eliminates infrastructure and administrative costs from the budget. Other cloud advantages are scalability and disaster recovery. Over time, cloud vendors have also displayed the ability to address security concerns, removing one of the last migration obstacles to cloud computing skeptics.

Breaking down the barriers

As the IT community continues to accept the security of the cloud, two lingering adoption barriers are the complex systems and customized software many companies use. Transforming the industry may require the establishment of best practices for implementing cloud-based systems. One way of doing that is by viewing the cloud not just as the latest technological advance but as a philosophy adding value to their organizations.

For instance, the hybrid cloud is valuable in cases where leaving some solutions on-site is preferable, such as apps running huge data streams. Highly customized software tools, however, present a migrating challenge. For other applications, IT departments can combine some systems and decommission others that have proven to be too inflexible or unwieldy.

Changing IT focus 

Without the burden of managing infrastructure, IT staff will expand their skill sets to include project and vendor management, while IT managers shift their focus from developers to managing vendors. Additionally, since IT staffers now have more interactions with users, companies must provide them with effective communication strategies so the business objectives continue to be advanced.

Cloud computing will continue to gain ground for the foreseeable future. IT executives realize the cloud will be a major tool in their arsenal, and barriers to cloud adoption are falling by the wayside. With a reduced focus on managing infrastructure, IT staff will be free to focus on adding more value to the business.

Managed Cloud Services: When IT Leaders Should Avoid DIY

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Public/PrivateThe cloud can be many things to many companies. In some ways, the cloud offers a multifaceted revolution that mirrors the way outsourced data years ago changed how IT departments operate.

Businesses can buy in completely and outsource the entire cloud solution, or they can keep certain sectors in-house while outsourcing other services. One major option involves outsourcing the cloud platform itself while keeping other aspects of IT internal. The decision to run a private cloud on-site or off-site depends on the company’s expectations and strategies.

Cloud solutions generally offer two benefits: reduced costs and better computing at scale. Companies that are small, growing, or changing may lean toward outsourced cloud platforms. Larger or less dynamic companies may prefer to keep everything in-house. Let’s examine the reasons behind these decisions.

Private Clouds with Managed Services

Businesses concerned with short-term ROI (return on investment) love the ability to adopt private cloud solutions managed by third parties. Zero or minimal investment and controllable costs make it easy to bring in value rapidly.

There’s more to the equation. Positive aspects of managed cloud include these:

  • No new hardware to buy.
  • Data storage can be scaled easily.
  • The service provider manages risk (security, replication, disaster recovery).
  • Upgrades and improvements are automatically handled by the provider.
  • Expert management means small companies benefit from wider knowledge.

Additionally, smaller companies can focus internal IT on other initiatives when leaving some heavy lifting to a third party. Cloud technology offers a wider suite of applications and purposes than many small and medium businesses can handle in-house. Longtime IT employees may not have much specialty skills regarding cloud. Outsourcing the new stuff services leaving internal staff to focus on other concerns may prove the wisest course for plenty of businesses.

In-House Management of Cloud Platforms

Managing a private cloud on-site affords businesses the greatest control over hardware and certain bespoke options of the computing system. For larger companies that know exactly what they need and have the resources to fill the obligations, in-house management makes sense.

Some specific reasons to choose internal cloud management include the following:

  • To personally oversee security and compliance protocols.
  • To provide the most direct access to the system for expert internal staff.
  • To make use of employees who are fully trained and up-to-date on cloud platforms.

Essentially, internal management offers the optimal combination of dedication and customization for a business that is up to the task.

Making Choices in an Evolving Landscape

The decision to host or outsource a private cloud comes easily for many businesses. For others, the future may seem too unclear. As evolved and established as the cloud is, the market certainly will change significantly in the coming years. New blends of private and public, on-premise and off-premise may emerge.

For the next several, internal platforms hold the greatest appeal for large companies expecting the least change. For evolving needs, outsourcing cloud solutions offers the safest solution.

Smart Practices for Securing Data in the Cloud

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cs1One of the hottest business trends right now is cloud computing. One prediction is that the market for public clouds as data storage options will expand annually by 23 percent over a five-year period, increasing revenue from approximately $48 billion to a whopping $130 billion.

The appeal of third-party providers that maintain vast reserves of storage capacity available only when necessary is undeniable. Much in the manner that consumers now access only the electricity and water that they need, these storage reserves can be tapped during peak traffic and then released.

The market now is wide open with industry titans vying to provide cloud services. Some very diverse clients eager to save money and streamline the data storage process have been wooed over to the cloud.

As businesses worldwide continue data migration to the cloud, speculation over the security of the cloud platform arises. CIOs must minimize the risk of their corporate data being compromised by understanding and proactively managing the transition.

Identifying Vulnerabilities

All data storage systems are vulnerable to an attack—a sentiment that was made evident very recently. Any breach of data is a corporate nightmare. Reputations are made and staked on a company’s ability to safeguard their clients’ privacy and unique brands. When security is thwarted by a hack or an insider leak, a company’s brand can quickly lose its edge and market share.

The infrastructure for the cloud must be designed to the highest industry standards to safeguard privacy and withstand cyber onslaughts. Even so, some potential concerns of businesses using third-party providers for their software, storage, platforms, or infrastructure in the cloud include the following:

Risks and threats. Public cloud systems are portals that can be targeted in a hack. By design, they allow multiple people authorization and access—a situation usually avoided by networks that are owned and managed by a single user. However, risks can be mitigated, and the data security level increased to stave off attacks.

Accurate data assurance. Cloud service providers must maintain the tightest security controls on their managing software because the potential risk of a compromised server could affect multiple tenants. In a cyber attack or other critical event, there might be thefts and losses of data; some data may be seriously compromised in the breach. Whether the intent was malicious or when it resulted from an unfortunate accident, damage control is key.

Limiting data access. There is a question of liability. The Federal Trade Commission has the authority to order corporations that leaked sensitive consumer data to compensate those damaged by the breach. They also can order businesses to dodge hacks and cyber attacks by taking preventative measures.

Other Concerns
Further complicating matters is this: the 1986 Electronic Communications and Privacy Act that governs cyberspace has yet to be updated to reflect the current technologies. Therefore, at least in the U.S., the obligations of today’s companies remain murky.

In addition, American companies that do data transfers to clouds with servers based in the European Union are subject to the EU’s strict laws defining the obligations of  companies’ data security duties. This is applicable whether or not any of clientele are based in Europe.

For the best possible outcome, CIOs and CTOs can employ the cloud computing best practices and assess all security threats to safeguard data as it transitions to its new home on the cloud.

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