Avoiding Mishaps Throughout Multi-Cloud Migration

Change is difficult. And the move to a multi-cloud architecture is no exception. However, knowing about some of the most common mishaps upfront can play a pivotal role in helping organization stay on track. 

Failing to fully plan. Successful multi-cloud migrations start with a comprehensive plan that maps which assets can be cost effectively and securely migrated to each selected cloud.

When building a working multi-cloud strategy, start by validating the business cases for applications and services that can provide financial and operational benefits from migrating to the cloud. This involves assessing what’s needed to ensure asset optimization, identifying any dependencies to eliminate potential failures, as well as exploring each cloud service providers’ strengths (and weaknesses). Going through this exercise helps to determine any idiosyncrasies applicable to each migration.

After identifying which assets should go where, IT can develop a cloud service management strategy to guide the organization through each phase and accurately align asset migrations to provider strengths. Working with a trusted partner, such as BMC Software, throughout this initial stage can help with procurement strategies, capacity optimization, vendor management, and cloud operating models.

Underestimating complexity. Realizing the optimal value of any cloud deployment often takes work and depends heavily on the IT team’s cloud knowledge. When adding additional cloud deployments into the mix – deployments that are expected to work in conjunction with one another – the complexity increases.

The key to realizing the many benefits of multi-cloud architecture rests with the ability to seamlessly shift between providers as needed. For instance, a common engagement scenario may include the customer browsing services on an AWS cloud, big data processing on Google, and a PCI-compliant transaction occurring on an in-house private cloud. This one transaction represents significant shifting between providers, which requires fine-tuned orchestration to avoid frustrating the customer. Success requires management and often means paying close attention to load balancing, the potential for latency, as well as security and compliance issues that could derail seamless interactions between clouds.

Leveraging multi-cloud management tools designed to provide visibility can prove instrumental when managing complexity. When armed with comprehensive visibility into multi-cloud environments, IT has the ability to consolidate and prioritize fixes, perform audits, and better understand which assets support which parts of the business.

The best way to control complexity is to holistically venture into the multi-cloud environment. This allows the organization to expand its multi-cloud presence in a controlled manner, building structure into each new deployment or migration.

Discounting security concerns. The primary driver for some multi-cloud migrations may center on the need for more security or compliance (i.e. PCI, HIPAA, OWASP, etc.). However, without the right processes and precautions in place, any shift or migration represents an opportunity for an issue to arise.

When embarking on a multi-cloud migration, organizations need to verify security and policy-based compliance across the cloud platform service production environment for each provider involved. For instance, scheduled scans can identify when production systems have fallen out of compliance or contain vulnerabilities that need remediation. IT benefits from instant visibility into the status of the environment and automated remediation to accelerate fixes.

Embracing a multi-cloud approach is a significant change. However, when armed with the right tools and a solid strategy, organizations have an opportunity to work through the obstacles to achieve success.

See how BMC Multi-Cloud Management helps optimize your current IT systems while ensuring a secure, cost-effective transition to the clouds of your choice. Learn more.