Managing the Risks Associated with Moving to the Cloud

The allure of the cloud has been largely driven by three macro trends:1.      Data Explosion – the proliferation of mobile devices, growth of IoT and our ability to create and consume large amounts of data in novel formats.2.      Cost Pressure – the push to convert all IT spend from Capex into Opex and the ability to take advantage of economies of scale that the cloud can offer.3.      New Business Models – the pace of business is changing rapidly, requiring businesses to have the agility to shift strategies, enter new markets, consolidate, etc.This has fueled a boom for cloud providers as companies are rushing to take advantage of the business ability and cost opportunity of moving data to the cloud. Being cost efficient and flexible has become table stakes in today’s environment.

However, “cloud” is a loaded word and companies need to dig a little deeper to really understand the implications of such a move. Every company is different – each has its own unique business model, growth trajectory and infrastructure requirements. As such, there shouldn’t be a “one-size-fits-all” approach to moving to the cloud.There are risks including security breaches, productivity impact, and non-compliance around a pure cloud approach. Companies should think about the unique risks that apply to them and craft a customized strategy to take advantage of the benefits of the cloud, while avoiding common pitfalls.To that end, I will be hosting a webinar on October 16th at 10:30 a.m. PT called “Moving to the Cloud: Managing Risks” where I will explore these big risk items and risk mitigation strategies for such a move.I hope you will join me. Please register here for the webinar.