For many years, companies that saw the importance of Digital Transformation invested in their infrastructure to have robust servers and management systems. Currently, the reality is different because now the strategy is Cloud migration.
The reason is that although having their infrastructure model has been the most appropriate for a long time, today there are more efficient and intelligent alternatives to a business that seeks the same power of information.
Replacing on-premises servers for a remote infrastructure brings dynamism and efficiency to business productivity. Do you want to know how? We will tell you everything in this article. Happy reading!
What are on-premises environments?
On-premises environments are local servers. Their main characteristic is the fact that the company is responsible for the development of all its infrastructure, both physical and software.
These environments enable data and information storage and allow the performance of different tasks in a digital environment. All equipment and structure are assembled in an environment specifically reserved for that on the premises of the company.
As everything becomes company assets, the maintenance and updating of all hardware is also the company’s responsibility. This equipment needs software to run, so on-premises environments require the company to purchase these programs or their licenses. The same happens to the physical and digital security measures that will be adopted to keep the server working properly.
The on-premises environment is planned and designed to meet the specific needs of the company. Therefore, there is the need to have a specialized internal team to accomplish all these tasks, and later, to manage and maintain the operation of the structure.
The on-premises server requires very well-designed strategic planning to ensure the linearity of the operation of the entire system. Flaws, possible crashes, unavailability and even hacking significantly compromise the routines and processes of the company as well as the data and information recorded on this server.
Therefore, backups also need to happen often, to avoid problems such as data losses or corruption.
What is the Cloud and Cloud Computing?
The Cloud is a large network of servers that operate jointly on a global level forming a unique ecosystem. Thus, it is not just a physical structure, but several remote servers capable of performing various actions and tasks at a macro level.
The servers that make up the Cloud store data, files, and information. They also offer services and content, such as webmail, videos, and social media, and run applications.
This technology eliminates the need for users to keep data, files, and information stored on a single piece of equipment. It is possible to store all this in the cloud and access it over the internet using any device that has a web connection.
Thus, we avoid any physical and geographical limitations, ensuring access to what is stored from any location in the world that has an internet connection.
Cloud Computing, on the other hand, is the technology that guarantees the operation of the Cloud. It involves the servers, the network, the operating system, and the entire IT infrastructure applied for this purpose.
Cloud Computing technology enables Cloud users to connect to the internet and access information and tools from remote servers through it. It avoids the need to invest in your infrastructure to create a server
You hire the services of a provider to use this virtual infrastructure. The responsibility to keep it up and running is from the provider, that also does maintenance, updates, security, and other details.
That is why the migration to Cloud Computing has become a major current trend. This strategy minimizes concerns for the company and avoids investments in expensive equipment that, in a relatively short amount of time, can become obsolete.
How does Cloud migration work?
The cloud cannot be simply seen as a remote HD for company files. Currently, it is a complete infrastructure service, capable of offering storage, processing, and virtualization resources.
That is, migrating to Cloud Computing is much more than moving data from one bank to the other. It is an administrative and operational reformulation process. In it, the company reorganizes its relationship with the data, completely digitizes processes, and transforms the virtual environment into its office.
This journey takes place in three steps: planning, implementation of technological solutions, and execution. First, the directors measure the data maturity of the business and its needs for access and use to be more compatible in the market.
Next, they seek partnerships, solutions, and cloud service providers to set up the perfect Cloud that sustains the volume of information with the practicality and security that employees need to work.
Finally, with training and a lot of communication, the project is implemented, and the entire infrastructure of on-premises servers gives way to an integrated and digital environment, able to meet all productivity demands.
What is the importance of Cloud migration?
It is no coincidence that all professionals in decision-making positions in companies have been making plans to migrate to Cloud Computing in recent years. This movement has not only been beneficial to productivity and decision-making but shows a focus on efficiency in the market that we have never seen before.
Investing in the cloud is to choose a more dynamic and flexible management model. It is bringing departments and employees together, reducing failures, and cutting processes. But mainly, it is to have more agile and objective means to adjust the strategies according to market changes.
The exchange of on-premises servers for Cloud Computing is not a passing trend. Gartner expects global IT investments to exceed US$ 4 trillion in 2022. And one of the great highlights will be Cloud Computing, due to the need to reconfigure the work system to enable asynchronous flows.
Cloud was once a luxury to businesses. Today, it is a necessity. Those who take too long to realize this importance may be missing opportunities to reposition themselves in the market and grow.
What are the main reasons for migrating to Cloud Computing?
To make this relationship between Cloud Computing and the success of digital competitiveness in the future clearer, we are also going to analyze some points that demonstrate the importance of migrating in practice. Follow us!
Data-driven management infrastructure
Data-driven management is the growing search by C-level professionals for a database for assertive and objective decision-making.
But for small and medium-sized businesses it becomes impracticable to maintain on-premises servers to achieve this level of visibility with context and relevance. The cloud opens this possibility for any type of business that wants to use Business Intelligence as a starting point for their strategies.
Data availability
In addition to storing more data, the cloud can make it more available to all employees without putting too much burden on the internal IT team. This approach and plurality of access allow richer insights within this communication, naturally making the company more interactive.
Elasticity and scalability
One of the major difficulties of maintaining its servers is IT’s ability to scale the infrastructure according to the business needs. It is a less flexible model.
On the other hand, Cloud is delivered in an “as a service” model. That is, the number of resources you have at your disposal can be scaled up or down, adapting the supply to the demand.
Cost management
The flexibility we have mentioned is one of the great benefits of cloud infrastructure. Service management cuts the need for large investments in the acquisition of equipment, reduces considerably maintenance costs, and even saves physical space – allowing your company to use smaller offices or even hybrid models of remote work.
Information security
The cloud allows employees to access the system from wherever they are. It is a big gain in productivity, which also means more security.
Good cloud services invest a lot in accredited access control. This means combining the fast availability of data and tools with a robust usage monitoring system.
With the organization and ranking of information, alerts for suspect anomalies in access, automatic backups, and history of modifications, the company has all the productive advantages of the cloud with much more reliability in its processes.
What are the risks of on-premises compared to Cloud Computing solutions?
Cloud migration is also a great strategy because of the risk reduction it promotes, compared to the use of on-premises environments. Here are the main risks that can occur with the use of on-premises servers.
Instabilities and inactivity
In the on-premises environment, the tasks and processes of the company are dependent on its equipment, so there are some limitations since it is not a large network like the Cloud.
As a result, there is an increased risk of instability or outage in the system, causing structural downtime. Problems like these cause delays for the organization, compromising its operations.
Very high expenses
The expenses with on-premises servers are not limited to the initial investment to create the infrastructure. As we explained before, the company is responsible for maintaining the equipment, the software, and its updates and this can significantly elevate the costs to maintain this server.
The problem gets even bigger because it is not always possible to predict the volume of these costs because there is no linearity. You may need to replace equipment and buy new software or new licenses. The budget fluctuates, making it difficult to predict the investment.
Poor security
We also explained that security is the company’s responsibility when it adopts on-premises servers. Therefore, the risks may also be greater in this area, since there is greater vulnerability.
Cloud Computing providers make constant investments in security and track the new modalities of cyberattacks that appear in the market. This ensures much higher protection compared to local servers that can hardly keep up with these fast evolutions.
Flaws and errors
The company needs to invest in an excellent internal IT team to maintain an on-premises environment. These professionals must be very up-to-date and aligned with market news to ensure agile processes that maintain the competitiveness of the company.
Many times, this is something hard to achieve, due to the company’s limitations to make investments in this area. Therefore, the chances of flaws and errors are higher and may compromise the security system, causing the loss of data and information.
These flaws can also happen when performing backups, updates, and other maintenance on the system. This could lead to delays in server release and compromise the operations of the organization.
How can BRQ help migrate to Cloud Computing?
BRQ made headlines in the market by being a Digital Transformation provider within our partner companies. In the market for the last 30 years, we identified from the first Cloud Computing models, an opportunity to revolutionize the way businesses handled their data and use it as the basis for innovative market strategies.
Our biggest differential is to see this process far beyond a simple migration of systems. The adoption of the Cloud is the perfect moment to reshape the productivity and management of a company that aims at the future, using the full potential of technology as a transformation tool.
Therefore, we offer an end-to-end approach, that is, we act alongside you in all stages of this process:
- Understanding the customer’s challenge
- Unfolding the strategy
- Building the best solutions with the best technologies
- Monitoring and analyzing the efficacy, and
- Applying continuous improvement
If Cloud migration is becoming a necessity, it must be done the right way, with planning and a vision of objectives. It is a unique opportunity to achieve complete digitalization of the business and true data-driven management.
Is your company ready to take the next step? If so, go to BRQ’s website, learn more about our solutions and contact us. Let’s help your business reach a new level of Digital Transformation!
