What are the common pitfalls of cloud storage migration?

What is the use case for migration? Start with why. Make sure you have purpose and not direction for the sake of doing it. If the migration project makes sense and is prioritized , start with an assessment. Availability, cost, downtime, security, and governance should all be considered prior to a migration. The traditional way of doing this in IT is through seeding and cutover via replication and recovery. For larger organizations that have stricter governance over data one can look to cloud provider to help with a secure migration that mitigates alot of the above risk. Snowball, edge, anthos, etc. What is most important for the migration ? Speed? Security? Availability?

It's crucial to do a comprehensive analysis before choosing a cloud provider. This should involve not only assessing the provider's capacity, scalability, and cost but also evaluating their data security measures, data recovery options, and the support services they offer. Overlooking these aspects can lead to a host of problems, from service disruptions to data breaches and even regulatory compliance issues.

One thing I've found helpful is the Azure security baseline for storage. Some of the recommended practices include: - Establishing network segmentation boundaries and securing cloud services with network controls. - Using a centralized identity and authentication system - Following the principle of least privilege, separating and limiting highly privileged/administrative users - Discovering, classifying, and labeling sensitive data, monitoring anomalies and threats targeting sensitive data, encrypting sensitive data in transit and at rest, and using a secure key management process. - Ensuring regular automated backups and recovery. Overall, ignoring data governance and security is a common pitfall in cloud storage migration.

Ignoring data governance and security is a real issue that can lead to serious consequences. Consider your local regulations and industry compliances. If required, hire a team of data protection officer to help see this project to completion. There will be lots of work to do in understanding the types of data that will be stored, who have access, type of storage, potential risks etc. This portion gets better if there are current DP implementation, but if without, it can seriously drag project by months, easily. To make things easy, just remember that in DP principles, store only what you need. Now is your opportunity to discard unnecessary data, so go ahead. But remember to 'shred' and leave no possibilities for unauthorised recovery.

Cloud storage migration involves not just moving data but also ensuring data security, managing downtime, training staff, etc. Besides, there are several hidden costs to consider. For example, data egress fees, increased bandwidth requirements, or the need for additional security measures. One thing I've found helpful is to conduct a thorough cost and complexity analysis before starting the migration process. This involves mapping out all the steps in detail, identifying all the resources required, and estimating all potential costs, including those for contingencies and unforeseen challenges.

Underestimating migration costs and ongoing expenses, such as data egress fees or premium services. Not budgeting appropriately for the full scope of the migration project.

For me, there are 2 big points to consider in this: Inadequate Training and Skill Gaps: Lack of training for the IT team and end-users can result in inefficiencies and errors. Provide adequate training to ensure that staff members are familiar with the new cloud environment. Often than not, even the most experienced IT member may not have comprehensive migration experience. Execute test runs to ensure everybody knows their role. Lack of Stakeholder Communication: Failing to communicate effectively can lead to confusion and resistance. Develop a communication plan to keep all relevant parties informed throughout the migration process. Be sure to critique even without doubt! So that everybody stays on their toes and take things seriously.

Overlooking the human factor is a common pitfall in cloud storage migration. This process is not merely a technical change; it also brings cultural and organisational shifts. It impacts how people work, communicate, and collaborate with data and applications in the cloud, demanding new skills, knowledge, and attitudes from users and IT staff. Addressing the human aspect is vital, considering potential challenges like resistance, confusion, or frustration. Clear communication, education, and support for both users and IT staff are essential for a smooth transition. Neglecting the human factor can lead to low adoption, reduced productivity, and decreased satisfaction.

A very good point! Think long term and have protocols including documentations to ensure that the project flows through, not falls apart after just a week! Aim to improve both the operations and procedures, while keeping in mind sustainability and business continuity. Get your data protection officer to perform his audit once the system is up and start documenting. Work with him to see through a robust and highly secure storage system. Don't forget on your reporting too! Are you reporting the right metrics? Are the duration between reporting suitable? How to follow up comprehensively after every reporting? Work on these and you'll gained a solid experience in implementing cloud migration project.

Failing to monitor and optimise the performance and efficiency of cloud storage post-migration is a common pitfall. Cloud storage migration is an ongoing process that necessitates continuous improvement and adjustment. It's vital to monitor and measure key metrics like availability, speed, reliability, and cost, comparing them to expectations and goals. Identifying and addressing any issues, problems, or gaps is essential. Additionally, exploring and implementing new features, tools, or strategies can enhance the functionality, security, or value of cloud storage. Neglecting monitoring and optimisation can lead to suboptimal performance, inefficiency, and resource waste.

I would say there are more difference than the commonalities. The differences typically goes beyond where you store the data, and seeds into the the way you store, monitor, protect, scale or archive, access, govern, archive and also importantly the way you are licensed and pay for it. Consider the resources, cost, data migration strategies trade-offs and business continuity risks in the migration. Finally, the trade-offs between "Lift and shift" v/s "Modernize and move" makes it lot more interesting. Its an wholesome exercise and needs an entirely different lens to look at the same stuff one time and every other time.

I'm thing about some factors that are detrimental to a cloud storage migration situation: Choosing the wrong provider: You might already work with Microsoft so it would be natural to migrate to Azure. Ignoring Data Governance and Security: Neglecting to implement robust data governance policies and security measures can expose data to risks. Underestimating Complexity and Cost: Underestimating the multifaceted nature of the migration process can lead to budget overruns, delays, or errors in execution. Failing to Monitor and Optimize: Not continuously monitoring and optimizing the performance and efficiency of cloud storage after migration can lead to suboptimal outcomes, inefficiencies, and wasted resources.