Embracing the cloud: CIOs migration from legacy ICT

There is little doubt that adopting the cloud can hugely benefit businesses; from increasing flexibility and efficiency, to enabling growth and scalability. Nearly three quarters of the CIOs we surveyed in May this year indicated that they were using the cloud in some capacity within their current infrastructure. However cloud adoption is still viewed as a daunting task and can often lead to cloud migration being temporarily shelved. Whether it’s from the lack of market knowledge, integrating legacy ICT estates or data security fears, the perceived complexity of the cloud is delaying this inevitable evolution.

Four in five (81%) CIOs interviewed in the report said that the primary challenge of rolling out enterprise clouds is solely down to the complex interdependency of the systems involved. Legacy ICT includes a substantial proportion of most organisations’ ICT environments, and three in five ICT leaders are concerned that cloud providers do not appreciate the complexity of their legacy ICT estate and fear migration may not be successful. However, migration to the cloud isn’t just like flicking a switch; the new and the old can work in harmony – moving infrastructure and applications won’t happen in one easy step and can differ greatly depending on the size and requirements of a business, as well as the sector. Some providers are ready and want to help; all that is needed is for companies to relinquish their fears and embrace the cloud as a strategic platform for their business engine.

An additional barricade to cloud adoption can be attributed to the world-wide concern of data centre security. In light of revelations surrounding the US government’s PRISM surveillance program, many CIOs are more wary of transitioning to the cloud. Data sovereignty has been subject to mounting scrutiny, with the media playing a large role in discrediting the integrity of cloud services. This has prompted some businesses to consider moving their data in-house, which is perhaps a rushed response to the current media frenzy, since the cloud holds the promise of a more cost-effective and flexible approach to ICT provisioning. Therefore due diligence is as important as ever when choosing a cloud provider and as a first step, CIOs must analyse whether their cloud providers offer choice on where their data is stored and if these ensure data autonomy.

Legacy ICT combined with data sovereignty fear results in trepidation about the transformation process. Businesses should not be afraid of the perceived complexity of integration or migration; there are cloud providers that can provide real world platforms, marrying legacy ICT systems with the cloud. With the right service provider, CIOs and their business operations can be supported by the extensive knowledge and capabilities of vendors to facilitate a seamless transition.

Resolving legacy ICT issues is understandably a daunting task, but businesses need to stop thinking about whether they should move and instead decide how and when. It doesn’t mean abandoning legacy systems from the offset; both can be used simultaneously and managed together as a part of a real world cloud. Organisations need to work with their providers to discuss the opportunities, risks and best implementation practices to facilitate moving to the cloud, but with minimal disruption. Whether deploying a new solution alongside the legacy or moving infrastructure and applications to the cloud, it’s important to ensure that the different elements are consistently managed and secured to help CIOs create an environment that is focused on their business via bespoke service levels. Whichever model is chosen it’s up to all parties to understand the depth of ICT complexities and work together to find the right solution and help their business grow and succeed.