By Steve O’Brien, below, managing director of cloud services, Redcentric
Public cloud adoption is a strategic move that, when implemented correctly, can revolutionise how a business operates. However, success in the public cloud is not guaranteed and can come with its own set of challenges.
Offering unparalleled agility, flexibility and access to cutting-edge technical capabilities, the use of public cloud has been on the rise over recent years. A public cloud is a virtualised IT model where computing resources are owned and operated by a third-party provider, such as Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud or IBM Cloud. The model delivers on-demand computing services and infrastructure to multiple organisations and users.
Below, I look at some of the most common challenges associated with public cloud adoption and share my advice on how to overcome these to ensure success.
Complexity and rapid innovation
Public cloud platforms are vast ecosystems and they evolve very quickly, as new features and technologies are constantly introduced. This can make it difficult for businesses to keep up with the sheer volume of options available and can lead to decision paralysis or poor choices being made.
To manage the complexity of public cloud adoption, businesses must have a clear strategy and roadmap in place. It’s worth working with a cloud service provider that can guide the IT team through a cloud adoption framework, tailoring it for the business to ensure the correct tools and technologies are being leveraged.
Addressing skills gaps and capabilities
Making the transition to the public cloud requires a skilled IT team that is capable of managing and optimising the new environment. It’s important to build an internal team that can cover all the disciplines required to manage the cloud investments effectively. Not implementing this correctly, can leave the business at risk of misconfigurations, security breaches and inefficient cloud usage.
My advice would be for businesses to invest in upskilling their current IT teams or to partner with a provider that can fill skills gaps and ensure that the cloud environment is secure, cost-effective and optimised for performance.”
Governance and cost management
The costs associated with public cloud usage can spiral out of control without proper governance and inadequate security measures can lead to vulnerabilities and potential data breaches. By implementing a robust governance framework, businesses can manage costs and ensure that they are compliant with security standards. This includes setting up FinOps and DevSecOps practices to optimise cloud spending, regularly reviewing cloud configurations and using automated tools to monitor resource usage and security.
Modernisation and migration
The process of moving legacy systems to the cloud is not always straightforward. A simple ‘lift and shift’ approach could lead to higher costs and operational inefficiencies. To fully leverage the cloud’s potential, organisations must modernise their applications.
I recommend taking a phased approach to cloud migration as this can help the business to gradually adapt to the cloud. By refactoring applications to be cloud-native, a business can optimise performance and reduce long-term costs. It’s also important to know when to retire or entirely replace a system.
The public cloud offers vast opportunities for businesses, but it also presents significant challenges that require careful planning and execution. Successfully addressing these challenges unlocks the full potential of the public cloud and can drive sustainable business growth.
