Marathons and IT - fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Here at starcom we set ourselves a bit of a challenge recently as a number of our team took part in the annual Wigan 10k run. You’ve no doubt heard the saying that it’s a marathon not a sprint; and this is something we have definitely found to be true as we have dedicated hours to training to ensure we are 10k-ready.

Much like a marathon, or in our case a 10k run, a carefully devised training and preparation plan is needed which covers far more than simply clocking up the miles. You cannot expect to turn up to the starting line, without putting in the hours and expect to finish the race in a decent time, and the same can be said for preparing to move your mission critical business applications to a cloud environment.

When migrating applications to the cloud, much like signing up to run a marathon, the key to project success is in the planning. While many businesses are fast waking up to the power cloud computing can hold for their business, many still believe that once they have chosen a cloud provider and begun migrating their data and systems, the hard work is over and they will soon see instant results.

Unfortunately this is rarely the case, and in order for cloud implementation to be successful clear and structured planning is required.

Choose your team

Before even selecting a cloud provider, it is important to look at your team; ask yourself: Do you have all the key players you need? Will they be able to support your business throughout its journey to the cloud? Do they have the skills and knowledge to motivate other members of your team and drive the project? Selecting a cloud provider and then migrating your existing systems and data to the cloud is no easy feat and definitely not one that can be undertaken alone. Much like deciding to run a marathon, ensuring you have a supportive network around you can make even the toughest of training schedules that little bit easier.

Invest time and effort

Getting ready to undertake the challenge of a marathon is definitely not for the light-hearted, runners take time to research the route, familiarising themselves with every slight incline and bend. They also understand the investment that is expected of them - the 5am training sessions that become the norm, all the time never losing focus of the bigger picture: crossing that finish line. The same can be said for migrating to the cloud, taking time to thoroughly research providers can often be the deciding factor between a successful cloud computing project and one that falls short. Take the time to research providers, get to know them, and most importantly ensure that they understand you, your business and what you want from the cloud. If you’re an SME don’t be blinded by the lights of some of the bigger vendors, the chances are you will be overpaying for a service you quite frankly don’t need. At starcom we are able to understand your business, working alongside both SMEs and the enterprise, providing cloud and more from the K3 Group.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

So, you’ve identified your key players, and spent time carefully researching the market before selecting your cloud provider - what’s next? For cloud implementation to be successful a detailed and structured preparation plan is needed. Just like no runner can turn up to the starting line without a day’s preparation, deploying a successful cloud project also relies on effective preparation.

Poor planning here can see your business really take a hit. Extensive preparation will ensure your business’ existing systems are cloud ready, delivering the best possible results.

You also need to ensure existing applications will continue to be supported both technically and legally by your cloud provider, identifying potential performance problems before they become a major issue.

Clear preparation, much like with a marathon, can ensure your cloud project runs smoothly.

Call on your wider support network

Running is a solitary sport, but strip away the time spent on the track and there’s actually a much wider network hiding in the background. Take for example professional athletes, you have the trainer, the manager, the sport psychologist, the dietitian, the list goes on, and while none of them take to the track themselves, without one of these components, an athlete’s success can be compromised.

The same is true for preparing to take on a cloud project, no matter what stage your business is at, a supportive wider network can make all the difference. A comprehensive cloud provider can specifically tailor the support to your company’s requirements, providing additional support, as and when you need it. Cloud providers such as starcom work closely alongside your company regardless of its size, throughout the entirety of your project, and long after go-live, providing extended support to ensure you and your business’ cloud deliver the best possible results.