Migrating To the Cloud – Expect the Unexpected – Part 2, Experience Gaps

In the last post I identified a few of the top factors contributing to cloud migration problems; I’ll address experience gaps today and the others in individual posts to follow.

Experience operating in a data center doesn’t necessarily translate to the cloud.

 If technology stack leaders are experts in their disciplines (AppDev, Database, Network, Storage, Servers, Security, etc.), then why do Experience Gaps create problems during a migration to the cloud?

 Because IT has been required to plan, build, operate and maintain the technology stack but not move it.

 RTOs and RPOs haven’t changed (although often this is the first time some companies document them), performance and security requirements haven’t changed, and the customer base hasn’t changed.

 From the business perspective nothing’s changed, but from the IT operations perspective everything’s changed, and on top of that, the project needs to be completed transparent to the business.

 Capacity planning requires new skills using new tools. Change management must be accomplished without detailed knowledge of the underlying shared infrastructure. Problem and incident management now involves the cloud provider.

 Performance management must be accomplished with information provided through reports and proprietary monitoring tools often controlled by the cloud provider.

 Detailed information required to diagnose performance issues and perform root/cause analysis is often not available because the environment is shared with other customers.

 Migration of an application from a data center to the cloud involves the same complexities as a data center move, one of the most complex projects an IT department will undertake, but a cloud migration adds the additional complexity of changing methods, tools and processes during the move.

 In a data center move you are moving applications to a similar if not identical platform, but in a cloud migration you are moving to a (very) different platform.

 *** NEXT WEEK – PART 3, Lack of standard cloud services application frameworks ***

 We’d love to hear your perspective on the challenges you’ve encountered and the opportunities to lead in this rapidly changing world. If you’d like to add your perspective to this series please contact me @ bhoffman@innovationsdomain.com.

 The Power of the Problem (sm)