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Best Practices for Moving from Dedicated Server to Cloud

3 Mins read

Good Practices to Follow When Switching from Dedicated Server to Cloud

The cloud has been around for quite a while now, and it has revolutionized not only the IT industry, but the world too. Enterprises are switching to cloud and adopting cloud services on a war footing as they make their businesses more productive. Most importantly, the cloud offers various advantages over traditional hosting, including decreasing IT expenses, time required for IT management and scalability of resources as and when needed.

Although, most users of traditional hosting environments are very much interested in moving from their current hosted service to cloud, the cloud migration strategy can be complex to implement. There are some pitfalls that include technical and some other aspects that can de-track your whole migration and thus, sound planning is required for successful migration.

That’s why, you need to follow some best practices when switching to the cloud. Here, we discuss some good practices to follow when moving from dedicated server to the cloud.

1. Thoroughly Assess Your Current Environment

This is generally the first step for migrating from the traditional hosting environment to the cloud. Actually, it is a part of the planning phase and it requires that you conduct an in-depth assessment of your current dedicated server environment.

In this phase, you must make a comprehensive list of everything that is required for complete migration to the cloud including the websites, databases, applications, etc. This process is also important to identify what is not required to be moved, thus making sure that unnecessary and redundant data and outdated applications are not moved.

2. Identify the Interdependencies

You must perform the dependency mapping i.e. identify the workload and server interdependencies. It requires understanding and identifying the elements (data, applications, etc.) that are interdependent on each other for proper functioning (especially that require caching and DNS). Identifying these relationships during the pre-migration phase will help in moving these elements concurrently and also in ensuring their proper functionality post migration.

3. Plan the Destination Architecture

Planning the architecture of the destination cloud environment means that you take into consideration and make sure there is desired level of scalability, flexibility, availability, security, and other features that you require in the destination environment.

It also requires planning for use of auto-scaling tools. It means that migration process that does not require upgrading of OS, can be accomplished using an automated migration tool. You can also consider a hybrid cloud migration approach where part of the process is automated as it can significantly reduce the complexity, time required and also the associated cost for migration.

4. Make a Test Move

Though you have made a thorough pre-move research for addressing the performance and compatibility concerns, but still there are chances that you have left some hidden issues unaddressed. So, to be on the safer side, you must make a test move in a cloned cloud environment, so that you can fix any problems that may arise.

5. Consider Scope for Automation

You can implement automation in the migration process up to some level if the migration is like-to-like (no upgrade or update required) and it can significantly help in cutting migration costs significantly. Unfortunately, any migration cannot be 100% automated but you must evaluate the organizational needs to ensure the most efficient, technically sound and cost-effective migration to cloud server by using the automated migration tools wherever possible.

6. Upgrade and Update Before Migration

It may be possible that the OS and other applications you are using on your existing dedicated server are outdated and may have compliance, security and support concerns with the new cloud environment. Thus, it would be wise to upgrade and update your apps before moving to the cloud, thus not exposing your sensitive data and critical information to risk.

Avoiding these basic and simple good practices may lead you to face long delays during the migration process and you may also end-up paying for two hosting environments for a much longer duration. Thus, it will be best to develop a clear-cut cloud migration strategy and follow these good practices to the mark to implement a successful cloud migration.

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In case, you have any queries or need more information for migration services, do share it in the comments below.

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Pavan takes care of clients’ communication at ZNetLive. He has a deep understanding of email techniques and best practices and keeps looking for new and innovative approaches to interact with clients as per their needs. An avid reader with an interest in writing, he can be found researching latest technologies when free. Meet him on Google+.
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