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Cloud Computing Readiness Assessment
Tech Talk
Tech Talk Posted on May 3, 2021   |  6 Min Read

Agility is the core of modern businesses. Rigid legacy systems act as the lead antagonist in embracing agility—pushing back every measure to uplift growth and experience. It’s now established that clouds are the way forward, yet IT and organizational complexity makes cloud adoption anything but simple.

The changing business landscape has only affirmed that cloud when done right, yields resilience and agility. The keyword here is ‘right’. Hurrying into the cloud often leads to expensive flops where the process stays in a tenterhook situation. Therefore, it is only logical to invest in preparation, as much as the process itself. A comprehensive strategy helps organizations assess the inside out and get ready for the big step.

Cloud Readiness Assessment

Be it uplifting depressed processes or harnessing cloud computing for next-generation analytics – cloud readiness assessment is the primer of the process, irrespective of goals. Also, a relevant point here is – the priming exercise is as fluid as the end-objective, one size doesn’t fit all. Narrow view, hard-lined metrics, and traditional approach defeat the purpose itself.

We’re often asked what to expect from a cloud readiness assessment? As per our knowledge, cloud computing readiness assessment must not leave you with mere knowledge of gap – it should tell you where exactly a process is, when, and how it will reach a good state of the cloud.

  • It must nudge wholesome introspection to quantify agility, costs, compliance, operations velocity, and technical dependencies.
  • It should be objective enough – translating rough cloud migration ideas into a comprehensive plan that relates to tangible outcomes.
  • It must deliver a compelling value case not just for tech adoption but also for harnessing it for real-world business objectives like ROI.

How do we provision Cloud Readiness Assessment at Damco?

We have an 8-stepped approach for cloud readiness assessment, leaving no room for guesswork – working up the blueprint from ground zero of transformation. Each of these steps is derived from lessons in the field and industry standards on their own—we have brought them together into a single structure where they radically improve the ROI of cloud migration.

Approach for Cloud Readiness Assessment

The complexity and scale of cloud migration are unique—making evident the value of careful orchestration, creating checkpoints, and a solid user feedback system across IT and the business.

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Tips to Get You Started with Cloud Readiness Assessment

Build goals bottom up

Unlike what conventional wisdom states, cloud goals should not solely come from the executive level – rather they should be a mix of what end users want and what executive stakeholders plan. Start from challenges of frontline operations and most pressing issues; then move to the bigger picture.

Be enough aspirational

Soft targets yield soft success. Unless goals are not hard, the transformation will not be massive. Yet, the keyword here is ‘enough’. A tenured cloud partner helps you find the sweet spot between ambition and ground reality – with due consideration to finance, user skills, and technology debt.

Measure, don’t guess

To quantify cloud success, stakeholders should have a clear picture of their metrics in the current scenario. The more granular, the better. To get this level of insight, business and cloud partners need to tie targets to specific tasks and succinctly chalk out the points and magnitude of value addition.

Cloud Readiness Assessment Checklist – Key Considerations

Follow this complete cloud readiness assessment checklist to evaluate the organization’s readiness for migration.

1. Set Clear Goals

Know why you want to move to the cloud and what to expect from it.

2. Check Your IT Team and Budget

See if you have money, skills, and time to make the move to the cloud.

3. List Your Apps and Data for Migration

Prepare a list of all the apps and data you want to move to the cloud.

4. Make Sure Your Apps Work in the Cloud

Check if your current apps are cloud-ready without requiring major changes.

5. Follow Privacy Rules

Identify any data protection and privacy laws that apply to your company and check if your security measures are good enough.

6. Map Out How Things Connect

Create a plan showcasing how your apps and data are connected to understand what order to move things in.

7. Train Your IT Team

Identify areas where your IT team requires more knowledge and plan for training or hiring experts.

8. Upgrade Your IT System

Find out what changes you need to make to your IT setup to support cloud apps.

9. Plan for Backup and Recovery

Make plans for backing up your data and recovering from disasters in the cloud.

10. Measure Success

Figure out how you will measure the success of cloud migration.

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Key Benefits of Cloud Readiness Assessment

I. Clear Understanding of Current Systems

Gives a clear picture of what the current IT setup looks like, helping organizations identify areas of improvement.

  • Identifies outdated systems that may need to be replaced or upgraded.
  • Reveals how current applications interact with each other and the network.
  • Highlights strengths in existing processes that can be built upon.
  • Shows weaknesses that could cause problems during migration.
  • Provides a clear picture of what resources are available and what is needed for cloud success.

II. Smart Planning for Resources

Helps companies figure out what they need in the cloud, so they don’t waste resources or spend too much.

  • Identifies necessary upgrades or changes to existing systems.
  • Helps in budgeting for cloud migration and ongoing costs.
  • Ensures availability of skilled personnel to manage cloud services.
  • Allows for proper training of employees on new cloud-based tools.
  • Supports long-term planning for cloud adoption and growth.

III. Cost Savings

Shows companies current spending on resources vs. cost savings by moving to the cloud. This helps them avoid unexpected costs during the move.

  • Identifies potential areas for cost reduction.
  • Projects long-term savings from cloud services.
  • Analyzes performance metrics of current systems.
  • Suggests ways to improve efficiency.
  • Helps in budgeting for cloud migration.

IV. Better Performance

Finds areas where IT resources are lacking, allowing companies to make smart investments that improve how things run.

  • Faster access to data allows employees to find information quickly from anywhere.
  • Improved application speed makes software run more smoothly and efficiently.
  • Better scalability allows resources to be easily adjusted based on current needs, helping to handle busy times.
  • Reduced downtime ensures that services are available more often, minimizing interruptions.
  • Enhanced collaboration enables teams to work together more effectively with cloud-based tools.

V. Stay Ahead

Helps companies take full advantage of what the cloud offers, allowing them to respond quickly to changes in the market and deliver services faster.

  • Access to the latest technologies lets organizations use new tools and features as they come out.
  • Improved agility allows businesses to quickly adjust to changes in the market and customer needs.
  • Better data analysis helps organizations make smart decisions based on current information.
  • Increased focus on innovation encourages teams to come up with new ideas and solutions without being limited by old systems.
  • A better customer experience allows businesses to offer faster and better services, which keeps customers happy and loyal.

VI. Enhance Efficiency

Identifies where there are gaps in IT resources, leading to smart investments that improve how well the organization operates.

  • Removes time-taking, manual tasks by using cloud-based automation, which lets employees focus on more important work.
  • Helps teams work together better and communicate easily on projects.
  • Renders access to advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, which helps improve processes and make smarter decisions.
  • Allows for real-time data analysis, helping organizations make quick decisions when things change.
  • Supports ongoing improvement by regularly checking and updating, so the gains in efficiency are kept over time.

VII. Lower Risks

Finds problems and risks related to moving to the cloud early on, so companies are able to deal with them quickly.

  • Identifies possible challenges that might happen during the move, which helps with planning.
  • Creates plans to deal with risks, making sure there is a clear way to handle issues if they come up.
  • Provides a step-by-step guide for the move, which reduces confusion and uncertainty.
  • Makes sure that businesses follow laws and regulations, helping them avoid fines.
  • Supports ongoing risk management after the move, allowing businesses to watch for and deal with new risks as they come up.

Take Away

Cloud Readiness Assessment is like a guardrail framework to prevent scope creep, keep every stakeholder informed with the next steps, and delve deeper for worthy goals. Clients generally find greater success when all the steps are attributed to a business outcome, where both parties are able to assess where they need more effort.

Simplify Migration with our Cloud Readiness Assessment Framework