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Home / Insights / Blog / Navigating the Challenges of Cloud Infrastructure Modernization
September 27, 2021 - by Synoptek
Almost every organization today is adopting the cloud and looking to leverage its bevy of capabilities across availability, flexibility, and reliability of resources. Although cloud is a great way for them to improve business performance and agility, if you want to effectively compete in today’s fast-paced, data-obsessed business environment, you need to also modernize your underlying IT infrastructure. But cloud infrastructure modernization is not as easy as flipping a switch; there are numerous obstacles and challenges that one has to overcome while formulating, executing, and sustaining a modernization strategy.
Despite the pace at which technology is advancing, many organizations continue to rely on legacy applications at the core of their operations. Aging infrastructure tends to derail your cloud strategy. When not modernized, such infrastructure can lead to several bottlenecks in the cloud migration strategy including inadequate data security, poor agility, and wasted expenditure. Here are top reasons why cloud migration sparks the need for infrastructure modernization:
According to the “The State of IT Modernization 2020” report, more than 67% of organizations believe that IT modernization is critical to enable successful business transformation, but appallingly, only 25% achieved their initial goals. This is mainly due to the roadblocks that come in the way. Here are some of the top challenges that delay or abandon cloud infrastructure modernization projects and the steps you can take to overcome them:
1. Legacy Systems: As organizations move to the cloud, addressing the challenges that legacy on-premises systems bring to the table becomes a priority. But without the knowledge, budget, or skillset, making these legacy infrastructure components cloud-ready is an impossible endeavor. Modernizing these systems, so they can continue to drive value in the cloud, requires organizations to choose the right modernization option from rehosting (lift and shift), replatforming, refactoring, or replacing/retiring their legacy code.
2. Lack of a Clear Roadmap: Lack of a clear roadmap has the ability to wreak havoc on cloud infrastructure modernization. Unless you know where you are or where you want to go, you will never be able to implement the right processes or devise the right strategies. Since not all infrastructure can just be lifted and shifted to the cloud, you need to build a robust roadmap and properly plan for a set of advanced technical and architectural transformations to ensure successful modernization.
3. Insufficient Budget: Another hurdle that comes in the way of successful cloud infrastructure modernization is lack of executive sponsorship. Unless your C-suite understands the significance of modernization, there is little chance you will have the budget needed to embark on the journey. Since budget overruns are every executive’s nightmare, you need to be able to clearly demonstrate the benefits of the modernization undertaking and quantify them in terms of cost savings you will accrue in the short- and long-term.
4. Poor Change Management: Although cloud modernization brings numerous benefits, it also brings about a huge change in the way processes and resources work. Adapting to a slew of new workflows and governance rules can take a toll on the business, which is why you need to have a sound change management strategy in place. Such a strategy can serve as the foundation that aligns people, processes, and technology with the business strategy while also helping your workforce understand their role in the cloud modernization process and how the new paradigm will make them more productive and efficient.
5. Lack of Skills: Modernization initiatives demand a variety of niche and upcoming skill sets – both of which traditional organizations lack. While outdated systems can leave you scouting for a workforce with the required skillsets, finding talent that is well-versed with the latest in technology can also be taxing. Since the process of cloud infrastructure modernization is complex and could bring in several risks if not performed efficiently, you need to engage with a qualified Cloud Partner who not only provides the required skillset but also sees through the modernization effort.
The advent of cloud computing has brought about a real revolution in the way businesses operate. Although the cloud opens doors to an array of benefits, it also provides a great opportunity to modernize the underlying IT infrastructure and gain operational efficiency via cloud-native design practices, DevOps, and containers.
As businesses have accelerated their cloud migrations globally, plans for infrastructure modernization must go hand in hand. Contact us today and allow us to build a tailored strategy, so you can overcome all the hurdles that come in the way of successful cloud infrastructure modernization.
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