The Top 4 Reasons to Adopt Public Cloud — and How to Get Started
Best Practices
For most organizations, public cloud migration is no longer a question of if — it’s a matter of when and how. In organizations that haven’t yet moved to public cloud, this transformation process remains a pressing item on their IT to-do lists. After a big jump in 2020, Gartner predicts worldwide public cloud spending will grow by another 18% in 2021, showing the wave of cloud usage is still rising.
Companies that refuse to adapt to the cloud computing era risk being left behind. But you should approach public cloud migration with careful planning and consideration. Enterprises of all sizes stand to benefit from the agility, scalability and flexibility of a public cloud environment, but only if migration is undertaken correctly.
As you plot your organization’s path toward public cloud adoption, consider your transformation from every angle. Public cloud migration can transform your enterprise — and harnessing its potential starts with understanding the benefits and building a personalized path.
What Are the Benefits of Public Cloud?
When organizations look to ramp up digital transformation efforts, transitioning to public cloud is often an obvious decision. Whether you undertake an Azure or AWS migration, all public cloud options help your company adapt to a digitally driven business landscape. The benefits of cloud adoption extend across your organization and include:
Financial benefits
By moving to public cloud, you can avoid paying for the inflexible, static infrastructure of on-premise environments with your precious CAPEX funds. Public cloud options’ efficient pricing models only require you to pay for the resources you use. Also, leveraging the large quantity of infrastructure sizing and performance options, alongside committed spend discounts, provides significant cost savings. Data transfer, application optimization and labor fees carry their own costs, but in the long run the public cloud can significantly lower overall costs.
Performance benefits
The public cloud’s agility allows you to accelerate business operations and become nimbler. Public cloud features like Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop made it easier to manage the large-scale shift to remote work, allowing enterprises to continue operations from anywhere. Unlike traditional, on-prem environments, public cloud autoscaling enables you to scale resources and automatically meet computing demand without any human interaction. Also, testing new applications or changes in infrastructure architecture can be completed in days rather than weeks or months.
Security benefits
Some companies are hesitant to move applications and data outside of their data center and dedicated security tooling. But public cloud providers like Microsoft, AWS or Google often deliver services with stronger protections than most small and medium-sized businesses can build on their own. In addition, these providers also charge their engineering teams with staying on top of threats and maintaining cybersecurity — minimizing the risk of exposing your data.
Scalability benefits
With computing resources in the public cloud, scaling is automatic. The cloud distributes workloads across servers, and giving you access to nearly unlimited resources on demand as you grow. Automated scaling means you only pay for what you use — and you can respond to surges in real time. For instance, if your website is running on public cloud and sees a traffic spike on Black Friday, public cloud will scale when it sees this increased demand coming. Instead of crashing or paying more for volume you only need once a year, automated scaling allows you to adapt quickly and scale back down when the traffic subsides. Public cloud options offer a stark contrast to the fixed resources of a mainframe ecosystem, where computing capabilities are tied directly to on-premise hardware.
Working With a Managed Public Cloud Provider
Public cloud offers powerful capabilities and promises business transformation. But moving to the public cloud without a well-informed plan won’t automatically reduce costs and propel your business forward. Realizing the full potential of the cloud requires careful planning and often, the support of an experienced managed public cloud service provider.
As you evaluate options for your public cloud service provider partner, search for an unbiased provider that can help you identify the right path for your needs and avoid vendor lock-in down the line. Identify a provider that can assess your environment and help you determine the appropriate applications, environments and migration process. Your public cloud goals may feel urgent, but starting with a methodical assessment of your current environment is crucial. This step, followed by developing a best practice design and migration plan, will help you avoid headaches and kick off a successful public cloud journey.
From governance to resource management to security, the public cloud introduces new considerations. But your organization’s IT leaders don’t have to shoulder this burden alone. By teaming up with a reliable, knowledgeable managed public cloud service provider, you can make the transition seamless and stay ahead of unforeseen issues.
Moving to Public Cloud With Ensono
Whether you’re planning an Azure or AWS migration, Ensono has the public cloud expertise and knowledge to make the move successful. Public cloud confidence comes from thorough documentation, planning and testing, and we help you capitalize on public cloud’s potential. We help you determine which applications to start with, keep track of resources, achieve cloud cost optimization and more.
Ensono can help ensure your cloud environment sets you up for efficiency and continuous progress. We have a wide range of AWS and Azure managed services, including:
- AWS’ App2container: Modernize your workload with the heart of Ensono’s AWS managed services. Simplify workload containerization in a repeatable and reliable way that unlocks efficiencies and cloud cost optimization.
- Amazon FSx for Windows File Server: Fully managed, flexible file storage built on Windows Server.
- VMware Cloud on AWS: Leave a data center quickly without negative business consequences by extending your on-premises VMware environment to the cloud. This process lets you transform on your own timeline with a low-risk AWS migration.
- SAP on Azure: Fuel digital transformation by moving mission-critical applications to the cloud. Ensono’s Azure managed services enable you to run SAP on Azure to streamline data entry, improve decision-making and more.
- Citrix on Azure: Simplify your infrastructure, improve efficiency, and increase your competitiveness and productivity throughout your journey.
- Windows Virtual Desktop: Empower employees to work and access critical apps from anywhere with Ensono’s Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop managed service. Ensono is one of the first global partners to achieve the Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop Advanced Specialization.
- Azure and AWS Well-Architected Review: We measure your existing environment against Azure or AWS best practices, helping you avoid common missteps and fully optimizing for your unique environment.
Public cloud adoption can revolutionize your organization. However, it is important that you assess the available options and pursue the transformation path that is optimal for your business and its portfolio of workloads. As a trusted cloud adviser and experienced managed services provider, Ensono will help you get it right. Contact Ensono to get started on your transformation journey.