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Dos and Don’ts of Cloud Migration

Nov 29, 2016

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Hotels and restaurants are already reducing the complexity of their IT management by centralizing technology in the cloud. However, this is the case only when the migration process is well executed. Every application has its own unique cloud migration path. And every business will have its own access needs and workflow requirements. There isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. With this in mind, here are a few guidelines for successful migration to the cloud.

Do The Homework. Thoroughly research your own requirements before migrating. It's important to carefully study your existing IT infrastructure, needs and usage to best determine if cloud migration is right for your operation. Assess which solutions are best suited to a cloud environment, as not all of them should migrate. There are some, including PMS, that perform better in the cloud. It’s important to fine-tune the list of apps that should make the migration in order to achieve optimal cloud performance.

Ask Security Questions. Security is paramount. Accordingly, ask any cloud service provider that is being considered to clearly define the security services it will deliver. These details should be outlined in the SLA (Service Level Agreement). Make your expectations known to your service provider will ensure that they meet expectations.

Avoid These Mistakes. A typical error made by those who have already migrated to the cloud? Not leveraging in-house IT staff. In-house staff can complement the cloud providers’ team of experts and ensure operators have sufficient data management and control, allowing them to maximize the return on their cloud investment. In-house staff typically has more knowledge about how the business operates and corporate directives that the cloud provider would not understand. Cloud migration can free up IT staff to better focus on technologies that are actually driving revenue and improving guest service.

Another common mistake is getting rid of old hardware too hastily. After migrating to the cloud, used IT hardware still has value. Consider a hardware exchange to recoup some IT budget.