Security requires careful planning, attention, and understanding when you’re moving from on-site systems that holds different security requirements and processes. As with anything in tech, security doesn’t happen by accident. To help ensure your migration is as secure as it could be, it is important to be knowledgeable about security.
Before beginning to plan your migration strategy, you should decide which cloud is best to migrate to and how is the best process to follow. risual have a team of experts available to support you with this process. In terms of your options, there are three cloud environments to choose from:
- Public Cloud – resources are owned and managed by a third-party cloud service provider. Hardware, storage, and network devices are shared with other customers and all data is accessed through an Internet connection.
- Private Cloud – resources are either owned and maintained by you or by a third-party. Resources are not shared with other cloud customers and may be stored on-premises or off-site.
- Hybrid Cloud – combination of public and private cloud resources.
The following tips should help you ensure that your cloud and your data are secure throughout your migration:
- Analyse your stack
From a security perspective, start analysing your stack audit and how you manage user access. You’re more likely to skip important pre-migration changes or miss red flags if you do not understand how it works.
- Understanding the scope of your migration
It is important to give yourself enough time to understand your migration securely. It is easy to underestimate the scope of migration the first time you do it. Some migrations are straightforward that can be completed in a short amount of time. However, other migrations are complex and need a lot of planning. Before setting expectations, an expert must understand the scope of your migration – including the time and budget to make sure you don’t have any loose ends. risual is a Microsoft Gold Partner and Azure Expert MSP, which have significant references with Cloud migrations – know you are in safe hands with us.
- Evaluate your customers
Migration can be a security minefield in terms of user’s migration and is important you pay close attention. Migration creates many securities risks as companies often don’t take the time out to evaluate their users before migrating them over. This is to ensure that users who are inactive or too much or little access get lifted off the server and dropped into the cloud, often leaving openings for a breach. It is important to evaluate your customers and change their access before you move. Too much access such as inactive users or people with more rights than they need is a security risk and little access that keeps people out of systems that they need is a productivity risk. Taking the time to find that before your migration makes you more secure once you hit the cloud.
- Know your data
It is important to evaluate your data before migrating to the cloud – if your data is a mess and unorganised on the server, it will be a mess and unorganised on the cloud. You must understand your exiting users and data set up and how the business works as a whole and how data management will change the cloud.
- Think about the big picture
Migration is about looking towards the future. Digital transformation, cloud, and remote work are accelerating and are more important than ever before. And companies that don’t make the change are already falling behind. Long term business success comes from big picture thinking. It is important to look into not only what works for you now, but what will work for you in five to ten years and beyond.
- Find the right partner
An experienced partner with a strong security background can help you identify gaps and steps you wouldn’t recognise yourself. If you plan to bring on a partner, ensure you look for one that understands the importance of pre-planning. If your partner says you should move everything just as it is, run. They’re not considering the importance of your security. Look for a partner who offers clear information and solutions whilst giving regular input. The key to success is having strong engagement to run your migration smoothly.
The security in your migration will all depend on the type of cloud you choose the provider and the steps you take. After your migration process, you need to actively monitor your systems to assure your data is secure. It is important you take full advantage of the security tools offered to you. The best practices that providers launch is based on their own knowledge and the experience of their customers. Giving yourself enough time to consider security can save time and encourage customer trust in the future.
