There are many things that are discussed widely in articles in the business world. One of the hot topics now is cloud computing, and how we can make the most of all the advances in technology that are available. However, even though there are many articles written about the technology, along with all the possibilities that it brings with it, there is very little information about what you can do with regards to planning for a breakup.
In a world where change is the only thing that we can truly rely on, it seems odd that there shouldn’t be just as much emphasis placed on how to get out of a cloud arrangement as there is to getting into one. There are many things that need to be considered when leaving an arrangement. Some of these can be rather difficult, and not immediately noticeable. This doesn’t deal only with the legal side of things, but also the practical side, and being prepared for what is going to happen.
For example, if you have been using a SaaS to send emails to people who are not a part of your company, you will likely have been sending encrypted emails so that they are as safe as they can possibly be. This could be the case for both any emails that you send, and attachments that are with them. If, however, your chosen service provider doesn’t give you the tools that you need to decode these when you move providers, it could take you an incredibly long time to get hold of your data – if you are able to at all. You may even find that you need to hire an external company to do this for you, which is something that could add a huge additional cost to the process. You most likely haven’t budgeted for this, so it may put a dent in your budget. Not only this, but it will take a lot of time to do, which you might not have if you are trying to work to a deadline. Even if you aren’t planning on changing your provider, you should think about having data exporting tools, as there are several situations in which this could be useful while you are running a business.
Not only do you need to consider this, but you also need to think about data offloading. When you are with a cloud, you may find that they are able to provide you with tools to help you upload large amounts of data in sets. This can make the process much easier, but there isn’t always the same provision to get the data back out again. This is what you would need to do if you were considering using another cloud. There are a huge number of issues at hand here, including security and privacy, which may prevent you from getting hold of your own data, and moving it around efficiently.
If you are unsure about the best way to go forward within your company, you should find that an IT professional would be able to offer you advice about your situation. They will have a lot of experience related to the industry, and will have managed similar moves in the past. This means they will already have some idea of what will and won’t work for you. It may help initially to run through some simulations relating to what might happen in various circumstances. This means that you will be able to visualise a solution before you are even faced with the issue. This will therefore help you to make sure the process itself runs as smoothly as possible when you reach that stage.
If you still have questions that haven’t been answered, then networking is by far the best thing that you can do in this situation. You will have many colleagues who have been in similar situations in the past, meaning they will be able to give you key advice in relation to the differences between providers. They can also share stories of any issues that they may have faced along the way. You should always listen to the experiences of others when you are embarking upon an unknown journey, as you can use their experiences to your advantage.
The one thing that is certain is that you should never try to change your cloud without thinking about all the possibilities. Doing so would make it much more likely that you would encounter issues that you are unable to solve, so simply taking the time to think through your options is the best choice, and the one that would be most advantageous to the overall process.