We read a great article by CIO the other day it was about turning digital transformation into a practical reality. The piece got us thinking about practical considerations when it comes to digital transformation in businesses, and whether it is even feasible for certain businesses to make the digital transition. Read the article here.
Digital transformation often entails a cloud-based solution. Why? Because the cloud allows businesses to take advantage of significant on-demand processing power and storage without having to spend capital on building or maintaining an on-premises server room and all the infrastructure that goes inside. This move to the cloud though comes with some practical considerations that need to be made, as certain businesses might not be ready for a digital transformation.
So, You Want to Go Digital?
The cloud is the foundational enabler of digital transformation it offers the scale, speed and fast execution that businesses need in the digital sphere. If you want a digital business, you need to determine which of your applications will be moved to the digital space (bear in mind you can go full cloud or choose a hybrid system). Making this decision isn’t easy so here are some questions you should ask when considering your digital set up:
- Who needs access to each application? How many of those people are there?
- Where do they need to access them? In the office, on the road?
- How sensitive is the data you use and store?
- What percentage of the data you need to store is current and requires frequent fast access versus historical, for reference purposes only?
- How big are the files that you work with? Word and Excel files are very different to large graphic, video and sound files, for example.
- What volume of your network traffic accesses each application?
- Given the volume of network traffic that accesses data proposed to be in the cloud, can your current or proposed Wide Area Network (the link to the outside world and back) handle it and deliver a good user experience?
- How will you prioritise traffic so that you get the most out of your WAN and minimise network costs?
QCS Group Cloud Readiness Assessment
Not sure whether your business is digital transformation-ready? We offer a service that will help you to determine whether your cloud migration will be a success given your current application set, proposed WAN configuration and manner of conducting business.
This service is called a Cloud Readiness Assessment. Using advanced simulation tools, we can pinpoint all the pain points in your system before any capital outlay is made. The net result is a transformation plan that will ensure a much smoother migration.
The Importance of an Informed Decision
QCS Group has seen numerous businesses jump to the cloud to take advantage of all its benefits, only to fall flat because of all the hidden gotchas that nobody on the team expected (that’s usually when QCS Group gets a call for help). We can assist you to identify those hidden issues and make a plan to counter them ahead of time.
If you have any questions about whether your business is ready for a digital transformation, don’t hesitate to contact us.
