There’s no denying it: cloud computing is both the present and future of business. More and more organizations are fully adapting to the cloud – for a good reason. There are so many reasons why that is the case.

Cloud technology’s benefits are improved efficiency, reduced costs, better collaboration, and greater scalability. However, it’s easy to be blinded by these positives, leading to some costly mistakes for your business.

Cloud computing isn’t a risk-free venture. Without the right approach, you can end up in various sticky situations. To try and minimize that possibility, here are multiple mistakes you must avoid with cloud computing.

1. Migrating without a plan

Companies make a common mistake in completing a cloud migration without a specific reason. They see the benefits on offer, decide to rush into making a move, and fail to have the necessary infrastructure or plan to make the most of this technology. Not only that, but it could also cost their business more than it’s worth.

Simply put, you shouldn’t jump onto the cloud merely because you can. A clearly defined purpose is required.

Before migrating, you must evaluate everything around moving to a cloud environment. This includes the benefits – and costs – of switching your workflow, processes, and data to the cloud. A thorough analysis can determine the type of cloud migration suitable for your business.

Remember that although cloud computing generally improves efficiency, this doesn’t necessarily mean running all business tasks through the cloud will be more effective.

2. Overlooking the costs associated with cloud migration

In the long term, switching to the cloud can save your business a lot of money. Yet before you can start dreaming of how it can enhance your profit margins, you must carefully evaluate the cost of completing your cloud migration.

This process can be expensive, mainly if unexpected costs crop up during the migration. Due to this, you should take the time to calculate the prices as accurately as possible. Without an accurate projection, it can set back your business finances more than you expected.

When calculating the numbers, your primary focus will understandably be on the expense of the cloud environment migration itself. However, it could help if you also considered how much money you could lose during the migration when your business data is unavailable.

3. Picking the wrong applications

A simple point, but one that’s worth mentioning. It is easy for a business to select applications that don’t fit their cloud server. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re wrong regarding their general function. There are so many reasons why an app might not be suited.

Age, database configuration, design, and how it interacts with different cloud-based apps – all these aspects could be factored into your decision when selecting an app. It’s also wise to test all applications and ensure they’re functioning correctly before they are migrated to the cloud.

4. Forgetting about security

Advanced data security is one of the significant advantages of cloud computing. It’s possible to store and handle data to ensure it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. However, it’s not just down to the security features of cloud computing to keep everything safe – it’s also the security policies a company implements.

That’s where problems can arise. 

Without the right policies, this dramatically increases the odds of sensitive data being shared inappropriately. You must have an effective Data Loss Prevention policy to limit the possibility of a data breach or data leak. A quality DLP policy features a set of rules that dictate how cloud-based data is accessed, shared, and used by your organization’s identities.

Of course, you need to know how to create a policy that works. Fortunately, Sonrai Security has produced a nine-step guide to creating a DLP policy that covers all bases.

5. Selecting the wrong cloud provider

One of the big decisions when moving to the cloud is selecting a provider. Hundreds of platforms are available, ranging from those offered by small providers to big hitters like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.

Consider several points before deciding to sign up with a cloud provider. This includes understanding the applications you require, your end goals, and the type of cloud environment that will support your objectives. You’ll also want to see what support is available.