Choosing the best provider to manage your cloud migration

Choosing the best provider to manage your cloud migration

Businesses today deal with a lot of data. Even small enterprises have endless information streams coming from all angles. So, it is imperative for businesses to protect and maintain all the information necessary to gain a competitive advantage. And because businesses have so much information on hand, moving a mountain of data tends to be tricky.

Business growth necessitates improving infrastructure, which often requires migrating to a better data storage and management system. But before you pull the trigger on migrating your data, assess your potential migration partner first. Here are some traits to look for:

Change management expertise

This should be number one on your checklist because assessing your prospective managed services provider (MSP) will give you insight into their customer service habits. Ask your prospective MSP about the specific steps during a regular migration process; you’ll want to learn about coherent actions, backup plans, contingencies, and control.

Strategic data migration involves being familiar with the types of data, cleanup, maintenance and protection, and governance. Your migration partner’s first step should include a thorough data audit and resolution of any issues with the source data. This usually means unifying files into a common format and ensuring that data integrity is intact.

Platform expertise

Businesses can choose from a few popular cloud platforms, which all have varying levels of deployment difficulty. It all boils down to your specific needs and how your prospective migration partner packages its services. So before doing anything, find out your specific cloud needs so you can define the platforms you need. And then find an MSP that can deliver those platforms.

Use technology to your advantage

Partner with Kortek Solutions and watch your productivity skyrocket!

Find out more

For instance, cloud migration for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may involve nothing more than installing a hosted solution such as Microsoft 365. If that’s the case for you, seek out an MSP that has a good track record of deploying Microsoft 365.

Related article: What’s new with Microsoft’s update channels

Industry expertise

Migrating to the cloud means different things for different industries, as various industries keep track of a wide array of data types, may have varying data recording and storage practices, and are governed by distinct regulations. So make sure your partner MSP has experience providing services for companies in your industry.

Talk to your prospective provider about how they can effectively and securely transmit your business data to the cloud. For example, if you run a healthcare business, inquire about meeting protected health information (PHI) requirements and complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). If your company belongs to the financial services industry, ask about meeting Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act mandates and Basel III global rules. For schools and other education businesses, ask about meeting Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations.

Customer service expertise

It would be nice if all data migrations conclude without a hitch every time, but errors can happen. You’ll want to have an MSP partner that will not only properly migrate your data but will also remain available to respond to pertinent issues as they arise. So find a provider that has a good customer service track record.

Some positive signs you should be on the lookout for are quick response times, transparency and accountability, and the ability to go the extra mile. If your prospective MSP shows these traits, you’re likely to be in good hands.

Leverage experience and expertise with Kortek Solutions’ managed IT services. We’ll help you make sense of your data migration, storage, and protection. Contact us today to learn more about our services.