How to move your business to the cloud with minimum down time and disruption

Grazed from ManufacturingGlobal. Author: Abigail Phillips.

As with any new technology, cloud computing has been through the hype cycle, with inflated expectations giving way to disillusionment and moving further along the maturity curve toward realistic, practical and beneficial solutions. However, for many organisations, whether they have taken their first steps toward the cloud or are still contemplating a move, the journey can seem like an overwhelming task. In order to leverage maximum cloud benefit, whether organisations are just starting or are well on the way, a pragmatic approach is needed for the journey to the cloud.

The need for digital transformation within organisations is one of the biggest drivers for the cloud from the perspective of the CEO, along with the desire to transform the business and enhance the customer journey. However, the IT manager and the business typically have different cloud priorities, as the IT manager is tasked with improving processes and cutting costs…

Another driver of the move toward the cloud is the need for improved agility in order to keep up with rapidly evolving technology. In order to address this, it is vital for IT to move from a tactical, reactive state to a strategic role, providing solutions that address business challenges and support business…

Read more from the source @ http://www.manufacturingglobal.com/leadership/521/How-to-move-your-business-to-the-cloud-with-minimum-down-time-and-disruption