The cloud provides unparalleled improvements to business by increasing efficiency, performance, and innovation. However, that can only be achieved if this is implemented through a comprehensive strategy, one that is built on a thorough analysis of business and technical objectives. Besides, migration to the cloud, along with improvements, brings challenges as well.

One of the wonderful and amazing things about technology is that it can go either way – against or for your business. The development of a successful business cloud strategy answers the important questions that help you decide whether the technology would help your business or not. Issues such as, is it wise to ditch your existing system for the cloud-based system? How can it help you improve your current system? How can it help you achieve your business goals with more efficiency?

The article focuses on the ways to develop a business cloud strategy to help you get most of cloud platforms.

·        Identify your business goals

One thing that decides the fate of your business cloud strategy is the identification of your goals. Be crystal clear while defining your business goals. You need to be sure what you want to achieve by the implementation of the cloud services. Do you want to save cost or free IT resources? Do you want to increase the efficiency of your products?

Technology is exciting in a way that it can help a company to become succesful. If you have clearly defined goals that you want to achieve, you and your cloud partner can work to achieve them.

·        Identify applications and departments suited for cloud

After your business goals have been identified, the next thing is to define which systems you may need to move to the cloud. What part of your overall existing IT system needs to be migrated to the cloud and how could migration help your business? Employees are often resistant to change because it may involve learning new procedures and ways to work. Identify departments that would quickly adopt change and let them spread the word as IT champions.

·        Choose a cloud supplier

Another aspect of a successful business cloud strategy that ensures overall success is selecting a suitable cloud supplier. With cloud technology booming these days, companies have enormous options to choose from. However, don’t get impressed by just the advertised speed and performance or even so called customer testimonials. Arrange a meeting with your potential host and ask them to let you visit their data centers. Bring a cloud consultant or technical team lead with you who could ask them technical questions about reliability, security and scalability.

·        Work out a timeline and the cost

Once business goals are decided, departments and products that require migration are identified, and a cloud supplier is chosen. It’s time to work on a timeline and calculate the cost. Let your finance department work with your cloud provider to audit and figure a budget.

·        Define your Data policy

Make sure you work on a data plan with your cloud vendor and identify it in your business cloud strategy. Decide where your data will be stored and how often you need your backups.

·        Get Legal Help

Never forget to contact your lawyers to help you build agreements and contracts. Remember, contracts are crucial and need to be comprehensively expressed to avoid any conflicts with your clients and your cloud supplier. Many cloud vendors often only give you how their cloud is performing instead of giving you performance report for your software. This is serious as if you don’t have any performance reports of your service how would you manage it?

Define this and a lot more in your contract with your cloud supplier to ensure a success.