Read on to find out the pitfalls of migrating data and systems in the Cloud thinking everything is fine and dandy.

Cloud computing has allowed organizations to operate with more efficiency and flexibility to stay competitive in today’s business landscape. However, the dynamic cloud environment also comes with increased exposure to cyber and data risks.

A brutal irony is that the same transformed infrastructure that helps organizations scale, pivot and innovate also makes it harder for them to protect their data.

Organizations cannot assume their current cybersecurity infrastructure and data management approaches will continue to work well once their data is located off their premises. Instead, they need a cloud-first strategy that can adapt to and capture the full potential benefits of their cloud deployments.

The wrong way to migrate to the cloud
Data security remains one of the biggest challenges faced by organizations even as they adopt cloud technology.

A common mistake for many organizations when they migrate to the cloud is to replicate wholesale— including the issues they face on-premises straight onto the cloud environment.

Many assume that their old ways of maintaining cybersecurity will work as well once modernized to cloud computing. In actuality, resident IT teams must take the time and effort to understand and classify the data being migrated to optimize cloud-based storage safety and security.

It is important to establish proper classification processes. Obviously, confidential and sensitive data, such as those that are controlled by compliance regulations, demand a higher level of security; less sensitive data requires a lower level.

Migrating legacy backups
While vintage trends may have made a comeback in recent years in some circles, the same cannot be said for outdated data backups. Old data backup systems are a challenge to manage, and many IT teams consider them a productivity hindrance.

The complexity and lack of integration from these legacy backups restrict scalability, limits data visibility and increases overall data risks. 

Instead of holding onto these costly legacy backup systems, organizations can now migrate data backup to the cloud as well. This not only simplifies the entire IT environment but also helps organizations reduce maintenance and upkeep requirements.

Moving backups to the cloud also allows organizations to streamline data recovery due to easy search, discovery, and recovery processes through a single platform. Indirectly, cloud data backup makes it easier for organizations to adhere to data protection and regulatory requirements.

Remember, cloud security is a shared responsibility: while the service providers offer security for the infrastructure layer and handles the back end of the cloud, organizations are ultimately responsible for ensuring privacy, security, and compliance to protect their own assets.