The key to a successful cloud migration is an experienced partner.
Organizations that migrate their data and applications to the cloud waste approximately 30 percent of their cloud spend because they don’t have their environments configured correctly or the migration takes longer than they planned. By working with a cloud migration services provider, companies get an experienced partner that can identify pitfalls and avoid them during the transition.
To help you navigate this difficult change, we’ve put together a list of the best cloud migration companies.
Finding the Best Cloud Migration Service Provider
What Does a Cloud Migration Services Provider Do?
Exactly what is a cloud migration services provider? Cloud migration services providers are third-party businesses that help organizations through the complex process of data and application migration to the cloud. They’re typically vendor agnostic, meaning they can work with any cloud provider (AWS, Azure, IBM, etc.). This means they can make a more impartial recommendation about which cloud environment will actually meet a business’s needs.
Cloud migrations aren’t easy, but it’s typically not cost-effective for every business to have a cloud specialist on its staff, especially with the current shortage of IT professionals. Instead, these businesses can contract with cloud migration providers to handle the migration and any necessary reformatting and keep their in-house IT staff focused on current projects.
Benefits of Hiring a Cloud Migration Service Provider
Here are the benefits companies can expect when they hire a cloud migration service provider.
Experience and expertise
Most businesses will only go through one or two cloud migrations in their lifespan, but cloud migration services providers handle them all the time. This means they understand how to navigate common pitfalls and can speed up an organization’s time to value. Your cloud migration provider will be able to provide recommendations on the type of cloud environment you should use as well as any additional applications you’ll need. They can also tell you what the best method of migration will be for each of your applications and datasets.
In-house IT staff stay focused on jobs
With cloud migration services providers, you won’t have to pull in-house IT administrators away from their day-to-day work to handle the cloud migration. Instead, the provider will handle migration-related tasks, so your IT professionals don’t become overwhelmed. It’ll also keep your day-to-day operations running more smoothly because your support queue won’t become backed up in the same way it would if you split the focus of your IT department.
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Clear migration strategy
A lot of wasted cloud spend occurs during the migration because it takes longer than businesses expect or they have to make drastic changes partway through. Cloud migration specialists can work with you upfront to identify what you need from your cloud migration and create a plan to make it happen. They can also keep you on track during the migration, helping you avoid unnecessary or wasted spend.
Top Cloud Migration Companies
When looking for a cloud migration company, consider one of these top services providers. They were each recognized as challengers or leaders in Gartner’s 2021 magic quadrant for Public Cloud IT Transformation Services, and they have good user reviews.
Deloitte
Best for: Companies looking to migrate complex ERP systems to the cloud.
Deloitte has automated assessment tools that analyze applications and find dependencies to determine whether the migration team can safely move legacy applications to the cloud and the best way to do it. The migration team also helps organizations identify dependencies, so they can migrate dependent applications together and reduce downtime. Once they’ve migrated an organization’s applications, the Deloitte team then modernizes them when necessary to ensure they’ll work in the cloud and have all of the advantages of cloud-native applications.
Pros
- Works well with in-house teams to deliver a personalized solution
- Offer valuable insights into the migration process
- High-quality work from experienced cloud specialists
Cons
- Cost may be prohibitive for some projects
- Some users felt the technical resources were lacking
Accenture
Best for: Businesses planning to migrate to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, or Microsoft Azure clouds.
Accenture begins its cloud migration process by scanning a business’s assets to decide which cloud services will best fit its needs. Then specialists create a roadmap for the migration, accounting for business needs, budget, and resources. During this planning stage, the migration team will work with the business to prioritize applications and identify dependencies, so they can move the most important applications first. Accenture works with all of the major cloud providers, but they specialize in AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure migrations.
Pros
- Experienced team provides quality service while staying within budget and time parameters
- Good planning and preparation
- Provide immediate response to queries
Cons
- Some customers experienced long contract negotiations
- Low priority issues can sometimes fall through the cracks
Also Read: Cloud First: Accenture’s $3B Commitment to the Cloud
HCL Technologies
Best for: Organizations looking for hybrid cloud or multicloud solutions.
HCL Technologies offers a personalized migration approach that tailors to the needs of different industries. The cloud specialists use automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve delivery times and keep the project on target. Additionally, HCL can estimate the potential outcomes cloud adoption can have for each business, so the organization knows what to expect once the migration is complete. Businesses will also get a cost analysis explaining how many cloud resources applications will require to help them stay within their budget.
Pros
- Pay attention to the needs of the business
- Reliable and flexible cloud migration solutions
- Good technical understanding of cloud environments
Cons
- Some clients didn’t get the level of visibility they would’ve liked
- The billing can be difficult to understand
Infosys
Best for: Enterprises looking to undergo a full digital transformation and build cloud-first capabilities into their technology stack.
Infosys helps businesses migrate to the cloud in a timely manner while meeting all necessary security and compliance requirements. It offers a catalog of over 300 blueprints for cloud-first applications, making it easy for organizations to reformat and refactor their applications to take advantage of cloud-native capabilities, accelerating their speed-to-market. These blueprints also include AI-powered solutions that both speed up migration and optimize an organization’s use of cloud resources.
Pros
- Flexibly and fast cloud deployments from experienced specialists
- Technical teams are very knowledgeable and helpful
- Provide innovative solutions to meet project milestones
Cons
- There seems to be quite a bit of turnover on the support teams
- Some users felt the team wasn’t proactive enough in suggesting best practices
Capgemini
Best for: Enterprises with clear objectives for their cloud environment that need help executing.
Capgemini helps businesses create a full plan for their cloud migration prior to beginning, taking into account what the final architecture should look like, how each application should interact, and the order in which to migrate applications. Through this careful planning, the cloud migration team can offer efficiency and agility to organizations while reducing their costs significantly. The migration specialists have experience with several different cloud environments, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Bluemix.
Pros
- High quality cloud foundation that enables self-service and insights to the cloud costs of each application
- Often provide new ideas on how to improve the cloud migration process
- Clear knowledge and experience in cloud migrations and digital transformations
Cons
- Migrations can sometimes take longer than they expected.
- Some users had issues with project management in the early stages of migration
Cognizant
Best for: Businesses with plans to use Microsoft Azure for their public cloud infrastructure.
Cognizant specializes in migrations to Microsoft Azure, but it also supports a variety of other cloud vendors, including AWS and Oracle. Recently, Cognizant introduced its Microsoft Business Group, which helps businesses future-proof their cloud environment with a next-generation cloud operating model. The tool-based framework is low risk and helps organizations realize the value of their cloud infrastructure faster without compromising on security features. Additionally, automation with a security focus offers a more seamless migration experience.
Pros
- Experienced in migrations to Microsoft Azure environments
- Offers a scalable, cloud-native platform
- Support is responsive to issues and takes time to understand the client’s environment
Cons
- Some users felt quality of the talent on the migration team was uneven
- There can be delays in deployment due to possible understaffing
What to Look For in a Cloud Migration Service Provider
Organizations ready to migrate their applications and data to the cloud should look for a cloud migration service provider that takes their needs into account and actually finds out what the business wants from their cloud environment before starting the planning process. Unless they already know which public cloud provider they want to choose, companies should look for migration providers who have experience with several different options and can recommend the best choice for their business. The business should also speak with the cloud migration team for the providers it’s considering to see how responsible and knowledgeable they are before signing a contract.
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