How Companies Have Accelerated Their Cloud Computing Plans Due To COVID-19?

The global COVID-19 pandemic changed the rules of survival in personal life and the business world. The only way we knew to work until now was a regular office job, which was no longer possible, and a complete shutdown of offices was not an option. Things had to change, and the change had to come fast. Thankfully, many companies had started migrating to the Cloud, though in a limited capacity. Some were even dabbling in work-from-home options. So the expected change was not too dramatic. 

The one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront was that work had to continue despite all adversities. If it could not happen from the office, it had to happen from home. This was possible only if the data and applications were accessible from anywhere.  The only way it could happen was by migrating to the Cloud. Thus, started the race to embrace cloud computing. 

As of today, only those enterprises who accepted the challenge and evolved into cloud-first organizations are in a relatively comfortable place as compared to those who are stuck close with their on-premise structure. The good news is that cloud-first enterprises outnumber the on-premise enterprises by a ratio of 3:1.

Initially, cloud migration was not a readily acceptable idea by the employees. They feared that it would cost them their jobs. It would be wrong to say that people did not lose their jobs. They did, but the loss was not to the extent the employees had assumed. In retrospect, where there was a loss of jobs, there was also a creation of new and exciting opportunities. Nevertheless, if companies did not migrate, people would have lost a lot more jobs. So that which in the beginning was thought to be evil now became a necessity for survival.

1. From Project-Based To All In – Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the move to the Cloud was based on projects. Everything was not being moved to the Cloud. Suddenly working from the office was not possible and the companies had to change their strategy. It became necessary to transfer all that was necessary (data, apps, software, and hardware) to run the business to the Cloud. There was a significant shift in the “Project-based” to “All in” approach. Earlier, 25% or 30% of workloads were being migrated. Suddenly, there was a jump to migrate almost 75% or more of the workloads.

2. Short Timelines – Every day that the employees could not access their virtual machines was a loss of earnings for the business. No matter how big and well-established they were, no company could support their staff indefinitely with no earnings. There was a need to become an aggressive player and migrate the majority of the apps to the Cloud so that businesses could get back on their feet within a minimum timeframe. Therefore, the timelines for the migration became shorter and tighter. Almost 81% of enterprises claimed they had to accelerate their plans and timelines for cloud migration.

3. Data Security Topmost Priority – Moving to the Cloud raised several concerns regarding data and network security. Not only have the Cloud computing firms like Amazon and Google risen to the occasion, but they have also strengthened and addressed all safety and security concerns. In addition, the companies themselves have also increased their spending on cloud security measures. Companies have aggressively transformed their stand on data protection. Almost 40% have executed automated security processes and procedures to identify and react to attacks or strikes on cloud workloads. Nearly 90% think that their organization’s spending on cloud security will only increase in the coming year.

4. Validation Of Operational Strength – The swift changes brought on by the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the validation of operational strength for some. In contrast, the others had to tighten their belts to achieve it. Approximately 50% claimed that the security changes heightened the pace of development and deployment of applications. Nearly 62% suggested it alleviated the ability to adopt technological changes. Finally, 56% said there was visibly “high confidence” and trust in safely running and executing cloud workloads. This positive shift was possible thanks to the operational strength and efficiency gained by the enterprises.

As things go back to normal post the mass vaccinations against COVID-19, it is expected that the pace of cloud migration will hit a minor speed bump.

1. In Terms Of Timelines – Companies will continue to transfer their workloads to the Cloud, but since the situation will no longer be dire, the timelines will become longer and more realistic. There will be sufficient time for testing and implementing all security measures before the final shift is made. In short, it will become a properly planned and executed activity, so the timeframes will once again become more realistic.

2. In Terms Of Workloads – Now that the companies realize how cheap it is to maintain virtual machines and the ease they provide in maintaining the continuity of work when things take a turn for the worse, it is expected that nearly all the workload will shift to the Cloud. Therefore, in terms of workloads, the focus will remain on shifting all that is possible and important to run the business smoothly without any interruptions.

COVID-19 slowed down economies. Recovering from the disease and its economic repercussions was like getting a beating from all fronts. But businesses with their future-forward approach heralded a new era of rapid cloud migration. Despite facing initial resistance, they managed to turn the tide of things in their favor. Hybrid clouds emerged to cater to the needs of both the private and public sectors. Cloud companies awed the users with their plethora of features and stringent security measures. The players all understand that the future only belongs to those who embrace cloud computing. The race has just started. It has no end because the Cloud offers different opportunities to each. The ones who make financially wise and viable choices will lead, while some will learn from the mistakes they make.