Embrace the Cloud to Modernize Your Database

Despite the rapid growth of digitization, many businesses still rely on outdated, on-premises databases. With rising costs to manage and maintain physical infrastructure, these companies miss out on opportunities to increase scalability and flexibility. Migrating your data to the cloud sooner rather than later allows you to reap significant rewards.

Moving to the cloud lowers expenses by eliminating licensing fees. It also improves efficiency and performance through automated processes that scale seamlessly with demand. A cloud database provides global reach, cost-effectiveness and flexibility to adjust database workloads as needed. Additional advantages include:

• Easy maintenance as time-consuming administrative tasks shift to automation

• High performance, scalability and usability

• Robust security, resilience and availability

• Optimize processes while controlling cost

Conduct an initial assessment

Rackspace Technology currently performs an initial assessment for some database modernization projects. Moving forward, this is becoming the rule rather than the exception and should be standard practice for all cloud migrations.

Initial assessment covers a high-level database modernization business case and technology blueprint as the initial phase of modernization in the cloud. This covers both SQL and NoSQL database engines, as well as homogenous and heterogenous engines migration.

This process helps identify and formulate strategies to mitigate many unforeseen risks.

Careful preparation is critical

Early involvement through the “assessment” phase is a vital component of any database modernization effort. Engaging key stakeholders early ensures all major issues come to light, with relevant mitigation captured and documented, before the actual implementation phase (“mobilize” phase) of any database modernization project.

The purpose of assessment is to provide a migration design guide, estimate of the cost and benchmark for efforts required to transition the database to the cloud. This also entails collaborating with the customer to understand their unique environment, including application dependencies and schema refactoring needs.

The final report from the assessment should include a summary of the assessment covering: migration or modernization options, analysis and categorization of database objects, migration strategy and the total cost of ownership (TCO) estimate for the modernization. This report serves as a guide or blueprint for the actual implementation in the mobilize phase.

Implement in phases

The implementation phase should first execute dry runs in at least one lower environment like development, testing or staging. This approach incorporates lessons learned before the final implementation in the production environment or Go-Live. Phasing implementation should become routine practice rather than an exception.

Significant database workloads are transitioning to the cloud, a trend that will continue. The key differentiation for successful modernization is early preparation through an initial assessment to capture potential issues upfront.

Modernize your data strategy

Migrating your databases to the cloud can deliver major rewards, but realizing these benefits requires thoughtful preparation and expert guidance. Our Database Modernization Discovery Session provides a complimentary consultation with cloud database architects who can help you avoid the pitfalls that commonly stall these complex projects.

By assessing your unique environment early and formulating data security, compliance and migration strategies upfront, you can get the jump on innovation and cost efficiency without disruption. Schedule your complimentary session today.

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