Microsoft Office 365 Migration Is Easy, and So Is the Transition to Microsoft’s Cloud—If You Think Through These Issues First
An Easy Button. You may be wishing you had one when it comes to migrating your company over to the cloud-based Microsoft 365 platform. A little anxiety about your cloud migration challenges is understandable. When you’re a small or medium-sized business with limited resources, Microsoft Office 365 migration can seem overwhelming.
The good news is, you’re already more cloud-savvy than you realize. According to a recent analysis by 451research.com, 90 percent of organizations are already using at least one cloud-based product. A good managed services provider can partner with you through the transition process from beginning to end. Of course, that’s what we do here at Integris. And as we’ve been working with customers, we’ve noticed there are some key areas where cloud migration challenges seem to crop up. Let’s talk about what those challenges are, and how to make your Microsoft Office 365 migration as smooth as possible.
Issue #1: Transitioning Your Files
This is the area that companies tend to worry about most, and with good reason. Your files and your data are your livelihood. The good news is that both Microsoft Office 365 migration is designed for transferring your existing files easily onto its system. Any managed service provider can help you with this process.
“Transferring data is one of the most important jobs we have in a cloud migration, and it is definitely the area where we get the most questions,” said Jeff Carlson, project technician at Integris. “Microsoft 365 has a lot of wonderful tools, and it works well for many businesses of all sizes. But there are instances where saving all your files to Microsoft SharePoint is not the best option. For example, if you have more than 300,000 files that need to be shared by many users through Microsoft OneDrive, file sync delays will increase, and other sync problems can occur. In this and some other cases, we would recommend using an Azure-based file service, or a traditional file server hosted in Azure,” Carlson said. The key is working with a migration partner that sets up the right storage system for your business.
Issue #2: Incorporating Scanners
Many scanners are not set up well to work with cloud systems, and this can be an issue for companies that are frequently in need of handling large-scale scans. They very often scan to email, instead of scanning directly to file. To address this, we usually recommend a third-party solution that can integrate your cloud service provider with your scanner. It’s a simple fix, and it saves a lot of headaches down the road.
Issue #3: Printer Networks
Most companies have more than one printer in the office, and employees share them. Usually, the employees in an office setting are networked to the printer in their immediate office area, and those assignments are made from the server. But what if you’ve gone through with a transition to Microsoft 365 Platform, and you no longer have a server on site to do the assigning? This is by far one of the most common cloud migration challenges.
Depending on your situation, there’s a variety of fixes for this. Integris can help you figure out the best workaround for you. But it is something you should ask about, and fix on the front end of your modern workplace journey.
Issue #4: Your Devices
If you’re still using Windows 365 as a hybrid approach—using a combination of your own servers and cloud computing—we usually recommend that you take a look at upgrading your hardware. Constant syncing between Microsoft OneDrive and your systems can create a processing load that can be a drag on older computers.
However—Microsoft has introduced a new additional product, Microsoft Windows 365 Cloud PC, which has eliminated this issue. How? Because it places its entire software suite—Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams—into the cloud as well as its entire operating system. That means that you, as a user, are streaming your operating system as you are using it. So, to put it plainly, if you take the complete journey to the cloud with Cloud PC, your device’s speed and power will no longer be so critical. You can log on from anywhere, on any device, and be just fine. The computing power is in the cloud. In general, you’ll be able to hold onto your equipment for about 30 percent longer.
Issue #5: Two-Factor Authentication
What is it? It is a system of user identification that requires your employees to log in using multiple authentication methods, most commonly your password and a linked mobile app like Microsoft Authenticator or Duo Mobile. By working this way, you’ll eliminate one of the biggest openings cyber thieves have, and that’s login impersonation.
If you’re implementing Microsoft CloudPC, you’ll have that two-factor authentication system baked right into the system. But, it’s important that you get whatever two-factor app you’re using installed on everyone’s phones and train your employees on how to use it.
Issue #6: Device Migration
Migrating devices is very, very easy with cloud-based programs like Cloud PC, but for many cloud programs, it will Migrating devices to the Microsoft 365 platform is easy with the assistance from IconicIT, but all company computers will need to be accessed in order to complete the migration. With many employees working offsite, this has turned into one of the cloud migration challenges companies must address. Fortunately, it’s one that can be handled with a little advance planning and logistics. If you’re dealing with remote employees or bring your own device employees, have a conversation with your IT staff or MSP provider on the best way to handle the device maintenance migration schedule.
Need More Resources to Deal with Your Cloud Migration Challenges?
If you need to do your homework on cloud migration challenges, Integris can help. We have extensive resources on the issues companies face when they’re taking their own modern workplace journey, and how to overcome them. If you’d like to see how a Microsoft 365 Cloud migration worked at a small organization with limited resources, check out our case study on the work we did with Presbyterian Night Shelter. The move saved the organization a bundle in expenses and improved their transparency and productivity.
We’ve helped hundreds of small organizations make their journey to the cloud. We can do it for yours, too. If you’d like to have a meeting to discuss your organization’s needs, contact us.
