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With so many industries becoming increasingly reliant on having easy access to large amounts of data, cloud technologies have also grown in importance. Cloud-based solutions are particularly useful in modern business environments because they make almost any online aspect of the business more convenient and efficient.
Properly implemented cloud architecture helps a company avoid hosting and managing its own software and hardware, cutting down on costs and labor from IT professionals. It also enables the company to access the cloud, and therefore its data, from anywhere with access to the Internet.
Utilizing the cloud helps back up a company’s data so it can be recovered should anything be corrupted or stolen locally. Data on the cloud is safe and secure.
While cloud technology comes with many benefits, implementing the cloud into a business can be challenging. During this critical time, data transferred to the cloud is at risk of security issues, including account hijacking, compromised credentials, and broken authentication. Adopting the cloud can also be expensive early on because defining or taking on more work costs takes time and effort.
The migration process to the cloud is another concern because of all the moving parts involved. Frequent issues involve slow data migrations, extensive troubleshooting, understanding application dependencies, and dependency mapping. These issues can hamper cloud adoption by slowing down and/or increasing costs.
Fortunately, experts like Cloud Solutions Architect Varun Shinde have the experience and knowledge to help companies through this sensitive, but incredibly important, process.
Understanding the cloud with Varun
Varun’s education in Computer Engineering and Management Information Systems helped him start his career in cloud solutions, big data tools, and security suites. Over time, he transitioned from working as an engineer to becoming a Solutions Architect, leveraging cloud technologies to help customers meet their business goals.
One of his most significant professional achievements was during a high-impact project upgrading a mission-critical, end-user-facing application. The challenge was to ensure that the application could be upgraded to the latest software version without causing any downtime, which was essential for maintaining its performance and security. The initial challenge was the unavailability of Zero Downtime Upgrades (ZDU) for production environments.
To overcome this, Varun collaborated closely with the engineering team to help build custom steps to achieve the outcome and then thoroughly test ZDU capabilities, ultimately helping the organization upgrade with zero disruptions.
Varun is particularly proud of designing and delivering a cloud enablement training course. “This initiative,” he explains, “not only equipped our sales teams with critical cloud knowledge but also became the most-viewed content on the internal content platform.”
His role was to develop the content and deliver the training, which significantly improved both the sales and solutions engineering teams’ efficiency and effectiveness in customer engagements.
Steps for implementing cloud-based solutions
Based on his extensive work in implementing cloud-based solutions, Varun has laid out the vital steps businesses need to get off the ground and into the cloud so they can reach the next stage in productivity and cost management.
Step 1: assess business needs by evaluating specific business requirements and objectives to determine the most suitable cloud solutions. There are a wide variety of solutions available, so consider the size of your business and what it needs to utilize cloud services for. Otherwise, you’ll end up going over budget or not meeting the business’s needs.
Step 2: prioritize data security by implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry standards. Depending on the business, data privacy can be a significant factor to consider when planning for data security.
Step 3: optimize cloud architecture, starting with designing a scalable and flexible one that can adapt to changing business needs. This step can be done depending on the service, so remember what your business needs are at the given time.
Step 4: foster collaboration. Encourage collaboration between IT and business teams to align cloud strategies with organizational goals, since constantly running IT operations can prove expensive and a waste of resources when IT could be doing something more valuable with its time.
Step 5: monitor and adapt as operations continue to expand. Continuously monitor cloud performance and make the necessary adjustments to optimize efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Again, since cloud integration is often done as needed, don’t feel the need to overcompensate.
By following these steps, companies can unlock the full potential of cloud technology, transforming their operations and driving positive change. Varun Shinde’s journey from engineer to Solutions Architect highlights the importance of expertise in navigating cloud adoption. His insights can provide a clear roadmap, helping businesses avoid pitfalls and achieve new levels of efficiency and growth through careful planning, collaboration, and continuous optimization.
