Migration continues to challenge Cloud users, finds CIF research

With the latest research from the Cloud Industry Forum indicating that over a third of businesses encounter migration issues as they move to Cloud services, the industry body has called on Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) to do more to assist with the process, and on end users to ensure they are fully prepared prior to beginning migration.

The 2015 research, which polled 250 senior IT and business decision-makers from both the public and private sectors, found that the transition to Cloud services has, for many, not been as straightforward as expected; just 10 per cent said that their migration could not have been improved, with around a third wishing the Cloud provider had offered better initial support. The complexity of migration to Cloud was difficult for 38 per cent, while 30 per cent encountered difficulties relating to data sovereignty.

Prior to migration, 27 per cent of customers experienced contractual obstacles such as clarity of liability, while during migration, 28 per cent encountered an initial, if only small, loss in employee productivity.

Commenting on the results, Alex Hilton, CEO of the Cloud Industry Forum, said: "Customers look to their CSP for the minimum of service disruption by providing robust and transparent migration services. We encourage customers to ask their supplier to have the appropriate credentials, and believe that the CIF Code of Practice should be the starting point for this – particularly now that it has been formally recognised by the European Commission.

"Equally, it's important that users have sufficient knowledge about Cloud services to ensure that the services rolled out can support business objectives – 35 per cent of respondents felt that they lacked the skills necessary to do this, which is one of the reasons why we've launched our Individual Membership Programme. The scheme offers individuals resources to both optimise and validate their Cloud knowledge, allowing them to become more valued to their businesses and enhance their credentials in the labour market. Over the coming months we will be introducing a market-recognised and respected accreditation programme and a comprehensive e-learning course, covering everything from the legal and regulatory frameworks governing Cloud to Cloud migration," he continued.

Michel Robert, Claranet's UK managing director, added: "It's apparent from this research that, in spite of the growing maturity of the delivery model, cloud migration issues haven't gone away and are increasing along with adoption levels. The IT arrangements of many businesses, particularly those in the mid-market, are incredibly complex, and, increasingly, services providers need to take more of an active role in helping businesses to unpick them and devise migration strategies for their customers. No two cloud migrations will be the same, so it is important to develop strategic partnerships to achieve the most effective results."