The task of transferring digital business operations to the cloud, or cloud migration, has been the focus of many businesses over the last year due to the increase in remote work. Cloud migration has been a great advantage for businesses of every size during these uncertain times as it has allowed for business continuity. But these advantages can only be actualised with the right planning and foundations so that your digital business operations don’t just migrate, they grow – which is why Microsoft Azure landing zones are a vital part of your cloud migration strategy.
WHAT ARE LANDING ZONES?
Cloud migrations are a lot of work and can take a long time, but with a landing zone, they are neither. A landing zone is a platform that can be preconfigured to make it easier to transfer your data and applications during a cloud migration. Although not essential, they are highly recommended if you are looking for a secure and seamless migration which focuses on security and compliance while providing you with a great starting point for your cloud adoption.
To understand landing zones, it is helpful to think of it in tangible terms – things you can touch. So, imagine you have decided it’s time you own your own home. You would prefer to build as opposed to buy, so you have two choices: 1. Consult an architect who will make notes about what you need/want and design something completely unique to you and which satisfies all your needs; Or 2. Buy a modular home.
Both are liveable structures which can be built upon, but the former is more specifically designed with you in mind and ready to complement your specific needs, and the latter provides you with a liveable space that complies with most standard living requirements for anybody – whether that be you or your neighbour at the end of the street.
These two options are much like what you can do with a landing zone. On the one hand, you can customise the space entirely to suit your business’s every need, or on the other hand, you can stick with the standard offering knowing that your business’s general basic needs will be catered for. Both options are feasible and suitable, but which one you choose really depends on what you deem to be important based on your needs, and how you plan on using the space both now and in the future.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
As mentioned before, cloud migration can be arduous, but it doesn’t have to be. Because landing zones allow you to automate certain processes and migrate low-risk workloads to test the water first while complying with security requirements, the benefits of having one speak for themselves. So, what benefits can you expect?
- Less Effort, Greater Agility and Faster Service Delivery: landing zones are designed to accelerate the mapping and modernisation of an operating model and reduce repetitive tasks allowing your IT employees to use their skills elsewhere.
- Enhanced Speed and Scalability: landing zones significantly reduce the amount of time needed for cloud migration preparation from days to just a few minutes, and they make it easier to extend to new environments, meaning your business can easily grow faster.
- Reduced Operational Costs: landing zones allow for automation of processes and data transfers which save time and money as there is less manual handling.
- Security, Governance, and Compliance Measures: landing zones allow for a defined set of cloud security services and best practices which aim to protect your sensitive data during the migration process. It is also designed to allow you to migrate low-risk workloads first to ensure that the migration process is seamless before migrating higher risk workloads.
But as with many things, the benefits you receive depend on how much preparation you have done, i.e. does your landing zone suit your needs?
PREPARING FOR LANDING ZONE SUCCESS WITH AZURE
Landing zones are essential to reducing costs in the cloud migration process as it provides you with a convenient location to securely store your data and resources but only if certain practices are followed. The following principles will help you to customise and manage your landing zone and succeed in migrating to the cloud without running up additional costs:
- NETWORKING SERVICES: Use networking services that keep your apps connected and enable you to add and remove workloads without disruption.
- IDENTITY MANAGEMENT: Set identity management rules so you can control who has access to your data. With these in place, you can start migrating low risk workloads while learning about cloud capabilities.
- GOVERNANCE AND SECURITY: Use integrated compliance policies to govern your environment to ensure industry regulations are being met and set security controls to always protect your data.
- MANAGEMENT: Monitor your performance and create a strong base for your workloads.
LANDING ZONES ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS
Without an effective cloud migration strategy and, therefore, an established landing zone, you are likely to incur more costs and longer migration periods – all of which can be damaging to business. But, with a landing zone, you can be assured that you are not only reducing unnecessary financial outlays, but you are setting yourself up with the framework for long-term success.
At Linktech Australia, we want to help you succeed, so contact the team today to see how they can help you with your cloud migration.