(part 2 of 2) Cloud is not a new topic. This nebulous buzzword has been with us since the mid-2000s, and the idea behind it goes back even further. Today, it is considered indispensable for digital transformation. So, one might think ...
BLOG - March 2021: For many people, cloud is still difficult to fathom. But what are the most common myths, and what is the real deal?
... that it is no longer a mystery. But, misconceptions and pitfalls are common when working in the Public Cloud. What are the most common myths around the Cloud? Find out in part 2 of our blog.
Do you want to read the full paper at a later time? Download part 1 and 2 as a PDF.
5. The cloud runs by itself! I can save staff
The cloud gives you many benefits thanks to automation. You can automate a lot of things at infrastructure level, such as deployment and patching, using a variety of tools. The operation of your infrastructure and applications is still your responsibility and this should be monitored for error-free functioning. You need staff to do this. This means that the focus of your staff is changing, it needs new expertise to help your team learn how to handle new infrastructure and services. What is actually shown by the degree of automation in practice, however, is a saving effect in terms of overtime. Your administrator will thank you. Classics such as power tests are no longer used.
6. After I migrate to the cloud, I lose track of my costs
Unlike the purchase of physical servers, the cost of the cloud is often calculated according to consumption ("Pay as you go"). If you don't keep an eye on them, you may end up with an unpleasant surprise. The most common overspends are caused by unused resources or improper sizing, but the cloud offers the advantage of flexible scaling according to current needs. You should also take advantage of this.
The best way to do this is to establish processes within the framework of cost management that regularly check your costs and uncover potential savings. The large hyperscalers offer various tools for their services. You can use pre-built or custom reports to view your usage behaviour, get recommendations for more favourable configurations, and even set a budget that must not be exceeded.
For vendor-independent considerations, especially for multi-cloud scenarios, various so-called cloud spend optimisation tools now exist, which take over the comparison between the cloud providers for you and always highlight the most cost-effective offer. You have your current costs in view at all times. For example, if you have a subscription to both Azure and AWS, use these tools to learn where it's currently cheaper to deploy your new service. But they also make unused resources and potential savings visible during ongoing operations.
Our recommendation to you: do not step into a cost trap, let us advise you.
7. Microsoft Office 365, these are Office applications in the cloud that I can only use online!
Microsoft Office 365 is a cloud-based suite that encompasses much more than the traditional office applications we know, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote. With applications such as Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, Yammer and much more, we are now talking about so-called productivity services.
In addition to the online application, however, Microsoft Office 365 comes with the benefits of user-based licensing, easy installation from the cloud, and a regular automatic update by Microsoft. That is, you can install the Office desktop applications on your local device as before so that they are available to you even if you want to work offline. You can save your data either in the cloud or on-premises.
Keep in mind, however, that you only rent the services, even if you use them locally through an installation. Conversely, this means that you are denied individual configurations, and Microsoft retains control. Especially for applications such as Teams that are becoming increasingly important these days, you should look individually at how you can still protect your data and ensure compliance through more restrictive usage rights.
Read more about common Cloud myths in part 1 of this blog.