Intelligent SME.tech Issue 18 | Page 14

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// TECH TRENDS //

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE

Many SMEs are migrating their infrastructure to the cloud , tapping into the endless benefits on offer . However , it is important that business leaders recognise that continuous optimisation of this new environment is crucial to deriving maximum business value . Bob Petrocelli , CTO , Datto , tells us how organisations can make the most of their cloud infrastructure .
OR MANY SMALL and

F medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ), moving IT workloads to a public cloud such as Azure is a key part of their digitalisation strategy . Whether they make the shift to gain more flexibility and scalability , to replace on-premises hardware or to modernise their infrastructure , it needs careful planning and consideration both pre and post migration . Deriving maximum business value from the cloud is not a oneoff endeavour that is completed by the time the virtual machines have been lifted into the cloud ; instead , in order to be successful , it is an ongoing effort that requires regular reviews and continuous optimisation .

Usually , the SME will have worked with a managed service provider ( MSP ) at their side to migrate their IT infrastructure into the cloud . The move may even have been driven by the MSP as they seek to optimise how they service their growing client base . Either way , the initial focus of any cloud transition is usually on ensuring applications work as they should in the new environment , on reliability and continuity .
From the point of view of the SME , once they have made the move to the cloud , they will appreciate the convenience of no longer needing on-premises hardware maintenance visits , alongside easier remote access to applications and data – which
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