Transitioning your business’s data and operations to the cloud can be a difficult task and can be especially difficult when dealing with unified communication (UC) systems. Unified Communications is the term used to describe all the communication technologies a business uses such as video calling, softphones, messaging and collaboration tools.
When the cloud migration of UC is done correctly, it can offer a variety of different benefits such as increased security and scalability to your business. However, if not done carefully and correctly, there can be many different issues that arise that could potentially affect your operations and your company’s net income. In this blog we give you some key tips to help ensure that your cloud migration process goes smoothly.
A gradual transition is the key
One key aspect in cloud migration is doing so gradually. You don’t need to migrate your entire unified communications system to the cloud in one move, but instead break it up into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, try moving your UC technologies to one department at time. Start with the departments that have a pressing need for the UC cloud migration and slowly work each department into the migration. Doing this allows users to smoothly transition to the new UC cloud system without experiencing network disruptions that may disrupt their efficiency.
Ensure sufficient bandwidth
There will always be issues that arise with speed and performance, so you will need to cover all the bases prior to transitioning to the cloud. The first step in doing this is by securing a reliable internet service provider (ISP). The next step involves checking how stable your internal network is and ensuring you have a backup plan in place. Ensuring sufficient bandwidth is critical when considering cloud migration, especially if your frequently experience slow network speeds and unreliable connections. Your business should determine the level of bandwidth needed, and find a a reliable ISP that can meet your needs.
Do not skip your tests
Even if you experience a smooth UC transition, you will still want to run routine tests to potentially uncover unexpected issues that need to be ironed out. It’s best practice to frequently test the systems throughout the migration process to soften the blow of potential issues that you might experience along the way. The last thing your business wants is to have to pay expensive, time-consuming maintenance costs that could have been solved through routine tests. Whether you’re testing voice or video, you should conduct routine test to set benchmarks for performance and predict future usage patterns.
Immediately act on identified problem points
After going live with your cloud UC system, consider the overall user experience and availability of support for devices, applications, and other components. Are persistent connectivity issues going to cause trouble during conference calls? This and other issues may prove detrimental in the long run, so keep them in mind when deciding whether to keep, enhance, or discontinue a cloud-based UC system. Your new system should reduce headaches, not exacerbate them.
Constantly monitor performance and quality
Businesses do frequently run into a few issues even after extensive testing so don’t worry if your business is experiencing speed bumps in the migration process. To successfully migrate to the cloud you must have proper planning in place accompanied by a sustainable strategy, especially if your company relies on unified communications such as video conferencing or instant messaging.
If you’re looking to implement a smooth and secure unified communications cloud migration, you will want to get in touch with a team of trusted experts. We recommend reaching out to our partner, SkyCom. The SkyCom team provides Chicago Land businesses with reliable hosted phone services and implements this technology in the most efficient way possible. Get in touch with their team today by clicking here.
