News in the Channel - issue #12

DATA STORAGE

overcome to successfully migrate from on- premise to cloud storage. “Primarily these revolve around cost and connectivity. Storing data via the cloud can be more expensive than on-premise solutions. As such, the switch should be planned carefully. “It’s also important to consider that, although short-term costs can be greater, cloud storage will often save SMEs money in the long run. “On top of this, the cloud requires a high- speed internet connection to ensure everyone working remotely can reliably access company data.” Andy Brown, technical services director of Advanced Solutions at TD Synnex, adds that having a strategy also makes the migration task less of an issue. “Public cloud services offer a wide range of data storage options, but choosing the correct service for your data can be complex as they tend to be tiered based upon performance, capacity, throughput, access and costs,” he says. “The enterprise storage features that customers have been using on-premises may not be available within public cloud storage services, and that could have an impact on IT operational processes, therefore

management strategies with end customers can provide partners with an opportunity to re-engage with customers and get a better understanding of their current position and business goals.” Partner role This is where resellers come in. When businesses struggle to work out what may be best for them, or whether they should be migrating at all, partners offer guidance on how to move to the cloud. Lee says that trust was at the heart of finding success in helping businesses move to the cloud. “In our role as a trusted partner, it is our responsibility to design and provide guidance on the most suitable solutions for our customers contemplating a move to the cloud,” he says. “Our process involves thorough validation, considering factors such as the volume of data, and the bandwidth and speed of their network which are critical considerations, impacting both the migration process and the chosen migration type. “Security is also a paramount concern, and we work towards designing a solution that is not only secure but also compliant with relevant standards. Additionally, ensuring data consistency is a key focus, guaranteeing the maintenance of data integrity and consistency to prevent any loss or corruption of data during the transition.” Kubair also describes this role as a “trusted adviser”, adding: “Resellers play a crucial role as trusted advisors by guiding cloud migration, offering custom solutions, choosing service models, and facilitating the transition. “However, start by reflecting on what are your needs, what you consider the core business, and what value moving to the cloud would add to your business.” Paul Vogt, Loftware VP of partner strategies, goes one step further, identifying resellers as a “vital service provider. “In the niche of supply chain labelling and printing, the role of the reseller becomes more critical with the move to cloud. The reseller becomes an even more vital service provider. Resellers have access to the customer’s cloud solutions and can provide label design and application development services. “They can also offer device monitoring and management services for predictive maintenance and can be the agent of customer success as they know the whole solution better than the customer, often offering process

Mark O'Dell operations director

babble.cloud

Don Valentine commercial director

absoft.co.uk

organisations need to consider when and how to move the data to public cloud providers. “Businesses also need to consider how data can be accessed, retrieved, protected and secured. The same data security obligations apply to data storage within the public cloud and many companies will need additional skills to ensure their data is secured within public cloud storage services. “Multiple factors may need to be considered, including storage costs, risk, and compliance. Therefore discussing data

Gary Bliss cloud solutions consultants

proactive.fasthosts.co.uk

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