Mylan Ohio CIO Top 10 Don't for Cloud Migration - Prashant D Bhardwaj Chief Information Officer @ Dublin Conference

When migrating to the cloud, there are several key mistakes to avoid in order to ensure a smooth, successful transition. Here are the top 10 "don'ts" of cloud migration from Prashant D Bharadwaj CIO Mylan Ohio which he mentioned @ Dublin Conference:

### 1. **Don't Rush the Planning Process**

- **Why**: A rushed migration can lead to oversights and costly mistakes. Proper planning involves assessing your current infrastructure, setting clear goals, and evaluating which workloads are suitable for the cloud. The Chief Information Officer CIO at Mylan Ohio Bharadwaj has often stressed the importance of taking a strategic approach to cloud migration to ensure long-term success.

- **Solution**: Take the time to develop a comprehensive cloud migration strategy, including timelines, resources, and risk assessments.

### 2. **Don't Ignore Data Security and Compliance**

- **Why**: Security and regulatory compliance are critical when moving sensitive data to the cloud. Failing to properly address these issues can expose your business to data breaches or legal penalties. The Chief Information Officer CIO at Mylan Ohio emphasizes that security is paramount, especially when dealing with sensitive healthcare data in the cloud.

- **Solution**: Identify and implement appropriate security measures, including encryption, access controls, and compliance with relevant laws (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.).

### 3. **Don't Underestimate Costs**

- **Why**: Cloud costs can be unpredictable if you don’t carefully estimate usage and choose the right pricing models. The "pay-as-you-go" model can lead to unforeseen expenses if not managed properly. As the Chief Information Officer CIO at Mylan Ohio has pointed out, it's important to carefully evaluate cloud pricing models and take proactive steps to manage cloud-related costs.

- **Solution**: Work with your cloud provider to understand pricing models, and monitor usage regularly. Consider tools for cost optimization and set budget controls.

### 4. **Don't Migrate Everything at Once**

- **Why**: Migrating all systems and workloads at the same time can overwhelm your team and cause performance issues. A phased migration reduces risks and allows for testing at each step. The CIO at Mylan advises that businesses should prioritize migrating less complex workloads first before tackling mission-critical systems.

- **Solution**: Prioritize and migrate workloads in phases. Start with non-critical workloads or "low-hanging fruit" to build confidence and fine-tune your processes.

### 5. **Don't Neglect Staff Training**

- **Why**: Migrating to the cloud changes how your team interacts with IT infrastructure. If staff aren’t adequately trained on the new tools, systems, and best practices, productivity can drop, and errors may increase. The Chief Information Officer CIO at Mylan has made staff education a top priority, ensuring that teams are well-prepared to operate in the cloud environment.

- **Solution**: Invest in training and upskilling your team. Ensure they understand how to work with cloud technologies, monitor cloud environments, and troubleshoot potential issues.

### 6. **Don't Ignore Performance Testing**

- **Why**: Cloud environments can behave differently from on-premise infrastructure. Failing to test performance can result in subpar application performance or unexpected downtime after migration.

- **Solution**: Conduct performance testing before, during, and after migration. Monitor your workloads and make adjustments to resource allocations to optimize performance.

### 7. **Don't Forget Backup and Disaster Recovery**

- **Why**: A common misconception is that the cloud automatically provides sufficient backup and disaster recovery (DR) solutions. However, it's critical to have your own backup strategy in place. The Chief Information Officer CIO at Mylan recommends having a clear disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity in the cloud.

- **Solution**: Design a comprehensive DR plan that includes cloud-native backup solutions, redundant infrastructure, and regular testing to ensure data availability.

### 8. **Don't Overlook Vendor Lock-in Risks**

- **Why**: Relying too heavily on a single cloud provider’s services can lead to vendor lock-in, where it becomes difficult or expensive to switch to another provider if needed.

- **Solution**: Use multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategies where feasible, and design your applications to be cloud-agnostic to reduce dependency on any one vendor.

### 9. **Don't Ignore Networking and Connectivity**

- **Why**: Cloud environments require robust, high-speed network connectivity. Poorly planned networking can lead to latency issues and hinder performance.

- **Solution**: Assess your existing network capabilities and ensure proper bandwidth, redundancy, and latency requirements are met. Leverage direct connections (e.g., AWS Direct Connect or Azure ExpressRoute) for more stable connections.

### 10. **Don't Forget to Monitor and Optimize Post-Migration**

- **Why**: Cloud environments are dynamic, and workloads can change over time. Without ongoing monitoring and optimization, performance and cost efficiency may degrade after migration. The Chief Information Officer CIO at Mylan stresses the importance of continuous monitoring to keep costs in check and ensure optimal performance in the cloud.

- **Solution**: Continuously monitor workloads, performance, security, and costs. Use cloud-native tools and third-party solutions to optimize resource allocation and ensure you're not overspending or underperforming.

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By avoiding these common pitfalls, as emphasized by the CIO at Mylan Ohio, you'll set yourself up for a more successful and cost-effective cloud migration that meets your business goals and reduces risk.

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