Migrating to the cloud offers a number of benefits for businesses of all types and sizes. According to Oracle Cloud Structure's SVP of Engineering, for example, businesses that used their service to migrate to the cloud saved between 30 and 50% on costs.
Other potential benefits of cloud migration include greater elasticity and ability to scale, support for remote collaboration, increased flexibility for storage and other technical resource management, enhanced security and potentially faster deployment times for future technical rollouts.
With so many advantages on the table, why aren't more businesses jumping to the cloud? One reason is a fear of failure. Around 20% of technical initiatives crash and burn, and only around 30% are completely successful.
6 IT jobs that support successful cloud migration
One of the top reasons for failure of technical projects is a lack of the right people to get the job done. Before you begin the journey of managing a cloud project, take time to hire IT talent to support the effort. Here are six critical staff members you may want to consider hiring if you don't already have them on your team.
• business analyst
what do they do?
Business analysts act as the bridge between tech teams and business (or production) teams. They help define business needs and translate them into technical requirements while ensuring business stakeholders understand what is realistically possible to accomplish with tech solutions.
reasons you need them for a cloud migration:
The disconnect between tech and business is a known and common struggle for organizations. These teams don't always speak the same language or understand the challenges the other side faces. That can lead to a constant tug-of-war between teams and miscommunications that lead projects down rabbit holes. An experienced business analyst bridges the gap to reduce those challenges and drive efficiencies for enterprise projects.
• cloud architect
what do they do?
The cloud architect is exactly what it sounds like. They take all the technical requirements of a cloud project and "design" the solution that will achieve the outcome.
reasons you need them for a cloud migration:
Without a picture of what your cloud solution and processes should look like, you can end up with scope creep or work to implement something that doesn't fit your needs. When it comes to IT jobs, this may be one that's temporary, depending on your ongoing cloud needs.
• IT project manager
what do they do?
An IT project manager oversees the work of the project once it gets going. They work with the team to define a plan, including milestones and deadlines, who will be responsible for each piece and what the budget might be.
reasons you need them for a cloud migration:
A project manager brings oversight to development efforts and helps ensure the work gets done on time. They also act as the glue that holds project teams together, ensuring communication and handoffs between each aspect of the team, and back to the client.
• cloud developers or cloud engineers
what do they do?
These are the people who actually build what the architect and others have designed.
reasons you need them for a cloud migration:
It is critical to hire cloud developers and engineers, especially if you're implementing from-scratch systems or want to integrate into existing systems using software APIs. Unless you're opting for an out-of-the-box solution that already has everything you need (unlikely in most enterprise cases), you'll need developers to code and build functions.
• systems administrator
what do they do?
Systems administrator is another role that does exactly what it sounds like: they administrate the system. They monitor and maintain the system, establishing standard operating procedures, overseeing upkeep and ensuring reliable operation. They also ensure everyone has access to the system resources they need.
reasons you need them for a cloud migration:
When you're hiring cloud talent for your migration, this is a key role to keep in mind. You’ll likely need a systems administrator to ensure all the work done during the cloud migration is useful in the future—i.e., that the system continues to work as needed and continues to properly support staff after the initial cloud implementation phase.
• security analyst
what do they do?
Security analysts ensure technical solutions meet all security and data protection requirements and policy adherence for the organization. They may also analyze systems on an ongoing basis to discover and remediate any security weaknesses.
reasons you need them for a cloud migration:
In general, cloud migrations offer enhanced security options. But the cloud isn't inherently secure, and you do have to take steps to protect your data and networks. A security analyst will implement those steps within your existing guidelines.
where to find resources for these IT jobs
With a cloud migration to plan and implement, in addition to all your typical business and IT tasks, you may be looking at this list and thinking, "How am I going to find the time to hire all these IT professionals?"
Whether you simply don't have the time or you don't know where to start in sourcing quality IT professionals, Randstad can help. Our IT Solutions division specializes in building project teams so you have access to the IT talent you need for cloud migration and other major tech development projects.