With the launch of Microsoft’s BizTalk Migrator, Integration Modernisation is hotting up. This post explains how you know you’re ready to migrate to Cloud.
If you manage an integration system that allows your business apps to talk to each other, you probably know that your tech can’t stay static forever. The problem is, when to change?
A lot of our clients aren’t sure about when’s right to stick or twist, so they come to us for advice on getting their setup right. We help them sort out their BizTalk Server, Azure Integration Services and other integration systems.
In this article, we look at the signs to watch out for so that you know when’s right to update your integration systems.
Sign 1: your business strategy means modernisation is required
You may already have taken the decision to close down expensive data centres. If you no longer have physical servers on which to run your systems, an on-premises integration solution ceases to be viable.
In that scenario, you have no option but to move your apps and integration systems to the cloud.
And if that happens, you could probably do with a hand with the technical setup so that your data and processes remain secure and compliant with all relevant requirements for your industry.
You’ll also need to know:
- how much it costs to run an integration system in the cloud.
- how long it takes to move an integration system to the cloud.
These are the sorts of questions we answer when we speak with our clients. Get in touch and we can give you a no-strings assessment of costs and timescales.
Sign 2: your apps are increasingly moving to the cloud
Many businesses are in this position. Perhaps yours is as well. Think about it:
- instead of having your own Exchange server, you’re subscribed to Microsoft 365.
- instead of managing accounts in Sage, you’re hooked into Xero or QuickBooks.
- instead of storing contacts in Siebel, you’re running Salesforce or Microsoft 365.
These are just examples – we’re not making recommendations here. But wherever you look, it’s obvious that the move from local to cloud is speeding up.
If that’s how things are going for your business, your integration system could be a good candidate for the cloud, too.
Sign 3: you need better power and performance from your existing systems
Those big, shiny BizTalk Server boxes you bought during your last investment cycle might not look so big and shiny anymore.
If your business has grown or if your data-management requirements have increased, the fixed capacity of your data centre may no longer be fit for purpose. It can be expensive to go beyond the hard limits imposed by local data storage and processing – and your capital expenditure budget might not stretch that far.
If you need more power or better performance in your integration systems, a move to the cloud makes sense. You also get scalability and reliability thrown into the mix. And it’s likely to be a lot cheaper, as you’d be using only the computing power you need, when you need it.
As we’ve said before, integration modernisation means less local redundancy, which is expensive, and more cloud redundancy, which is cheap.
Sign 4: you’re about to hit a new investment cycle
You might be quite happy with your existing integration system, but if you’re about to start a new investment cycle, there’s no getting away from the cost associated with refreshing your current setup.
Even a small BizTalk Server installation can cost 6 figures. A large one could be up to 7 figures. Is that kind of capital investment justifiable at your next board meeting?
A move to the pay as you go cloud model should cut that expenditure drastically without adding any risk (if anything, well-maintained cloud setups are more secure than their traditional local equivalents).
Sign 5: your business is growing and you need to think about continuity and disaster recovery
What happens if your data centre is attacked, damaged or destroyed? Would the business withstand the shock to the system?
Even without a disaster scenario like that, your business may reach a stage where auditors, investors and shareholders want to see assurances about business continuity. Your data is valuable. Not having some sort of redundancy in place is a risk that larger businesses can’t tolerate.
Duplicating your data centre would be a hugely expensive undertaking. But running the operation in the cloud would mean that backups and redundancy are built into the setup, protecting you from the risk of a local system failure.
Sign 6: you want to futureproof your operations
The final sign is that your business may be planning for the long term and looking to futureproof your operation.
As more apps and systems are built with a cloud-first approach, it makes sense to bake this into your process now.
Maintaining legacy systems isn’t cheap. It relies on specialist knowledge and there’s a good chance that those systems may not be compatible with whatever digital environment we find ourselves in over the next decade.
Start the integration conversation
Our thing is to make techie tasks like integration modernisation as simple as possible, so that you don’t waste time, money and energy on struggling with systems that aren’t geared up to allow you to compete.
If any of the above signs ring a bell, get in touch for a free no-strings chat about how to make your integration system work better for you.
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