Moving applications and data to the
Cloud has been the mantra of IT pundits and the news media for the last several
years. Although there may be value
in moving to a hosted environment, there can be many pitfalls. Identifying what can be moved to the
Cloud and what cannot, is critical to making this these operational decisions. ATON will work with you and your
software providers to determine the answer.
Email is probably the most common application for a municipality to move to the Cloud. Microsoft’s Office 365 and Google’s Gmail are popular cloud-based email solutions. ATON will help you weight the benefits of these hosted email options and analyze the costs associated with the move. Although moving email to the Cloud may reduce in-house server and maintenance expenses, there are other costs associate with Cloud email that must be assessed.
Some New Jersey government applications CANNOT be moved to the Cloud – the software is just not designed to run there. Several popular finance applications and legacy permitting and licensing programs MUST be hosted in-house, on your server. If your municipality is using any of these software solutions, the decision to move any of the applications to the Cloud becomes more complex. ATON will assist you in evaluating all your software and determining whether there is sufficient ROI to move programs to the Cloud.
Backup to the Cloud can be an efficient, effective method of protecting your valuable data. In some instances, the Cloud backup host can function as a Disaster Recovery site. ATON will develop a data backup solution that satisfies all of your data protection requirements. Based on a combination of in-house and hosted technology, our recommended solution will consist of daily backup to an on-site hard disk then replication of the data to a Cloud environment for maximum data protection. We will use our experience to help select the most appropriate vendor and serve as intermediary to assure a smooth transition. (Law enforcement can take advantage of Cloud-based backups contingent upon the solution is developed within the parameters of the Attorney General’s guidelines.)
Deciding to move programs and data to the cloud is easy, getting it there may not be. Redundant Internet connections, data access lag time and Cloud/on-site systems compatibility are just a few of the roadblocks to successful Cloud migration. ATON will develop and implement a migration plan that eases transition, supports technical needs, and minimizes the impact on your operations.
