Cloud-Based File Storage in a Post-Pandemic Economy: Why Migration Matters

Cloud-based file storage has grown massively during the pandemic as organizations embraced remote working environments. Global enterprise companies were able to adopt effective, proven technologies offered by market-leading brands without the need for sudden infrastructure spend, while employees got the file storage they needed without having to think too much about the process or where files would reside.

On the one hand, the ability to integrate cloud storage across different providers and on-premises infrastructure meant that organizations could meet their needs in the short term. Across the board, the availability of cloud-based file storage offered a cost-effective quick fix and an apparent win-win for businesses under great pressure to adapt almost overnight.

However, 18 months down the line, businesses are moving away from emergency infrastructure planning and back to long-term priorities. As a result, IT teams that need to move large amounts of data between cloud providers or bring data that’s only ever lived in the cloud onto corporate infrastructure for the first time, face some significant challenges.

Why? If hosting file-based data in the cloud is so easy, why should there be any problem with migration? Organizations can be forgiven for making the assumption that cloud’s inherent versatility has no boundaries, but the reality is that migration at scale can leave IT teams in uncharted territory without the software tools or experience to execute an effective end-to-end process.

Part of the problem is that while the market-leading hyperscalers focus on their ability to provide a seamless storage experience, migration—in contrast—receives comparatively little attention. The tools they provide are immature, lack a range of important capabilities, and aren’t backed by effective support.

To fill the gap, organizations look to third party data migration solutions, but when doing so should evaluate options based on a core checklist of capabilities:

1. Compatibility with their public cloud providers, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
2. Ability to preserve data integrity throughout the data migration process.
3. Access to a comprehensive support team who can help steer customers through their migration projects.
4. Technologies that are continually improved with the right protocols in place to keep pace with changes made to hyperscale platforms.

Migration software should also avoid data compromises, avoid excessive costs, and abide by compliance regulations. Despite the challenges presented by lockdown and remote working, organizations have proved themselves to be hugely adaptable, supported by technologies that were fit for purpose at just the right time. As they move forward with post-pandemic IT strategy, it’s essential to retain that approach, and in the case of data migration, choose a solution that will help make the best use of cloud and on-premises storage over the long term.