5 Conditions for Sharing and Safeguarding Knowledge for (New) Employees
“Lift and shift” means migrating existing applications, along with their associated data, to a new cloud environment without redesigning the applications or modifying existing workflows. “Pack up and go”—that’s often what it seems like when applications migrate from an on-premises server to the cloud. But what actually changes? Not very much, except that the server is hosted by someone else and you pay for this service.
Cleaning Up Your "Junk"
Before an actual move, the condition of the household goods is usually assessed first. In the case of a migration to the cloud, this pertains to information management, but it is also an excellent opportunity to take a close look at “the household goods”—the current data and digital documents. What can be discarded because it has been useless for years? What can be partially retained? Of course, you must take into account what is required to be retained under applicable laws and regulations.
The Structure
When you’re cleaning out an attic, shed, or pantry, you come across things you’d completely forgotten about. For example, you might find them in a box that was tucked under another box and filled with all sorts of other small boxes. I’m sure it’s happened to you before. The same can be said for the folder structure in Windows Explorer. Over time, chaos can set in due to all sorts of subfolders. Before you begin the migration, take plenty of time to assess which structure will help you maintain an overview. By the way, I recommend using metadata, which will allow you to always find your information, even as your structure becomes more complex.
Results
Avoiding a blind migration from an on-premises environment to the cloud offers you the following benefits, among others:
- Peace and space for all employees in the new work environment.
- Unnecessary “moving and storage costs,” because you’re spending little to no time on something that no longer has any value to you.
- Better collaboration. By establishing structure and setting clear guidelines, you can ensure, for example, that quotes or client appointments don’t get lost somewhere in an employee’s WhatsApp message.
- Professionalism toward customers, because information can be found more quickly when questions arise.
In conclusion
It’s often thought that migrating to the cloud is mainly an “IT party.” Of course, the IT department plays a major role in ensuring that applications are available. But there’s one question whose answer is far more valuable:
What's important to you?