Blog Layout

Azure Cloud Migration Checklist

Akins IT • Apr 07, 2022

Back in 2015, Akins IT started working with Azure and helping organizations in the commercial, government, academic, and non-profit sector with their cloud initiatives. As IT professionals, its really exciting to see a product mature and evolve. Cloud adoption is being considered by more and more organizations around the world. In fact, some organizations and countries mandate it. Cloud migrations are nothing new, in fact, If you have used and/or migrated to Office 365, DropBox, Sharepoint, Zoom, Google Drive, Gmail, among many others, then you and your organization are already in the cloud. After the pandemic, we saw an increased demand for cloud services and our existing partners who we helped migrate to the cloud were ready for the remote workforce and adapt rapidly and securely. Migrating to the cloud can be overwhelming and daunting, however, we can follow the Cloud Adoption Framework. The Cloud Adoption Framework brings together cloud adoption best practices from Microsoft employees, partners, and customers. It provides a set of tools, guidance, and narratives. These tools help shape your technology, business, and people strategies to get the best business outcomes during your cloud adoption effort. 


Review the guidance for each methodology below: 

Lifecycle


Define Strategy: In this step, we define and document your motivations, document business outcomes, evaluate financial considerations, and discover the technical flexibility, efficiencies, and capabilities that help you build a business case to adopt the cloud. 

 

Plan: We inventory and rationalize your digital estate, establish a plan for initial organization alignment, create a plan for addressing readiness, and develop a cloud adoption plan. 

 

Ready: We explore cloud operating model, evaluate target architecture, and deployment approach. 

 

Migrate & Innovate: We evaluate the migration workloads, migration scenarios, best practices, process improvements, develop new cloud-native or hybrid solutions. 

 

Govern: We build methodologies and processes, best practices, and align corporate policies, processes, and tooling. 

 

Manage: Document supported workloads, define criticality classifications, cloud management tools, and processes. This step helps develop the business and technical approaches needed to provide cloud management that powers ongoing operations. 


Cloud Adoption Strategy Evaluator 


You can assess your cloud adoption strategy and get recommendations on building or advancing your cloud business case. It takes about 10 minutes and will help you define a migration strategy. 


How does Akins IT help you develop a cloud migration strategy? 


With many years of Azure experience and early Azure adopters, we have refined our processes, methodologies, technical approach, and cost savings which translates to customer success. As a Tier 1 Microsoft Gold Partner, our customers benefit from advanced support from us and Microsoft, licenses procured directly from Microsoft, trials and licensing audits, among many more! 

 

For more information on why partner with a CSP


We specialize in Azure and Microsoft services. From our sales and architects team to understand your business needs, goals, and budget, to our engineers with vast knowledge and experience, among Microsoft certifications, that help us deliver and implement a successful cloud migration. 

 

See our success stories by our customers here 

CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC OR TO SCHEDULE A CALL

Navigating the Future of Work with Microsoft 365 Copilot Prompts

By Shawn Akins • 15 Apr, 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of the digital workplace, Microsoft 365 Copilot stands as a beacon of innovation, guiding users through the complexities of their daily tasks with ease and efficiency. As we embrace this new era of work, understanding the capabilities and utilization of Copilot prompts becomes essential. What are Copilot Prompts? Copilot prompts are intelligent cues that empower users to harness the full potential of Microsoft 365. They are designed to understand the context of your work and provide suggestions that are not only relevant but also tailored to enhance productivity.  The Power of Contextual Understanding At the heart of Copilot prompts is the advanced AI that meticulously analyzes the content you're working on. Whether it's an email, a document, or a spreadsheet, Copilot grasps the essence of your task and offers prompts that propel you forward. Streamlining Collaboration Collaboration is the cornerstone of modern work, and Copilot prompts are the perfect ally. They facilitate seamless communication by suggesting replies in emails, aiding in the co-authoring of documents, and ensuring that your team stays on the same page. Enhancing Creativity Beyond the realms of productivity, Copilot prompts also serve as a muse for your creativity. They can assist in drafting compelling narratives, generating ideas, or even crafting personalized messages that resonate with your audience. Learning and Growing with Copilot As you interact with Copilot prompts, they learn and adapt to your unique style and preferences. This continuous learning process ensures that the assistance you receive is always improving, making your experience with Microsoft 365 increasingly intuitive. Conclusion Microsoft 365 Copilot prompts are more than just a feature; they are your partner in navigating the future of work. By understanding their functionality and integrating them into your workflow, you can unlock new levels of efficiency, collaboration, and creativity.

Case Study: Rapid Response to Security Breach

By Shawn Akins • 15 Apr, 2024
Sky at Chandler Airpark

Case Study: Management Support Server Upgrade

By Leislee Mamba • 18 Jan, 2024
Akins IT assists Management Support in migrating their physical server infrastructure to new hardware and enhancing their backup process for improved disaster recovery.
More Posts
Share by: