Cloud Computing vs. Local Databases: A Data Security Duel

Cloud Computing vs. Local Databases: A Data Security Duel

by | Mar 25, 2024 | Cloud, Database

Cloud vs. Local: The Debate on Data Storage Solutions

In my experience, the debate between cloud computing and local databases for data storage is a central topic among IT professionals. Cloud computing, with its vast scalability and accessibility, has revolutionized how organizations store and manage data. The ability to scale resources on demand and access data from any location has significant advantages for businesses seeking agility and growth. However, data security and sovereignty have emerged as pressing concerns. The apprehension stems from the reliance on third-party service providers, which may be subject to different regulatory standards and potential vulnerabilities.

On the other hand, local databases are often lauded for their performance and heightened data security, particularly when it comes to sensitive information. The proximity of data storage to the users can result in lower latency and faster processing times, which is crucial for many mission-critical applications. Yet, despite these advantages, local databases can fall behind in terms of cost-effectiveness and backup recovery solutions. The infrastructure costs for local storage solutions are typically higher, and the responsibility for creating and managing backups rests solely on the organization, which can be resource-intensive.

While cloud computing provides advanced data management features and seamless backup and recovery processes, the cost-benefit analysis and the control over data security protocols can be variable. Organizations might struggle to find the right balance between leveraging the cloud’s efficiencies and maintaining adequate control over their data security measures.

Protecting Sensitive Information: Security Measures Compared

When it comes to protecting sensitive information, the choice between cloud computing and local databases is pivotal. While cloud computing presents unparalleled scalability and accessibility for data storage, it raises questions about data security and sovereignty. The multi-tenant nature of cloud services means that data is often stored in shared environments, which can be a concern for businesses handling sensitive information that requires strict compliance with industry regulations.

Local databases, in contrast, provide superior control over security measures. Organizations can implement and manage their security protocols tailored to their specific needs, which can include advanced encryption, regular security audits, and strict access controls. However, this level of control and security does come at a price; local databases may not offer the same level of cost-effectiveness and scalability as cloud solutions.

The backup and recovery strategies employed by cloud computing and local databases also differ significantly. Cloud service providers typically offer automated backup solutions, which can greatly reduce the manual effort required by organizations. Local databases, however, may necessitate a more hands-on approach to data management, ensuring that backups are performed regularly and effectively, which can be both time-consuming and costly.

How Scalability Influences Data Security Strategies

Scalability is a critical factor that influences data security strategies. Cloud computing allows for dynamic data storage solutions that can adapt to the changing needs of a business. This flexibility extends to security measures, such as scalable encryption and access control, which can be adjusted as the data storage requirements grow. Enhanced scalability in the cloud also ensures that backup and recovery options are robust and can maintain data sovereignty even as the volume of data expands.

Conversely, local databases may face challenges with scalability, which can impact their ability to secure data effectively. As data volume increases, the existing infrastructure may struggle to keep pace, potentially leading to performance bottlenecks and increased security risks. While local databases offer a high degree of control over data security, their scalability limits can pose significant challenges for growing businesses.

The cost-efficiency of cloud computing compared to local databases is also influenced by scalability. The cloud’s pay-as-you-go model allows for flexible adaptation to changing data storage and accessibility needs without compromising security. This model is particularly advantageous for organizations that experience fluctuating data usage patterns.

Accessibility: Anytime, Anywhere Data Retrieval

Accessibility is a cornerstone of modern business operations, and cloud computing excels in this regard. The ability to retrieve data from any location is critical for businesses that rely on real-time access and collaboration across different geographies. Cloud computing’s distributed nature ensures that data is available whenever and wherever it is needed, which is a considerable advantage over local databases.

Local databases, while offering more control over data security and sovereignty, may not provide the same level of scalability and cost-efficiencies as cloud-based solutions. Local storage typically requires significant infrastructure investment, which can be less flexible when it comes to pay-as-you-go data storage models.

Moreover, the backup and recovery systems in cloud computing are designed for efficiency due to its distributed nature. In the event of data loss or system failure, cloud services can quickly restore data from backups located in multiple geographic locations. Local databases, however, may offer faster immediate performance for data management but often require more sophisticated and potentially expensive backup recovery solutions to ensure similar levels of business continuity.

Evaluating Total Cost of Ownership for Storage Options

When making decisions about data storage, evaluating the total cost of ownership (TCO) is crucial. Comparing cloud computing with local databases necessitates a careful assessment of scalability. The chosen solution must be able to adapt to growing data volumes without compromising performance or cost-efficiency. Cloud computing often wins on scalability, but the TCO should reflect all aspects of the storage solution, including ongoing operational costs.

Data security is a paramount consideration in the duel between cloud computing and local databases. It is essential to evaluate the strength of encryption, the effectiveness of access controls, and compliance with data sovereignty requirements to ensure that the data is adequately protected. Both cloud and local options have their merits and challenges in security, and the choice will largely depend on the specific needs and regulatory requirements of the organization.

Accessibility and backup recovery are also vital factors in the TCO equation. Cloud computing may provide superior accessibility and streamlined backup solutions, which can significantly reduce the time and resources needed for data management. In contrast, local databases might offer greater control over backup recovery protocols but may require more investment in data management infrastructure.

Measuring Performance: Throughput and Latency Concerns

When measuring performance in data storage solutions, throughput and latency are critical concerns. The scalability of cloud computing directly influences its throughput capabilities. Cloud solutions can elastically scale to meet fluctuating demand, maintaining performance levels even during peak usage times. This capability is particularly beneficial for businesses that experience variable workloads and need to ensure consistent data processing speeds.

Data security remains a central concern in the selection between cloud computing and local databases. Cloud services typically offer robust backup and recovery options, which can provide a safety net in the event of data loss. However, local databases can offer tighter control over data sovereignty, which can be a decisive factor for organizations with stringent regulatory compliance requirements.

In terms of cost-efficiency in data management, cloud computing typically presents a pay-as-you-go model that provides financial flexibility, making it more accessible and cost-effective for many businesses. Conversely, local databases might incur higher upfront capital costs for infrastructure, which can be a significant barrier, especially for smaller organizations.

Data Management Policies and Best Practices

Assessing the advantages of cloud computing’s scalability and cost-efficiency over local databases is crucial for setting up dynamic data storage needs. Cloud solutions can adapt more readily to changing business environments, which simplifies data management policies and allows organizations to respond quickly to market demands.

Comparing data security measures between cloud computing platforms and local database systems is imperative for developing robust data management policies. Understanding the nuances of data sovereignty concerns and how they impact the choice of storage solution is essential for ensuring compliance and maintaining trust with stakeholders.

Performance, accessibility, and backup recovery solutions must all be considered when formulating data management policies. Cloud computing often leads to more streamlined data management practices, thanks to its superior accessibility and backup solutions. Local databases, while providing greater control, require careful planning to ensure that data management policies are in line with best practices for security and business continuity.

Backup and Recovery Solutions: Ensuring Business Continuity

Differences in backup and recovery solutions are a key aspect of the comparison between cloud computing and local databases. Cloud solutions offer scalability and accessibility, ensuring that backup processes are less intrusive and more efficient. The automated backup solutions provided by cloud services can significantly contribute to ensuring business continuity, with less reliance on manual intervention.

Conversely, local databases often require manual backup processes, which can introduce more complexity and potential for human error. While these systems may provide enhanced data sovereignty and security control, the trade-off is often seen in terms of cost-effectiveness and performance during the backup and recovery process.

In evaluating cost-efficiency and performance, cloud computing’s pay-as-you-go model offers adaptability and financial prudence, particularly appealing for businesses with variable data management needs. Local databases, meanwhile, entail significant upfront capital expenditure and ongoing maintenance costs for data management infrastructure, which must be carefully weighed against the benefits of enhanced control and security.

The Verdict: Balancing Security, Scalability, and Cost-Efficiency

In the duel between cloud computing and local databases, there is no one-size-fits-all winner. The choice ultimately depends on an organization’s specific needs, priorities, and constraints. 

Cloud computing emerges as the champion of scalability, accessibility, and streamlined data management. Its ability to dynamically adapt to changing business needs and its cost-effective pay-as-you-go model make it an attractive option for many organizations, especially those with variable workloads and geographically dispersed teams.

However, local databases put up a strong fight when it comes to data security and sovereignty. For businesses dealing with highly sensitive information and strict regulatory requirements, the enhanced control and customization offered by local solutions can be the deciding factor. The faster immediate performance of local databases also gives them an edge for certain mission-critical applications.

Ultimately, the victor in this duel depends on careful evaluation of an organization’s total cost of ownership, performance requirements, and data management policies. For some, the scalability and accessibility of the cloud will reign supreme. For others, the security and control of local databases will be the key to success.

In many cases, a hybrid approach that leverages the strengths of both cloud computing and local databases may provide the optimal balance. By strategically allocating workloads and data between cloud and local solutions, organizations can maximize the benefits of each while mitigating their respective challenges.

As technology continues to evolve, the duel between cloud computing and local databases is sure to take on new dimensions. Emerging trends like edge computing and blockchain-based storage may further disrupt the data management landscape. But one thing remains clear: in the ever-changing world of data, finding the right balance of security, scalability, and cost-efficiency will always be the key to unlocking the full potential of an organization’s most valuable asset – its information.

-Buda Consulting

Navigating Database Cloud Migration: How to Choose the Best Cloud Migration Services

Navigating Database Cloud Migration: How to Choose the Best Cloud Migration Services

by | Jul 20, 2023 | Cloud, Database

Thinking of moving your database from your data center to a cloud or managed hosting provider? There are lots of options, and choosing the right cloud migration services for your workload takes research and planning. To get the most business value from your move to the cloud, you need a strategy that minimizes both time to benefit and business risk.

Why move a database to the cloud?

Common reasons for undertaking a cloud database migration include:

  • Reduced operating costs. In the cloud, the cloud service provider (CSP) bears the cost of maintaining, securing, and supporting the physical and virtual infrastructure your databases will run on.
  • Simplified remote access. The public cloud makes it easy to provide database access to remote workers and services.
  • Less security responsibility. Leading public clouds offer comprehensive, multi-layered security controls like data encryption, network protection for remote workers, user activity monitoring (UAM), and threat monitoring/intelligence.
  • Improved scalability. Most clouds can automatically scale data storage and workloads on demand, reducing the overhead associated with manually scaling your infrastructure. 

But the process of migrating databases to the cloud can often exceed time and cost estimates and even lead to security and compliance issues if badly executed. Choosing the right cloud migration services can help streamline key steps and make progress easier to track and manage.

What public cloud should you move to?

A primary consideration that largely dictates what cloud migration services you can pick from is the cloud environment you want to move to.

In some cases, this choice is effectively predetermined. For example, if you are running Microsoft SQL Server workloads and want to keep them in the Microsoft ecosystem, you’ll want to move to Microsoft Azure.  

Similarly, if you use Oracle Database and want to take advantage of the sophisticated cloud migration services that Oracle offers its customers, the best cloud for your workloads might be Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).

Or maybe you want to use Amazon Web Services with its rich landscape of services. If so, you might benefit from expert guidance from a trusted partner on how to structure your Amazon environment, including networking, storage, and server components. For example, not every business is ready to fully leverage the ephemeral nature of some AWS constructs. The best approach might be to move your database workloads to their own individual instances in Amazon EC2. Or for workloads that don’t require their own instances, Amazon RDS can be a good option.

Finally, if a powerful range of cloud migration services is a deciding factor in your choice of a public cloud, consider Google Cloud. Google Cloud offers multiple approaches for migrating Oracle, SQL Server, and other database workloads. Google’s highly rated cloud migration services use AI to help automate repeatable tasks, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.

What is your database migration strategy?

Another factor in which cloud migration services to use is your database migration strategy. Which strategy you pick will depend on related issues, such as whether you plan to clean up your data or institute new data governance processes as part of the migration.

The three basic database migration strategies are:

  1. Big bang—where you transfer all your data from the source database to the target environment in one “all hands on deck” operation, usually timed to coincide with a period of low database usage, like over a weekend. The advantage of a big bang migration is its simplicity. The downside is that downtime will occur, making this approach unsuitable for databases that require 24×7 availability.
  2. Zero-downtime—where you replicate data from the source to the target. This allows you to use the source database during the migration, making it ideal for critical data. This choice can be fast, overall cost-effective, and generally non-disruptive to the business. The downside of the zero-downtime option is the added complexity of setting up replication, and the risk of possible data loss or hiccups in the data movement if something goes wrong.
  3. Trickle—where you break the migration down into bite-sized sub-migrations, each with its own scope and deadlines. This approach makes it easier to confirm success at each phase. If problems occur, at least their scope is limited. Plus, teams can learn as they go and improve from phase to phase. The problem with a trickle migration is it takes more time and also more resources, since you have to operate two systems until completion.

Cloud migration services examples

Once you’ve identified your target cloud environment and your migration strategy, you can start choosing cloud migration services options.

For example, say you plan to move a business-critical Oracle database to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure using a zero-downtime strategy. One of the best cloud migration services options in this case is Oracle Cloud Zero Downtime Migration (ZDM).

A great feature of ZDM is the ability to fallback if necessary. This is Oracle’s preferred automated tool for migrating a database to OCI with no changes to the database type or version. Using a “controlled switchover” approach that includes creating a standby database, ZDM can dynamically move database services to a new virtual or bare metal environment, synchronize the two databases, and then make the target database the primary database.

At the opposite end of the cloud migration services spectrum from Oracle Cloud ZDM is Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Database Migration—a fully managed service that gives customers a self-service experience for migrating databases to OCI. Oracle Cloud Database Migration runs as a managed cloud service separate from the customer’s OCI tenancy and associated resources. Businesses can choose a simple offline migration option (similar to a “big bang” migration) or an enterprise-scale logical migration with minimal downtime (similar to a “trickle” migration). Teams can pause and resume a migration job as needed, such as to conform to a planned maintenance window.

If you want to move your Oracle, SQL Server, or other database workloads to AWS, Amazon offers a comprehensive set of cloud migration services to help automate the process. However, these tools are complex and powerful, and best used by experienced technologists. Be sure to confirm that AWS database sizing and capacity growth parameters meet your needs. You’ll also need to decide whether to use Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) or RDS Custom, depending on the kinds of applications your database supports.

Next steps

While moving databases to the cloud offers many benefits, a high percentage of cloud database migrations falter or fail due to inadequate planning and/or a lack of specific expertise. The top public cloud environments offer purpose-built cloud migration services to streamline the process, but these are not always easy to use. The largest CSPs also support millions of users, so your business may struggle to get the individual attention you need in a timely way.

Whether your databases reside in a major public cloud or a smaller cloud or managed hosting environment, Buda Consulting is always the first point of contact for our clients. Personalized service by someone who knows your business is guaranteed. If there is ever a problem, you call us and we take it from there. 

Contact Buda Consulting to discuss how our cloud and managed hosting migration services can help your business get maximum value from moving to the cloud.  

 

Cloud Storage Advantages and Disadvantages

Cloud Storage Advantages and Disadvantages

by | Apr 17, 2022 | Cloud

Let’s talk cloud storage advantages and disadvantages for SMBs, especially those in regulated industries. Using cloud-based infrastructure for data storage and/or backup has become nearly universal. Estimates of how many businesses of all sizes are using cloud storage today range from 50% to over 90%. But cloud storage is not right for all types of data.

Cloud Storage Advantages

Advantage #1: Lower total cost

Among cloud storage advantages and disadvantages, the top factor is usually cost savings. Cloud services are generally “pay as you go” and cloud storage is no exception. In the cloud, you pay only for the storage capacity you use. Meanwhile, the cloud service provider (CSP) is covering all the capital expenses and operational overhead associated with managing the infrastructure where your data resides. Foregoing the cost of servers, drives, power and cooling, administrative effort, etc. is a big win. 

Advantage #2: Improved disaster recovery and business continuity

While data protection controls (e.g., backup and recovery) can be hit-or-miss for some SMBs, CSPs have this down to a science—it’s their core business. Most cloud data is backed up frequently to multiple physical sites. How often and how frequently backups occur is a cost factor that varies with different vendors and service levels. Be sure you know how much data loss your business can tolerate between backups (one hour? one minute?) before choosing a cloud storage plan.

Storing data remotely in the cloud can also help reduce the risk of data loss from a natural disaster or exfiltration from a data breach that impacts your local facilities. Depending on how interfaces are configured, a cloud data storage scenario can also potentially protect your data from encryption or damage by ransomware. Though this is by no means “the default” and should be a topic of conversation with potential vendors.

Advantage #3: Anytime/anywhere access

Not every SMB is a born-on-the-cloud startup where everyone and everything is “virtual.” Some of us still have office space, local networks and local storage that isn’t remotely accessible or requires logging into a VAN or portal first. Besides hassles for users, this can lead to different people working with different versions of the data online and then needing to reconcile them later.

But when considering cloud storage advantages and disadvantages, a key factor is that your cloud-based data is accessible anytime/anywhere via the web, and often from a wide range of devices from laptops to tablets to phones. This can benefit collaboration as well as productivity. Further, the fact that changes are quickly and automatically propagated in the cloud means that everyone has access to the latest version of the data.

Advantage #4: Stronger security

Once the top concern when weighing cloud storage advantages and disadvantages, misgivings in the marketplace about cloud security have largely been put to rest. On the whole, it’s safe to say that CSPs can keep your data secure better than you can. This is their focus and they’ve made major investments to avoid the devastating competitive consequences of a data breach. It’s also a big saving in time and effort for your company if your IT staff doesn’t need to spend time parsing log dumps and other fun security stuff.

But configuration errors still routinely happen (almost always on the customer side), making cloud-based data a prime target for hackers that know how to search for those vulnerabilities. A “shared responsibility model” usually applies with cloud security, and this is something you’ll need to clarify with your CSP to ensure that all security bases are covered.

Advantage #5: Scalability

One thing most businesses can depend on is that their data storage requirements will grow over time. If your data is stored on-premises, this will mean proactively calculating your data growth, purchasing more disk arrays, upgrading current storage, and paying someone to keep it all shipshape.

In the cloud, your CSP will be only too happy to increase your storage footprint on-demand and simply charge you incrementally more per billing cycle. “Pay as you grow” is usually a lot cheaper and easier than maintaining your own physical storage infrastructure.

Cloud Storage Disadvantages

Disadvantage #1: Regulatory compliance challenges

When it comes to cloud storage advantages and disadvantages, regulatory noncompliance is perhaps the single biggest roadblock to moving your database to the cloud today. A central concern is that CSPs often run their services across multiple physical data centers, some of which may be outside the US and/or staffed by non-US citizens. Thus, such services do not comply with cybersecurity frameworks like the US Department of Defense Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), which mandates US-only data storage. Other US government contract requirements or markings on data, particularly “Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals” (NOFORN), can knock most cloud data storage options right out of the running. Check your customer contracts if you’re unsure whether this issue applies to your organization.

Another potential compliance problem with cloud data storage is a regulatory mandate for end-to-end encryption of sensitive data. If a CSP doesn’t encrypt your data on its servers or doesn’t support encryption of the data as it moves over networks to and from the cloud, using that service would put your company in noncompliance with any encryption requirements you may be subject to.  

Disadvantage #2: You need a working internet connection to access your data

These days it seems like everything we do involves the internet. When we lose connectivity, we lose productivity. But with cloud data storage, offline access isn’t universally available. If you need this capability there are CSPs that offer it, usually for an added cost.

A further concern within the spectrum of cloud storage advantages and disadvantages is the risk of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against your CSP. When hackers flood a vendor’s service with service requests, they can cause system crashes and make the service unavailable to customers. If this is a concern, ask potential cloud storage vendors what contingencies they have in place to cope with DDoS attacks.

Disadvantage #3: Vendor lock-in

Once you’ve started a cloud data storage program with one CSP, it can be difficult to switch to a new provider. Simply moving your database “across the cloud” from one CSP to another is probably not going to happen. This is especially true if the migration involves sensitive data like customer data, financial data or controlled unclassified information (CUI) from a government contract.

In fact, some CSPs will intentionally make migration away from their service more difficult in hopes of keeping your business. Others will sign you up for fixed or inflexible contracts that keep you locked into certain payment plans or otherwise limit your freedom to switch to a different service. Read contracts carefully and check references to ensure your chosen vendor doesn’t employ these tactics.

Next steps

Cloud storage is an increasingly popular choice for organizations looking to save money and improve access to their databases. But every cloud migration scenario is different, and it’s critically important to know with certainty that you’ve considered all the risk factors and choice points that apply in your case.

Buda Consulting specializes in helping our clients move their databases to the cloud smoothly, securely, and cost-effectively.

Contact us to connect with an expert about whether moving your database to the cloud is right for your business, and how to ensure your move is successful.

 

Choosing the Right Oracle Managed Cloud Service for Your Organization

Choosing the Right Oracle Managed Cloud Service for Your Organization

by | Feb 10, 2022 | Cloud, Oracle

Oracle managed hosting offers some of the most powerful database technology available, but it comes with a lot of complex options and can be challenging to manage. Running Oracle-based applications efficiently and securely demands experienced technical staff with a wide range of specific skills.

To save operating costs, reduce the stress on in-house IT, and improve reliability, performance, and/or data protection, many small to midsized businesses (SMBs) are turning to Oracle-managed cloud services or other forms of hosting for their Oracle investments.

2 Paths to Oracle Database Hosting

When it comes to Oracle database hosting, there are basically two paths you can take:

  • One is to migrate all your Oracle RDBMS environment with all your data to a public, private or hybrid cloud, where it will reside on virtualized servers and run on virtualized and containerized services. From there, you can either manage your databases in the cloud yourself or outsource some or all of your programs to an Oracle-managed cloud service provider.
  • But what if you no longer want to maintain your own data center and manage your own Oracle environment, but prefer not to move your sensitive data to the cloud? You can leverage Oracle-managed hosting in an isolated and fully managed physical data center, including specialists to move and manage your databases and maintain your servers, operating systems, and applications. Some providers even specify that your data will be hosted in the US or North America, along with an ala carte managed services menu and a choice of service levels.

Which approach is right for your business? That depends on multiple factors, including your budget, data volume, and data growth rate, in-house skill sets, security and compliance risk tolerance, and business goals. Applicable regulatory or contract requirements, especially around security, are another major factor in the decision to move your Oracle databases to the cloud—one that can trump all other considerations for some organizations, especially in regulated industries like government, legal, healthcare, and financial services.

Leveraging Oracle Managed Cloud Services

The pressure to transition your Oracle environment to the cloud may be intense. Cloud is seen as “the future” and the only route to digital transformation, with a promise of cost savings and operational improvements. But the cloud presents unique security, reliability, and performance challenges, making it imperative that you carefully manage your cloud database solution. This is where Oracle cloud managed services come in.

With Oracle-managed cloud services, you get remote support to manage your Oracle environment in the cloud. This typically takes the form of a virtual team of certified Oracle practitioners who will monitor and manage your cloud-based Oracle environment (often 24×7), as well as help you with Oracle upgrades and security configurations and monitoring.

Oracle Managed Cloud Services Benefits

By engaging with an Oracle cloud managed services provider (MSP), you liberate your in-house resources to focus on strategic goals rather than ongoing, everyday tasks. You may also experience smoother database operations thanks to the specialist third-party’s broad expertise.

Other benefits that an Oracle cloud managed service provider can offer include:

  • The reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) of your Oracle environment versus keeping your Oracle databases on your own physical servers and using internal resources to manage and maintain everything.
  • The ability to scale up database infrastructure on-demand versus a more time- and labor-intensive purchasing and provisioning process.
  • Reduced cybersecurity risk due to improved security expertise and controls, including stronger patch management and the availability of proactive cyber threat mitigation tools like database activity monitoring<SUGGEST LINK TO RECENT POST ON DAM (not yet posted to the blog)>.
  • Improved business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities thanks to cloud-based services to deliver redundancy and high availability.
  • Better overall IT agility and faster IT decision-making, since your team can now put more attention on keeping IT aligned with business needs. 

When Cloud is Not the Best Option

But while moving your Oracle resources to the cloud has the potential to deliver significant benefits, this move is not for every organization. Every business needs a secure, resilient and cost-effective Oracle application infrastructure, but the cloud is not always the right place to host it.

For example, defense suppliers may be subject to the use of the “Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals” (NOFORN) caveat on Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), classified data and even contract documents that they store and/or handle. NOFORN data cannot be stored in data centers outside the US, which rules out many cloud services because of how they move data and workloads across national geographies without the customer even being aware of it.

For other firms, such as in the financial services industry, the need to keep applications and data on isolated platforms for security and compliance reasons could be paramount. 

Leveraging Oracle Managed Hosting

For businesses that need or want to keep certain Oracle data and workloads out of the cloud, Oracle managed hosting can be a great option. In this scenario, your Oracle environment is fully managed by expert staff in an isolated physical environment, giving you far more control.

With Oracle managed hosting, you always know where your data resides, so you can meet NOFORN and other contractual and regulatory mandates. You will also enjoy outstanding overall security, reliability and availability of your databases, along with many of the scalability and cost reduction benefits of cloud. Finally, as a managed service, Oracle managed hosting offers all the strategic and staffing benefits of a cloud-based outsourcing model.

How Oracle Managed Hosting Works

Here is how most Oracle managed hosting scenarios work:

  • Expert database professionals handle the total process of migrating your Oracle databases to the hosted data center. This includes configuring the new Oracle environment, instantiating your databases and moving your data. Most Oracle-managed hosting providers will work alongside your in-house team and/or a third-party vendor(s) to ensure an optimal outcome with minimal downtime.
  • Expert network administrators setup, configure and manage the network, firewalls, and connectivity associated with your hosted Oracle databases.
  • Expert IT system administrators install, configure, manage and patch your database infrastructure, including servers, operating systems, and applications.
  • Expert Oracle database administrators (DBAs) monitor and manage your databases, including maintaining disaster recovery and high availability capabilities.

Security Benefits of Oracle Managed Hosting

One of the top reasons to host your Oracle database in an outsourced physical data center is unsurpassed security. Besides giving you a dedicated environment with isolated hardware and software in a US-based Tier 3 (or potentially Tier 4) data center, most Oracle-managed hosting providers offer special features like Oracle Advanced Security and enhanced security monitoring.

Oracle managed hosting also offers disaster recovery and business continuity services, like:

  • Replication across geographically separate (US-based) data centers to protect from natural disasters.
  • Best-practice disaster recovery planning and processes. Many SMBs either never create or never test a disaster recovery plan, or test it infrequently, and thus have weak and unreliable disaster recovery capability. Moving to the cloud alone does not improve this situation.

Next Steps

If you are ready to make or are considering outsourcing your Oracle database hosting, Buda Consulting can help. We are Oracle managed hosting specialists with over 20 years’ experience. We offer professional, reliable and secure Oracle database hosting. Whether your database footprint is small or massive, let us help you free your business from the constraints of managing Oracle in-house, while cost-effectively addressing your unique security, compliance and other business requirements.

Contact us to talk about our services, custom hosting packages, hardware and Oracle licensing options, and more. 

 

Our Cloud Migration Roadmap: Set Yourself Up for Success

Our Cloud Migration Roadmap: Set Yourself Up for Success

by | Dec 20, 2021 | Cloud

67% of businesses have migrated their workloads to the cloud in 2020 alone. Are you considering following this trend? If so, you’ll need a stellar cloud migration strategy. Otherwise, your services will have poor performance, which your customers will also experience. 

Throughout this guide, you’ll first learn the benefits of cloud migration. Afterward, this guide will cover the most efficient cloud migration roadmap and select a good cloud migration provider.

What Are the Benefits of Cloud Migration?

Cloud migration can potentially have a massive impact on your services. First off, you’re letting a company that specializes in cloud computing handle your services. Because of this, you’ll have access to disaster recovery features, massive data centers, and more.

Other benefits of cloud migration include:

Scalability: enables you to control resources based on your businesses needs—whether you want to expand or use fewer resources

Enhanced performance: better computing capabilities lead to enhanced performance

Security: most providers offer robust built-in features that handle challenging security issues

Cost reduction: you don’t need to maintain data centers and only pay for what you use

Your 5 Step Cloud Migration Roadmap

To ensure you transition your services smoothly, you’ll need to craft an optimal cloud migration strategy. Throughout this section, you’ll learn how to create your goals and manifest them while enhancing your product.

1. Determine Your Cloud Migration Goals

Before embarking on any endeavor, you’ll need to figure out the goals for your transition into the cloud. Otherwise, you won’t have any indicators to label your migration as a success. Moreover, you’ll also find yourself confused. Everyone will have different goals, so we can’t create one for you. However, we can help. First, you’ll need to ask yourself a couple of questions.

What are my objectives for this cloud migration? Your answer could involve reducing expenses or supporting your infrastructure for expansion.

What technology principles should your business follow? Answer questions to figure out what technology your business will need to achieve your goals.

Once you’ve assembled your goals, you will need to build a plan with your team to prepare for various scenarios. That way, if you encounter any downtime, bugs, crashes, or other undesirable scenarios, your team is ready to tackle it.

2. Cloud Data Migration Methods

Unfortunately, there isn’t a single data migration strategy to select. There are 6. However, each method has unique characteristics that offer distinct advantages to your business.

These methods include:

  1. Rehosting: the most cost-effective option that redeploys your codebase in a cloud environment
  2. Repurchasing: using a cloud service provider to replace your existing on-premise solution
  3. Replatforming: similar to rehosting, except that it requires changing cloud vendors, which will require more optimization
  4. Refactoring: requires more work; however, refactoring transforms your IT architecture
  5. Retaining: keeps parts of your infrastructure on-premise, which makes this method best for security
  6. Retiring: abandon obsolete applications or parts of your codebase—great for optimizing your system

3. Pick a Good Cloud Service Provider

You’ll need to create criteria when choosing the cloud migration services. Otherwise, you may end up with a service that won’t provide optimal results. The following will show you a checklist on how to pick the best services.

Cost

Various variables determine the price of your cloud migration services. In this scenario, you will need to shop around and inspect each provider’s features, performance, and support. From there, you will want to choose what price will best fit your needs.

Performance

Regarding performance, one of the most critical factors to look for is low latency. Otherwise, your customers will experience lag and sluggish loading times if your setup struggles with high latency. Because of that, you may lose out on customers.

Support

Without responsive customer service, you wouldn’t have support and specialists to help you if you run into any issues. Moreover, you will want to check for additional features. One includes ways you can contact customer service. Others include availability and whether you have to pay a premium price for priority support.

Before purchasing, you could test their customer service responsiveness by contacting the company. If they’re responsive, then they’re a good fit. Otherwise, you may want to keep shopping.

Services

With a wide selection of cloud vendors to select, you’ll notice that some have tens, others over 100, extra services to enhance your product. Some services include machine learning, data monitoring, automation, and more.

However, you will want to keep in mind that the company will charge more for their software with the addition of services.

4. Migrate to the Cloud

Once you have steps 1 through 3 assembled, you will need to relay what’s happening to your employees and customers. That way, they won’t suffer from disruptions throughout the migration process. Afterward, your cloud migration team will transition your code into data services. Meanwhile, you will want the rest of your team preparing for the incoming cloud system.

Ways your other employees can contribute to the company’s migration include crafting data compliance policies and adjusting security measures.

5. Optimize Your Setup

Since you have everything ready, you’ll need to optimize. This step includes fixing, adjusting, and performing other tasks. You’ll need to make these adjustments throughout different parts of your product like:

Tweaking your codebase: that way, you enhance your product’s performance

Testing: ensure everything works

Integrating new technology: feedback pipelines, automated testing, and microservices

Once you finish this step, you’ve completed your cloud migration. From here, you will need to monitor your product and make adjustments when needed.

Unleash Your Data’s True Potential

If you’ve followed this cloud migration roadmap, you’re taking the first step toward transitioning your business into the modern age. Moreover, you’re transforming your services into a data-driven performance powerhouse.

What’s the next step? First, explore various cloud migration tools. Afterward, choose what service best fits your business’ needs.

Schedule a free 15-minute phone call with Buda Consulting to learn how we can help you get more out of your Oracle and SQL Server database investments.

6 Types Of Cloud Migration Services

6 Types Of Cloud Migration Services

by | Oct 29, 2021 | Cloud

We are right in the middle of a huge focus in the business world on cloud migration. In fact, in 2020, cloud migration was the number one top modernization project. More than half of business leaders were working on or planning to work on cloud migration projects!

Of course, it can feel daunting to learn all about the world of cloud migration. There are so many different kinds of cloud migration. So how can you know which kind is the best for your business?

Read on to learn all about the different types of cloud migration and what they might be able to do for you!

1. Rehosting

There are basically 6 options for Amazon types of cloud migration. To explain various types of migration, people often refer to the 6 R’s. The first type of cloud migration strategy is called rehosting. Rehosting is one of the most important types of cloud migration services. First of all, it is the simplest approach to cloud migration.

The basic idea behind this strategy is that you take your applications and other systems from their current hosts and simply move them on to public cloud hosts. This does not require you to update the systems in any way.

Of course, just because updates and changes aren’t needed does not mean that they aren’t helpful. If you simply move your current applications and other systems to the cloud, they may not be able to make the most of everything that the cloud has to offer.

For example, you might not be able to use cloud monitoring systems or automated data recovery. There are even self-healing environments that the cloud can provide. However, these benefits are only available if you update your applications somewhat while putting them on the cloud.

On the other hand, if you just want to be on the cloud, you can get there very quickly. This strategy is a great way to make your initial migration. Once you are already on the cloud, maybe then you can focus on updating things to make the most of the cloud. This is also a great strategy if you are making an emergency migration.

2. Replatforming

The other types of cloud migrations will generally involve some kind of adjustment. Whatever you move on to the cloud, you will also change to take better advantage of the cloud.

Replatforming is a strategy that involves optimizing your systems for cloud use. This will allow you to use the various tools that the cloud provides.

Sometimes, making your changes in advance is more efficient. Doing your cloud migration today and then hoping to change things once they are on the cloud can take a lot of extra work.

Of course, updating your applications and systems can be tricky business. It is important that you make the right changes that let you use cloud services without messing up your functionality. This is a middle-of-the-road strategy. It is more complicated than simple rehosting, but not as transformative as other approaches.

3. Repurchasing

In some ways, repurchasing might not seem like a proper cloud migration strategy at all. This is because you do not actually take what you have off where it is and put it on the cloud itself.

Instead, repurchasing is a strategy where you simply abandon what you have now. Then you buy a version of it that is already built to fit with the cloud. Of course, you may need to transfer some of the data from your system onto the new cloud-based system.

This approach can be fast and effective. Of course, it may not be as cost-effective as other strategies. At the same time, there are some amazing new applications built to work with the cloud.

4. Refactoring

Refactoring is sometimes also called re-architecting. As the name suggests, this strategy requires rebuilding your whole system.

Of course, this can take a lot of work. In fact, even once the transition time is done, your new system might take more time to maintain properly. On the other hand, once you are done, you will have something built specifically for the cloud.

5. Retaining

The retaining strategy leads to a hybrid model. Part of your system will be on the cloud and part of it will not. Depending on your system, this might be the ideal choice.

If certain parts of your system have to be dramatically remade before they can go on the cloud, maybe you can just leave them off the cloud. The parts of your system that more easily fit on the cloud can be transferred without extensive rebuilding.

This can also be a good choice if you are trying to balance the speed of implementation and integration with the cloud.

6. Retiring

On the other hand, if something doesn’t fit on the cloud, you could always simply get rid of it. This is the idea behind the retiring strategy.

Many parts of your software architecture might be unnecessary. You can simply cut them out. Then you can move what is left to the cloud. Once it is there, you will be able to enjoy all the added functionality that the cloud provides.

Know All About the Different Types of Cloud Migration

We hope that you were able to take away something helpful from this brief article on a few of the most important different types of cloud migration. The more you know about this industry, the better prepared you will be to make choices that will enhance the functionality of your systems.

To learn more about the benefits of cloud migration and where you can find an excellent provider, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!