Cloud Adoption Framework

Cloud migration in the Cloud Adoption Framework

Introduction

Any enterprise-scale cloud adoption plan will include workloads that do not warrant significant investments in the creation of new business logic. Those workloads could be moved to the cloud through any number of approaches: lift and shift; lift and optimize; or modernize. Each of these approaches is considered a migration.

The below steps will help establish the iterative processes to assess, migrate, optimize, secure, and manage those workloads.

To prepare you for this phase of the cloud adoption lifecycle, Vigilant Technologies recommend the following:

The Migrate methodology and the steps above build on the following assumptions:

  • The methodology governing migration sprints fits within migration waves or releases, which are defined using the Plan, Ready, and Adopt methodologies. Within each migration sprint, a batch of workloads is migrated to the cloud.
  • Before migrating workloads, at least one landing zone has been identified, configured, and deployed to meet the needs of the near-term cloud adoption plan.
  • Migration is commonly associated with the terms lift and shiftor rehost. This methodology and the above steps are built on the belief that no datacenter and few workloads should be migrated using a pure rehost approach. While many workloads can be rehosted, customers more often choose to modernize specific assets within each workload. During this iterative process, the balance between speed and modernization is a common discussion point.

Migration effort

The effort required to migrate workloads generally falls into three types of effort (or phases) for each workload:

  1. Assess workloads,
  2. Deploy workloads,
  3. and release workloads.

In a standard two-week long iteration, an experienced migration team from Vigilant Technologies can complete this process for 2-5 workloads of low-medium complexity.

More complex workloads, such as SAP, may take several two-week iterations to complete all three phases of migration effort for a single workload. Experience and complexity both have a significant impact on timelines and migration velocity.

Migration waves and iterative change management

Migration iterations deliver technical value by migrating assets and workloads. A migration wave is the smallest collection of workloads that deliver tangible and measurable business value. Each iteration should result in a report outlining the technical efforts completed.

Next steps

The steps outlined above can help you develop an approach to improve processes within each migration sprint. The approach at Vigilant Technologies can ensure that common tools and approaches needed during your first migration wave will render a successful result.

Read more about Vigilant’s Azure Cloud Migration Services

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Author:
Stephen Clark

Principal – Technology Strategist, Vigilant Technologies

Azure SQL Migration Roadmap

Getting Started with Azure SQL

Introduction

Vigilant Technologies can help your team successfully move your SQL Server workloads to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance and save up to 85 percent with Azure Hybrid Benefit and reserved capacity pricing.

Our team of SME DBA’s can ensure that you get a fully managed database service with built-in security and performance monitoring for managing hundreds to thousands of databases at scale. For SQL Server workloads that use SQL Server Analysis Service, SQL Server Reporting Service, and other non-engine capabilities, Vigilant Technologies can ensure a successful shift and move to SQL Server in a VM to get extended security updates at no extra charge.

The Vigilant Approach…

The Vigilant Technologies SQL Migration Roadmap consists of five stages, each encompassing several important tasks required to complete a successful migration to Azure cloud services.

The purpose of each stage can be summarized below, but we will look at each stage in more depth in the sections to follow:

  1. Initiate and discover – Understand your database footprint and potential approaches to migration
  2. Assess – Assess the discovered workload requirements and any dependencies
  3. Plan – Plan and describe the workloads to be migrated, the tool to be used for migration and the target platform for the workload
  4. Transform – Transform and optimize any workloads not currently compatible with modern data platforms. Optimize workloads to take advantage of new features
  5. Migrate, validate and remediate – Perform migration, validate successful migration, and remediate applications where required



Other Options with Vigilant Technologies – SQL PaaS

Azure SQL Database is a fully managed service that is comparable to a traditional on-premises SQL Server deployment, but greatly enhances SQL performance and robustness by making performance levels and storage capacity easily upgradable as well as providing standard high availability.

Azure SQL Database delivers predictable performance at multiple service levels that provides dynamic scalability with no downtime, built-in intelligent optimization, global scalability and availability, and advanced security options — all with near-zero administration.

These capabilities allow you to focus on rapid app development and accelerating your time to market, rather than allocating precious time and resources to managing virtual machines and infrastructure. Azure SQL Database currently resides in 38 data centers around the world, with more data centers coming online regularly, enabling you to run your database in a data center near you.

Steven headshot

Author:
Stephen Clark

Principal – Technology Strategist, Vigilant Technologies

Power Automate Desktop: Disrupting the RPA Market

Power Automate Desktop, Vigilant, RPA, Digital Transformation

Power Automate Desktop: Disrupting the RPA Market and Revolutionizing Digital Transformation Solutions


Introduction

In recent years, the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) market has seen a significant disruption thanks to Microsoft’s Power Automate Desktop. This powerful tool has democratized automation, making it more accessible to organizations of all sizes and industries. At the forefront of harnessing this revolutionary technology is Vigilant, a leader in digital transformation solutions. In this article, we’ll explore how Vigilant has been utilizing Power Automate Desktop to create a substantial impact on business operations and drive digital transformation.

The Power of Power Automate Desktop

Vigilant understands that automation is a cornerstone of modern business operations. By leveraging Power Automate Desktop, Vigilant has been able to harness the full potential of RPA and empower its clients with innovative automation solutions. Let’s take a closer look at how Power Automate Desktop has been integrated into Vigilant’s digital transformation strategies:

1. Streamlined Business Processes

Vigilant has used Power Automate Desktop to streamline complex and time-consuming business processes for its clients. By creating custom automation workflows tailored to each client’s unique needs, Vigilant has significantly reduced manual intervention and errors in various operations. This results in increased efficiency and faster service delivery.

2. Improved Data Accuracy and Quality

Data is at the heart of any successful digital transformation initiative. Vigilant has employed Power Automate Desktop to automate data entry, validation, and integration tasks. By eliminating human error and ensuring data accuracy, clients have been able to make more informed decisions based on reliable data, ultimately driving better business outcomes.

3. Enhanced Customer Experience

A key aspect of digital transformation is improving the customer experience. Vigilant has leveraged Power Automate Desktop to automate customer interactions, such as responding to inquiries, processing orders, and handling support tickets. This has led to quicker response times, personalized customer interactions, and overall higher customer satisfaction.

4. Cost Savings and Scalability

Power Automate Desktop’s cost-effective nature aligns with Vigilant’s commitment to delivering value to its clients. By automating repetitive tasks and reducing the need for manual labor, Vigilant has helped clients achieve cost savings and optimize resource allocation. Additionally, the scalability of Power Automate Desktop enables clients to adapt to changing business demands without significant overhead.

5. Seamless Integration

Vigilant’s expertise in integrating Power Automate Desktop with various systems and applications has been instrumental in achieving a holistic digital transformation. Whether it’s integrating with ERP systems, CRM platforms, or legacy applications, Vigilant ensures a seamless flow of information across the organization, enhancing overall productivity.

Power Automate Desktop Connectors

Vigilant recognizes that a seamless integration with a variety of technologies is essential for any successful digital transformation initiative. Power Automate Desktop’s connectors have played a pivotal role in Vigilant’s approach to delivering innovative automation solutions. Here’s how these connectors have been leveraged:

1. Data Integration: Power Automate Desktop’s connectors allow Vigilant to seamlessly integrate with various data sources, both on-premises and in the cloud. This enables the automation of data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes, ensuring that clients have access to accurate and up-to-date information for decision-making.

2. Application Integration: Vigilant has used Power Automate Desktop’s connectors to integrate with a wide range of applications, from CRMs to ERP systems. This integration streamlines business processes by automating tasks such as data entry, order processing, and report generation.

3. Email Automation: With Power Automate Desktop’s connectors to email platforms, Vigilant has automated email-based workflows. This includes tasks such as email parsing, categorization, and response generation. It has significantly improved communication efficiency within organizations.

4. Web Automation: Vigilant has harnessed Power Automate Desktop’s web connectors to automate web-based tasks. This includes web scraping, form filling, and online data retrieval, reducing the need for manual intervention in web-related processes.

5. Legacy System Integration: Power Automate Desktop’s connectors extend to legacy systems, allowing Vigilant to modernize and automate outdated processes. This integration ensures that clients can leverage automation across their entire technology stack.

6. Cloud Services: In addition to its connectors to Azure, Power Automate Desktop offers connectors to other cloud services. This flexibility has allowed Vigilant to create automation solutions that span across different cloud environments, providing clients with the freedom to choose the services that best fit their needs.

Conclusion

Vigilant has embraced the disruption brought about by Power Automate Desktop in the RPA market, using it as a cornerstone in their digital transformation solutions. By streamlining processes, improving data accuracy, enhancing the customer experience, and delivering cost savings, Vigilant has created a significant impact on business operations for its clients. The combination of Vigilant’s expertise and Power Automate Desktop’s capabilities has resulted in successful digital transformations that empower organizations to thrive in the modern, data-driven business landscape. As automation continues to evolve, Vigilant remains at the forefront, driving innovation and delivering real business value. Vigilant’s commitment to excellence in digital transformation ensures that their clients are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future.