5 typical mistakes when choosing a cloud provider – and how to avoid them

Mistakes and Avoidance Strategies:

1. Unclear Goals and Lack of Strategy

Problem: Isolated solutions lead to interface problems and additional work

Many companies start their cloud migration without a clear idea of what their goals are and how the migration should be carried out. This leads to individual departments implementing isolated solutions that are not coordinated with each other. This results in interface problems, redundant systems and increased administrative effort. In addition, costs can explode if there is no clear control.

Solution: Develop a clear Cloud-Roadmap that includes all departments

A cloud strategy must be understood as a holistic concept. Companies should develop a Cloud-Roadmap that takes into account business objectives, technical requirements and security and compliance requirements. It is essential that all relevant departments, including IT, specialist departments, data protection and management, are involved in the planning. This is the only way to avoid isolated solutions and get the most out of cloud technology.

2. Lack of Cloud Experience

Problem: Lack of expertise makes migration and data security difficult

Many companies do not have the necessary know-how for a smooth migration. A lack of knowledge about cloud architectures, security mechanisms and cost management can lead to inefficient processes, security gaps and unexpected expenses. The protection of sensitive company data is a particularly critical issue, as incorrect configurations can lead to data breaches.

Solution: Build a team of experts and establish processes for evaluating systems

It is important to build up a team of experts with cloud know-how or to make use of external consultants. Training and certification for existing IT employees is also essential. Standardized processes for evaluating and migrating systems should also be established. This can be done, for example, by using proven frameworks such as the AWS Well-Architected Framework or the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework. Targeted preparation prevents costly mistakes later on.

3. Wrong Cloud-Provider

Problem: Differences in security, availability and data storage are overlooked

Every cloud provider differs in terms of security, compliance, availability, scalability and data storage. If these differences are not taken into account, this can lead to unexpected restrictions, such as inadequate data protection mechanisms or high dependency (vendor lock-in).

Solution: Create a catalog of criteria and avoid dependencies

Companies should draw up a detailed list of criteria for evaluating cloud providers. Topics such as data sovereignty, certifications, cost models, scalability and interoperability with existing systems must be taken into account. A multi-cloud or hybrid cloud approach should also be examined in order to minimize dependencies on a single provider. Contracts and service level agreements (SLAs) should be analyzed in detail to avoid problems later on.

4. Start with complex Applications 

Problem: Migrating large applications first involves high risks

Companies often make the mistake of starting directly with the migration of large and business-critical applications. This involves high risks, as unexpected technical problems can occur and a lack of experience with cloud technology can lead to long delays or misconfigurations.

Solution: Start with simple applications to gain experience

It is advisable to start with simpler applications to gain initial experience. These “pilot projects” make it possible to test processes, automation and security measures before migrating complex systems. Proven strategic approaches such as lift & shift, replatforming or refactoring should be applied specifically to each application. Only after successful test runs should critical applications be moved to the cloud.

5. Underestimating the IT-Department

Problem: Assumption that SLAs can replace IT expertise

A widespread misconception is that moving to the cloud reduces the responsibility of the internal IT department and that the providers take over all tasks through service level agreements (SLAs). This assumption often leads to the role of IT being neglected. In reality, however, internal IT remains essential for controlling, monitoring and securing cloud services.

Solution: Further training for IT staff, as their role remains crucial

The IT department must continue to play a central role, particularly in areas such as security, cost control and the integration of existing systems. It is therefore important that companies train their IT staff at an early stage and familiarize them with the new technologies. This can be done through certifications, training and internal knowledge platforms. Instead of retaining a purely operational IT department, the company should set up a strategic IT department that acts as a consultant for cloud solutions and optimizes collaboration with cloud providers.