Why Cloud Migration Isn’t as Easy as It Sounds
For UK businesses, moving to the cloud can seem like a no-brainer. It’s scalable, cost-efficient, and the promise of 24/7 accessibility is appealing. Whether you’re a fintech firm in London or a regional retail chain expanding operations, the cloud offers clear benefits.
But here’s the thing: a poorly planned cloud migration can do more harm than good.
From unexpected downtime to security breaches and compliance issues, the risks are real—and costly. Many organisations have faced challenges during migration that could’ve been avoided with proper planning and expertise.
Let’s walk through seven cloud migration mistakes that many businesses make—and how to sidestep them.
1. Assuming Migration is Just “Lift and Shift”
A common misconception is that migrating to the cloud is as easy as copying files from your local server to a cloud folder. Businesses often rush in, thinking they can replicate their current setup in the cloud without adjustments.
But here’s the reality: on-premises and cloud environments operate very differently.
If you simply lift and shift legacy apps without optimising them for the cloud, you’ll likely face performance issues, inefficiencies, and bloated costs.
What You Should Do Instead
- Assess each application individually.
- Refactor or re-platform apps that aren’t cloud-ready.
- Align the migration process with your long-term business strategy—not just short-term convenience.
2. Underestimating Downtime and Operational Disruption
Many businesses schedule migrations over the weekend, assuming they’ll be back up by Monday. But if something goes wrong, you could be facing delays that stretch into days—or even weeks.
The impact? Disrupted operations, lost revenue, and damaged client trust.
How to Mitigate This Risk
- Create a clear migration roadmap and timeline.
- Break the migration into phases or workloads to reduce impact.
- Always test in a sandbox or staging environment first.
- Have a rollback plan in case of failure.
3. Overlooking Cloud Security from the Start
There’s a dangerous myth that once you migrate to a provider like AWS or Azure, your data is inherently safe. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Security is a shared responsibility—and in many cases, the burden falls heavily on your team.
Where Security Typically Fails
- Open storage buckets
- Weak identity access management (IAM)
- Misconfigured firewalls or permissions
- Lack of encryption
Security Best Practices
- Implement Zero Trust Architecture from the beginning.
- Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users.
- Encrypt data both at rest and in transit.
- Regularly conduct security audits and penetration testing.
4. Ignoring Compliance and Regulatory Requirements
UK businesses must comply with strict regulations like GDPR, PCI DSS, and DORA (for financial institutions). A misstep in your cloud setup could lead to data breaches, legal penalties, and reputational damage.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Hosting data outside of approved jurisdictions
- Failing to audit third-party cloud vendors
- Not maintaining documentation for compliance audits
Smart Compliance Tips
- Choose cloud providers that offer compliance certifications relevant to your industry.
- Implement automated compliance monitoring tools.
- Regularly review and update your data governance policies.
5. Losing Control Over Cloud Costs
Many businesses expect cloud to be cheaper than on-prem—but they often fail to track spending until it’s too late. Egress charges, overprovisioned resources, or paying for unused services can lead to ballooning monthly bills.
What You Can Do
- Perform a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis before migration.
- Use built-in cloud cost calculators and alert systems.
- Adopt autoscaling and reserved instances where possible.
- Regularly audit usage and optimise performance settings.
6. Lacking the Skills to Manage Cloud Environments
Cloud platforms are constantly evolving. Your in-house team may be experts in legacy systems but unfamiliar with modern cloud infrastructure, leading to mistakes and security gaps.
How to Bridge the Skill Gap
- Offer training and certifications in platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
- Partner with an experienced IT consultancy for critical stages.
- Leverage managed services to offload operational complexity.
7. Getting Locked into a Single Vendor
Choosing a single cloud provider might seem convenient now—but what if better pricing or features become available elsewhere in the future?
Without flexibility, switching becomes expensive and technically difficult.
Ways to Stay Agile
- Design your architecture using open-source and platform-agnostic tools.
- Embrace multi-cloud or hybrid-cloud setups.
- Avoid vendor-specific services unless absolutely necessary.
Conclusion: Plan Thoughtfully, Migrate Confidently
Cloud migration is not just an IT upgrade—it’s a strategic transformation that affects every part of your organisation. While the rewards are great, the risks can be even greater if not managed properly.
The key takeaway? Treat cloud migration as a journey, not a one-time project.
With the right planning, skills, and partners, you can move confidently to the cloud—without the nightmares.
Need Expert Help With Your Cloud Migration?
At Gradeon, we help UK businesses design and implement secure, scalable, and compliant cloud strategies. Whether you’re in the early planning phase or troubleshooting a live migration, our experts are here to guide you at every step.
Book a free consultation today and take the stress out of your cloud journey.
