03. Engagement Process

Engagement in Cloud services commonly involves not only the IT manager but other business leaders too. It’s a conversation as much about business processes and employee productivity, as it is about IT infrastructure. So that’s why we normally start the process with a high level demonstration of the cloud solutions we offer, and those we have deployed to other clients.

Typically, focused around Microsoft cloud solutions, these demonstrations generate great conversations within the management teams that deliver real business value as the possibilities of cloud solutions are realised, whilst enabling our team to start building a scope for any future adoption.

For more complex networks, engagement in the cloud is normally done over an extended period, migrating a few services at a time as part of a greater IT strategy. Initially, we migrate services that without question will benefit from what the cloud has to offer, services that are putting a significant load onto the existing network or those currently failing to deliver.

To do this we take the time required to discover how the migration will affect other business processes and ensure that we uncover any issues or challenges that would hinder the migration, including compatibility with other line of business software that the client may rely on.

We then present our recommendations and business case along with an implementation plan including: the migration of the applicable services to the cloud, user training, decommissioning of old solutions – where appropriate- and re-provisioning of hardware and licenses if advantageous to do so.

If we get the green light, the project is then delivered in line with the detailed implementation plan so its success can be tracked, users informed and the key milestones achieved.

Unlike traditional solutions the joy of most cloud services is that they are scalable, continuously improved and extremely flexible, meaning that once it’s delivered, there is little chance of it needing to be replaced. Leaving us to provide the support and management required and to focus on repeating the process of applicable services in the future.