The cloud accounts for more and more business computing every year. A clear indication that it’s here to stay is that 83% of companies’ IT workloads will be in the cloud by 2020.

But small business owners need to be aware of certain risks that can pop up when they move their business to the cloud. This is particularly true during the actual migration phase where their IT provider will transfer onsite software applications and data to their data center.

There are a few steps with respect to cybersecurity during cloud migration that you should take to ensure a seamless transition without any security issues.

Migrate in steps

Companies need to take a close look at their cloud provider's own security when they are deciding to migrate to the cloud. And that’s just the first step. The rest of the process should be viewed as steps along the way, too.

Next you will want to consider which of your apps and data are critical to your daily operations so they can be moved first. After that you can move your most sensitive data — but again, only after you’ve asked lots of questions about the security and reliability of your cloud storage.

Do your due diligence

Your provider’s cybersecurity protection is just the first of several things you will want to evaluate before migrating to the cloud. You also need to know the full scope of what they'll be doing while they migrate your systems and when they are providing ongoing support in the cloud.

Questions you should ask include: How will they handle cybersecurity during cloud migration? How will they keep things secure on a day-to-day basis? How and when will they provide technical support? How much does it cost each month? And how much does it cost to add users?

Be protective

A zero-trust approach means restricting access to only those within your organization who you know won’t make mistakes with your sensitive data or betray you.

There are several things you can do to ensure data is secure. Requiring multi-factor authentication for logins is one. Asking your provider to set up your cloud so that flags are raised automatically when the system detects suspicious behaviors is also a good idea. Finally, conduct training on a regular basis so your employees know how to stay safe when accessing company apps and data online.

Learn from the past

Past failures are a great teacher. There's always something to learn from the well-publicized security incidents we see in the news, and also from your own internal snafus.

So you’d benefit from not only consulting with your provider about any previous issues that happened at your company, but also by taking time to research industry news for cloud-related mishaps.

Lastly, knowing the areas in which your cloud vendor specializes can help you in many ways during your transition. Some cloud vendors are better than others when it comes to security precautions during migration. Others complete the process faster, and others still might have unique ways to minimize your network’s downtime.

Fortunately, SimplyClouds provides powerful yet affordable cloud services for small businesses that cover all the bases. Call us today so that we can ensure that your cloud migration will be a whole lot easier and keep your data totally secure.