On the surface, moving your operations to the cloud sounds relatively straightforward. With IaaS, for example, you simply migrate workloads to run on a server in your service provider's data center instead of your own. In some respects, it is this easy. It is when they need to select which workloads to move that many companies begin to realize how challenging migrating to the cloud can be.

For many companies, the move to cloud is a transition. It begins with a toe-in-the-water approach, so to speak. A few non-essential operations are moved to the cloud to see how it all goes. As the cloud proves itself out, more and more operations can be moved. The organization builds what is known as a hybrid cloud, one that blends the best of public and private clouds with a company's own data center to maximize performance and efficiency while minimizing risk and cost.

Key to a successful move to cloud is working within your own comfort levels. In the blog, Getting Ready for the Cloud, service provider Netelligent describes some of the key factors to consider as you build out a cloud plan. First and foremost is that you focus on what drives your business, not what drives IT. By understanding your business goals and priorities, you can then more accurately determine how the cloud can best help your organization.

What's important here is remembering that you are not alone in your journey to cloud. Many providers, like Netelligent, offer a variety of professional services designed to help you make a smooth transition to cloud. You have access to experts who can work with you to clearly identify your business needs and the best way to meet them. They can also help you identify your comfort level so you can move to the cloud at your own pace and have confidence in your cloud plan at every step. You can also utilize professional services from Cisco, giving you direct access to our vast experience in expanding organizations into the cloud.

Don't invent the cloud on your own from scratch. Learn more about how Cisco professional services or professional services from our partners can help you build the right cloud for your business.