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Cloud migration challenges continue to vex enterprises

Analysts discuss how providers can support cloud migrations, how workflow automation aids digital transformation, and Zoom's position in the cloud video market.

Katherine Finnell
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Published: 27 Jan 2017

Enterprises migrating their applications and services to the cloud often face roadblocks.

Cloud migration challenges are among the top constraints for IT, according to a survey from Frost & Sullivan, a consulting firm based in San Antonio. These cloud migration challenges range from bandwidth capacity constraints to an incorrect format for the cloud service.

While the cloud offers some automated features, migrations are not part of the automation process, Frost & Sullivan analyst Karyn Price wrote in a blog. This lack of automation makes organizations rely on customized, professional services from service providers or partners.

But few providers offer a comprehensive, end-to-end migration service that is cloud agnostic and can address all the cloud migration challenges, Price wrote.

"This is a clear market gap, and one that will continue to be a pain point for enterprise IT," she wrote. Service providers must take advantage of the opportunity to help organizations mitigate cloud migration challenges by creating an end-to-end, cloud-agnostic service that automates the migration process.

Workflow automation unifies app deployments

In the age of digital transformation, organizations are deploying software as a service (SaaS) apps to improve communication and streamline workflows. But, often, lines of business are deploying the SaaS apps, which don't always integrate with each other or IT systems, according to Natalie Petouhoff, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

The lack of integration creates separate software systems and confounds collaboration among users over dispersed locations. As a result, organizations have no way to connect workflows across lines of business to achieve the return on investment on the deployed apps.

Workflow automation platforms aim to fix this problem. These platforms integrate, sync and create business processes for the various apps used across an organization, Petouhoff wrote in a blog.

Petouhoff highlighted one vendor, Nintex, which offers workflow automation software. Nintex's platform allows organizations to automate processes between enterprise content management systems and collaboration platforms, connect on-premises and cloud-based workflows, and support mobile users.

Zoom rockets to leadership spot in cloud video

Aragon Research analyst Jim Lundy discussed how Zoom is poised to dominate the cloud-based video and web conferencing market after raising $100 million in series D funding from venture capital firm Sequoia Capital.

Cloud has become the new battleground for video as it has become easier to bring live video to organizations. Zoom will challenge both legacy vendors and new players in the web and video conferencing market.

Zoom will compete against major cloud players Cisco, Microsoft and Google, as well as established cloud video vendors, such as Blue Jeans. For all vendors, the key is to invest in cloud infrastructure and focus on ease of use and reliability, Lundy wrote.

Zoom, based in San Jose, Calif., also faces endpoint competition. Zoom has been focusing on user-friendly video on all devices, including its room system. But other vendors are introducing new endpoints for cloud-based video, including Cisco's recently announced Spark Board.

But with the funding boost and experienced management led by Cisco veterans, Zoom has ample opportunity to own the market, Lundy wrote.

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