By: Satyam Verma, AEC Practice Leader, Construction, Egnyte
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The construction industry is at the cusp of a digital transformation, primarily driven by the transition toward cloud computing. This significant shift promises to enhance efficiency, collaboration and innovation in a sector traditionally reliant on tangible materials and labor. For construction companies, adopting cloud technology is not just an upgrade but a fundamental change in how projects are managed and teams collaborate. This post is one of a three-part series discussing the steps for effectively migrating to the cloud, focusing on the assessment and planning and migration preparation phases.
Phase 1: Assessment and Planning
Start with a comprehensive evaluation of your current on-premise infrastructure to identify challenges, limitations and areas of inefficiency in data handling, cooperation and scalability. Set clear objectives for cloud migration, such as improving data accessibility, enhancing collaboration and reducing IT infrastructure costs, and conduct a cost-benefit analysis to understand the expected return on investment. For construction firms, this means critically assessing how project data and drawing files are managed and identifying communication bottlenecks.
Phase 2: Migration Preparation
Once the evaluation is complete and objectives are set, the next step is to develop a comprehensive migration strategy. This includes determining which data and applications to move to the cloud first, optimizing data for cloud storage and implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive information.
Choosing the right cloud solution is crucial in the construction sector, where effective project data management and collaboration are essential. Egnyte has proven to be an invaluable asset for ABC members like PCL, where Chris Palmer, manager of advanced technology services, notes, “Our data volume doubled over two years. Egnyte enabled us to cut down on labor needed for new storage provisioning and decrease our capital expenditures, saving PCL time and money.”
DOWNLOAD: Data Migration Checklist: Your checklist for replacing your file server with cloud-based storage
Adapting to Change and Mitigating Transition Challenges
A key aspect of cloud migration is preparing the workforce for the upcoming changes. This involves conducting training sessions, creating detailed documentation and setting up a support network to address any challenges during and after the transition. It’s also vital to anticipate and mitigate potential issues, such as data loss or operational downtime, to ensure a smooth shift to cloud operations.
Moving to cloud technology offers construction companies a strategic advantage in an increasingly digital world. By thoroughly assessing current infrastructure, setting clear objectives, developing a detailed migration plan and preparing for organizational change, construction firms can achieve a successful transition to the cloud. This boosts operational efficiency and collaboration and positions them for future growth in a rapidly evolving industry.
If you found this article helpful, read our next post in the cloud journey series, which covers streamlining data migration and cloud adoption for construction companies.