Microsoft
does recognize that Hybrid SharePoint environments are here to stay
for some time. Most of the companies have earnestly started exploring
the implications of the cloud. Organizations are realizing that they
need adequate amount of time to figure out whether they are required
to transfer their assets to the cloud, and if so, how they would be
moving their digital assets within the cloud. It is a fact that
software delivery is moving towards the cloud and maximum number of
organizations across the globe are considering their own strategy for
the cloud. However, the rate of adoption of the cloud varies as per
the industry, geopolitical as well as regulatory openness. As
organizations gradually make this shift, they will continue to
transfer certain digital assets along with prime work loads to the
cloud. Hence solutions will definitely be required for management of
the new hybrid world.
The
dilemma with this hybrid world coupled with the associated
requirement for change management solutions are not completely new.
However, the velocity with which companies are shifting key work
loads towards the cloud is creating an awareness of these requisites.
Around ten years ago, collaboration platforms as well as hosted
supply chains appeared online, a majority within the high-tech
manufacturing space, experiencing the pains of a shift to the cloud:
huge file transfer protocols, WAN optimization, edge devices, single
sign-on along with other means of communication enhancements across
private networks. Years later, we happen to be dealing with a number
of similar issues, and this time, it's on a much higher scale. A lot
of improvements have taken place in the collaboration technologies
but there is still the need for tools to assist in managing between
cloud platforms and on premises.
Hybrid
environments would continue to remain a prime factor for a minimum of
three to five years. This recognition by Microsoft showcases the
requirement for robust change management abilities across the cloud
and on premises environments. Change management does not simply imply
migration, it also takes structural mobility into consideration.
Moving content, lists, metadata, forms, workflows as well as other
components within diverse SharePoint environments along with
maintenance of their integrity, has turned into a business
imperative.
- Enhanced movement between the development, staging as well as production environments.
- Development of solutions once, followed by going for replication of the same across environments.
- Restructuring of topology and content as workloads are migrated into the cloud.
- Creating and managing governance standards which are consistent, throughout these environments.
- Introducing bulk changes to the environments instead of site-by-site.
- Creation of dashboards as well as federated reports across all the environments.
There
are a number of efficient vendors for rendering support to the hybrid
SharePoint world, thereby offering administrators with flexible as
well as powerful tools for the purpose of reporting, permissions
management, information architecture management or
re-design, compliance and auditing, along with distributed management
which offers farm admins to power users increased hold over their
environments. There are suites which offer great assistance within
the change management category, providing potent functionality for
helping organizations manage and gain control over their hybrid SP
environments.
As
organizations begin to explore Office 365 and how to reap adequate
benefits from the large investments made in the transition from
SharePoint on premises to a cloud-oriented model, it is advisable to
begin thinking about the ways in which the various assets can be
managed during the transition, whatever time the transition might
involve. Proper solutions that cater to the needs of administration,
governance and change management with respect to SharePoint must be
adopted for business effectiveness.
We
provide custom
SharePoint development
services. If you would like to speak to one of our certified
SharePoint
developers,
please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.
