What’s holding you back? Addressing the fears that prevent firms from moving to the cloud

How to persuade skeptical or reluctant colleagues to embrace cloud migration

Migrating software to the cloud is no longer just a tech trend — it’s a strategic business imperative. Cloud-based software offers reduced costs, enhanced security, increased flexibility and agility, and improved business resilience. The cloud is also the only place firms can take advantage of the latest AI functionality and other frequent innovations.

Despite these advantages, you still encounter resistance in convincing your firm colleagues to migrate on-premises software to the cloud. Your peers may present multiple concerns:

• They may dread the hassle and potential disruption of change
• They might have data sovereignty concerns
• They may insist upon proof of ROI

Below we discuss these and other common concerns, how you can accurately and effectively respond, and how Intapp helps you migrate on-premises Intapp software to the cloud.

Concern: We don’t have staff who can lead the migration

Response: Use an Intapp partner to oversee and execute the migration in coordination with your technical staff.

It’s not a problem if your internal IT team doesn’t have time to devote to a migration or isn’t comfortable handling such an assignment. As capable migration specialists, our partners implement:

• Standardized migration methodologies and frameworks
• Automated testing and validation tools
• Migration techniques that minimize downtime
• Pre-configured cloud templates and baseline configurations
• Project governance and oversight frameworks

Their expertise makes the migration process faster and easier for your firm.

Concern: We don’t have time to train everyone on a new system

Response: Training is built into the migration process.

With knowledge-transfer programs, documentation frameworks, and structured training for cloud adoption, your team will feel prepared and confident with the move. Intapp cloud migrations often involve creation within your firm of a small pilot group, whose members become experts in the software and ambassadors for the product. These pilot group member also offer office hours to help colleagues achieve full adoption.

Concern: A cloud migration will cost too much

Response: Even when adding in migration costs, the total cost of ownership for cloud-based Intapp software is much less than the on-premises form of it.

An on-premises deployment includes high costs for set-up, staffing and retaining an expert team, and maintaining and upgrading the system.  

In contrast, cloud-based software has low costs for subscribers because the provider is responsible for all costs relating to hardware, maintenance, energy, and upgrades. In addition, you pay for only the capacity you use and don’t have to over-provision resources.

Concern: A cloud migration will take too long

Response: A migration will take several months, and the exact time will vary based on multiple factors, but given all the benefits of cloud migrations, it’s a wise investment of time and effort.

Intapp and its partners have helped clients migrate Intapp software to the cloud hundreds of time and honed best practices that ensure an efficient process.

Concern: Cloud-based software seems less secure

Response: The opposite is true: Cloud-based software is actually more secure.

Our software is built on Microsoft Azure’s cloud infrastructure, with security measures that complement our strict network access protocols for Intapp Cloud Infrastructure.

The Microsoft team conducts rigorous penetration testing against known and conceivable threats in addition to the testing we run. Microsoft also invests heavily in physical security at their Azure data centers, which possess multiple security layers, including multifactor authentication, identification checks, continual escorting, preclearance for site visits, video surveillance, and intrusion-detection systems.

Concern: We’ll no longer have control of our data or clients’ data in the cloud

Reponse: You maintain full data sovereignty and control of your firm’s and clients’ sensitive information.

Through robust protocols, we provide complete transparency into how data is acquired, stored, and utilized. This allows you to harness your data’s value while upholding the highest standards of privacy and security. Learn more about Intapp client data stewardship. 

Concern: What kind of ROI will we achieve with cloud migration?

Response: Precise ROI calculations are difficult, but your investment will achieve both cost savings in the form of reduced overhead and potential new income from greater efficiency and firm growth.

After migrating your Intapp software to the cloud, you gain:

• Reduced infrastructure maintenance
• Improved system reliability and availability that enables efficient work
• Automatic updates and feature releases
• Better scalability to support firm growth
• Advanced security features and compliance capabilities