In previous blogs, the many advantages of cloud-based enterprise resource planning integration were discussed at length. Added flexibility, increased collaborative ability and cost-cutting features make cloud computing in general a great alternative to sometimes costly on-premises systems. The question for many enterprises has become one of utility: How do we embrace cloud applications and realize these expected business benefits?
The solution for many enterprises is to integrate existing ERP systems with the cloud by using a tool to quickly and easily integrate applications.
What are the challenges facing IT teams during an ERP cloud integration? Let’s take a look:
1. Culture change remains paramount
Change management is an essential part of deploying any kind of new IT system, and when integrating cloud-based ERP software with on-premises solutions, this is still a challenge that must be overcome. This is an especially pressing concern when considering all of the available platforms, including mobile devices, the Internet of Things and more.
An even more important challenge when it comes to change management is ensuring the company culture is receptive to new solutions and can adapt quickly when these systems are implemented.
2. Maintaining multiple systems can be a challenge
IT teams are already managing a multitude of systems. Adding another adds complexity to already stretched IT staff, and resources may simply not be available. Even though cloud maintenance is the vendor’s responsibility, the integration element is key to how difficult it can be for in-house IT teams to effectively manage the environment. Oftentimes, enterprises seek a single source of truth, and if data isn’t accurately integrated between the two systems, it can be cumbersome to try and access that information when necessary.
Integrating existing ERP systems with the cloud presents a couple challenges.
3. Learning new systems takes time
There will always be a learning curve with any new tool or solution, and especially with the cloud, there are still new things to learn all the time. RightScale’s latest cloud report found that 95 percent of enterprises were running at least one application in the cloud, according to Forbes contributor Louis Columbus, but that doesn’t mean every company is familiar with the specifics of every application.
“Every company, whether a user or provider, big or small, starts their cloud journey from the same point,” wrote Network World contributor Brian Butte. “The difference in progress between companies is measured by the level of investment and tolerance for failure in gaining knowledge.”
In order to choose the right strategy, teams must have the proper education and coaching, and it takes time to acquire this kind of knowledge.
“Cloud, in a confined space, is relatively easy, hence the common focus on private cloud,” Butte continued. “However, breaching the public cloud dam with hybrid cloud results is a massive torrent of possibility and complexity.”
The cloud itself is easy to learn; however, it will simply take time for IT teams to learn to navigate the complexities of a hybrid infrastructure in order to get the most out of your systems.
What’s the solution?
These are some of the most common challenges that can face IT teams when they conduct full integration of cloud-based tools into their current data-gathering systems. In the end, these challenges can be surmounted with ease and a little elbow grease – and then you’ll get all the benefits that deploying a cloud-based ERP system can bring to your organization. Partnering with a company like Inspirage can give your business the advantage it needs in this increasingly competitive economic landscape. By employing an easy-to-use, low-learning-curve integration tool like Inspirage iHub Cloud Service, these challenges are old news.
The Inspirage iHub Cloud Service can help organizations implement complicated integrations across the entire enterprise by migrating data and applications to the cloud – but only the ones you deem necessary. The platform is designed with disparate systems in mind, so enterprises can orchestrate their big data, mobile and IoT devices without worrying about a learning curve or integration challenges.
Get in touch with the experts at Inspirage today for more information about how you can build, deploy and manage your own integrated ERP solutions.
