Partnering to overcome the skills gap in cloud computing

For organisations that are always trying to leverage the latest technology to gain an edge over their competitors, cloud computing is among the top of the list (jostling with AI and security for top spot) for most decision makers. The scalability and cost-effectiveness, along with businesses not needing to invest in traditional infrastructure and having it managed by a third party, offers a myriad of benefits for companies in all industries.

However, migrating an entire organisation’s data and workflows to the cloud can be a daunting and complicated task, and it can be difficult to even know where to begin. This is also heavily impacted by the technology skills gap, an issue which the industry is facing as a whole and has been a much-discussed problem over the past few years. Essentially, the number of skilled workers does not meet the level required in the industry, with vacancy rates in tech roles 60% higher than the national average in Australia, leading to stifled growth. The ACS’s Australia’s Digital Pulse 2025 report found that 150,000 business are experiencing significant or severe digital skills shortages. Areas that require specialised and niche knowledge, like cybersecurity and cloud (including migration), are particularly affected. The Australian Government has committed to reaching 1.2 million tech-related jobs by 2030, but projected university graduates and migrants will not close this gap alone. This is where a trusted technology partner can help to bridge the demand.

Obviously, the technology skills gap is not an issue that any one organisation can solve, but for companies that want to migrate their data to a cloud and lack the expertise to do so, partnering with a specialist will help close the skills gap.

Data security and compliance

Many businesses must adhere to strict industry standards surrounding the safeguarding of their data, particularly in heavily regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance. Businesses must understand these regulations, including SOCI, APRA, Essential Eight, and others, and how they apply when considering cloud migration. This can become even more complicated for multinational businesses, as different territories have their own unique standards and requirements.

To address these risks, working with a cloud service provider to understand how to configure the chosen cloud platform will ensure the correct cybersecurity protocols are in place to protect organisational data. Service providers can lend the specific expertise needed to achieve this, especially as few organisations are likely to have this knowledge as part of their in-house IT team. The right service provider should also be familiar with any relevant industry regulations, ensuring that the cloud platform is compliant. In many cases, having the right cloud platform alleviates a lot of the compliance burden. This is true for Detmold Group, a leading manufacturer of paper and board-based sustainable packaging, who employed a range of 11:11 Systems services to ensure its mission-critical applications remained continuously available and secure, with comprehensive data protection and recovery capabilities.

Legacy systems integration

Another key issue that can cause decision makers to be hesitant about migrating key workflows to the cloud is migrating, or at the very least integrating, legacy systems. Numerous lines of business applications pre-date cloud-native technology, and as such are not designed to operate in cloud environments, especially when following hyperscale architecture frameworks. These systems, which in many cases are business critical, may require substantial modification to be compatible with cloud platforms. Look for options and flexibility when it comes to cloud platforms. Explore whether legacy infrastructure can sit side-by-side with virtualised cloud workloads and if support exists for legacy operating systems.

Working with a cloud service provider is key to ensuring any legacy applications are correctly configured for a new cloud environment. Cloud service providers can fully audit existing IT infrastructure and identify which systems can be migrated easily and which will need to be modified, as well as the knowhow (if required) they will need to be reconfigured. A cloud partner can also provide a plan of the best way to enact the migration to minimise downtime and make sure the new cloud environment is tailored to the organisation’s needs. By partnering with 11:11 Systems, Detmold was able to convert its legacy systems and streamline its IT infrastructure into a unified solution that is scalable to its users across the globe, while retaining internal team flexibility.

Cost management

Cost-effectiveness remains one of the key benefits of cloud computing, with Australian organisations expected to spend nearly $26.6 billion on public cloud in 2025 according to Gartner, and is one of the main reasons the C-suite is interested in utilising it. The fact that companies only pay for what they use — and do not have to invest in infrastructure (including data centre space, power, cooling, virtualisation licensing, and more) — can represent a significant decrease in costs in the long term.

This is the promise of cloud, but the reality is often very different with many organisations experiencing ‘bill shock’ post cloud migration. This can be due to several factors, including inadequate planning or the need for additional resources. Another key issue is understanding public cloud pricing structures, as these can be extremely complex and vary from provider to provider. Migrating to the cloud without knowing what the business needs to pay for can lead to overspending on redundant or underutilised services, or, worst case, paying more for the same.

This is another area where making use of a cloud partner can lead to a much smoother migration process. A cloud partner will have a deep understanding of the pricing structures of each public cloud and following a thorough cost analysis, to ensure the business is only paying for the services that are needed. The partner will be able to identify pre-migration usage, project future needs, and choose the appropriate service model for the organisation.

Optimising and monitoring performance

While the actual migration itself can be the most complicated part of the process, it is vital that businesses take the correct post-migration steps; chiefly, monitoring and optimising performance. Following the migration, organisations might see issues related to latency, bandwidth, or resource allocation. No matter how comprehensive the migration plan is, there are always unforeseen issues that can only be discovered once the system is up and running.

Without a cloud partner, it might be difficult for organisations that lack the in-house expertise to recognise and optimise these challenges. Partnering with a specialist that can track the health of cloud-based systems and identify performance bottlenecks will ensure the best outcome following a successful cloud migration. For Detmold Group, the results were recognised quickly, with 30% of the effort that went into maintaining legacy hardware now being redirected into more forward-looking proactive solutions.

Cloud presents exciting opportunities for businesses and can form the backbone of a modernisation or digitisation strategy. It is therefore imperative that organisations have the correct expertise at their disposal to ensure the process is as smooth as possible, and that the benefits of the cloud are fully realised. With the cyber and cloud skills gap contributing to a lack of in-house knowledge and experience, having a relationship with a cloud partner to fill those gaps is the best way to achieve a commercially beneficial and headache-free cloud adoption.

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