Large data migration projects from on-premise environments to the Cloud can be tricky. You don?t just move 100GB or more of crucial business data into the Cloud. It takes planning, requires certain skills, and must be supported by the right tools.

“Based on my experience,” says Stephen Price, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Consultant, “the typical headaches produced by data migration projects fall into these following six categories”:

• Fear of business interruption. What impact will the data migration project have on our daily business?
• Fear of the unknown. Who does what in the project? Do we have the right resources internally? Does the vendor have the right team?
• Fear of invalid data. Are there pieces of data missing when the project is finished? Are all the links between data intact and undamaged?
• Fear of missing tests. Do we have a structured and automated process for testing the target system when the project is done?
• Fear of soaring costs. What will the project cost altogether?
• Fear of a never-ending time horizon. When will we be finished?

Realizing that moving to the Cloud can raise concern within a company, Microsoft has leveraged a service called FastTrack, designed to help companies create business value faster with Microsoft Cloud.

Microsoft FastTrack provides companies with a set of best practices, tools, resources, experts, and guidance needed to move to Microsoft 365, Azure and Dynamics 365. Microsoft assists companies by creating a plan for success, and onboarding new users and capabilities at a flexible pace.

However, it?s important to understand what Microsoft FastTrack doesn?t do. FastTrack is not a service that provides any deliverables on a migration project. It?s all about giving good advice. “That is why FastTrack works perfectly together with AlfaPeople?s Cloud Migration Program for current project management, planning, migration and setting up the new environment,” says Stephen Price.

The Cloud Migration Program is an end-to-end program that helps customers move their on-premise Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution to the Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365. The program is based on standardized processes and ensures a fast and smooth transition for your company to the Cloud.

Read more: A Trusted Advisor Must Lead ? Not Sell ? The Journey To The Cloud

Not all data migration projects qualify for the FastTrack program: based on input from the company about the scope and scale of the data migration project, Microsoft decides who can onboard the program.

If the project does qualify, you will get a Microsoft resource allocated throughout the project period for free, and that person can stop by for daily or weekly meetings, provide useful information and help qualify each step in the process.

Contact AlfaPeople and find out if your data migration project can be nominated for Microsoft FastTrack.

You can also learn much more about AlfaPeople?s Cloud Migration program and how we can help companies create business value faster with the Microsoft Cloud ? download our latest e-book Moving Your Dynamics Solution To The Cloud here.

Read more about Microsoft Dynamics 365 here.