As organizations worldwide start to migrate en masse toward remote and hybrid work models, there is a noticeable concurrent trend toward data center transformation. IT leaders are figuring out that the old model doesn’t work anymore – you can’t survive by simply keeping your data in one location, on premises. When you have people distributed all over the globe, your data needs to be available everywhere. Hence the rise of cloud technology.

But they’re also realizing this: There’s more to it than simply investing in as much cloud as possible, as fast as possible. You’ve got to be smart and strategic in your approach. According to Financial IT, this is a hot topic in technology circles right now – corporate leaders are trying to figure out how best to move to the cloud while cutting costs at the same time. Marilyn Moodley, country leader for South Africa and WECA at SoftwareONE, explained that organizations must have a plan that takes into account both current and future technology needs.

“A well executed 12-month roadmap should enable you to expand your ITAM team to prepare for a more complex tech landscape, start managing SaaS and cloud technologies based on where you are today, and develop key strategic alliances to meet the right business outcomes,” Moodley noted.

So if you’re looking to balance robust cloud technology with smart financial planning, what can you do? How can you best thread that needle?

Let’s take a look at four proven strategies.