As one of the leaders responsible for representing Cloudify’s brokerage and IT optimization practice, our clients often ask me about the “mysteries” of the cloud. Is ITaaS inevitable? Should I “buy the base and rent the peaks”? When is the right time to engage a cloud broker?
My initial response is to remind them that virtually every enterprise is already using the cloud today, and it probably happened when they weren’t looking. Whether it is a VoiP system, Gmail, or productivity applications like Office365, they are in fact, firmly and inextricably in the cloud.
Like it or not, cloud computing will continue to carry on it’s stealthy, steady and unstoppable march towards transforming the way IT services are delivered and consumed by organizations. As such, IT leaders must formulate a strategy to address the inevitability of cloud services in the enterprise, and find the best way to communicate this message to both Executives and stakeholders.
It is critical to address the fundamental gap that cloud creates between user expectations and what the cloud is capable of delivering. Here are some key questions I suggest asking to start the discussion:
- How do I gain the speed and agility of the public cloud with no compromise in security, privacy or regulatory standards?
- What cloud solutions best serve the variety of needs presented by my disparate service bundles?
- How do I manage intellectual property, data, and compliance, when data is spread across multiple clouds?
- How do I prevent vendor-lock, ensure data security and minimize risk when modifying or exiting agreements?
- How do I deliver a consistent user experience while orchestrating services across various clouds?
- How do I operationalize a reliable cloud support model similar to our legacy data centers?
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