Ten steps to cloud (page 1 of 2)

By Laurent Lachal, Ovum

Some fashions are longer lasting than others. Cloud computing as a term may have a use-by date, but the technical, operational, and commercial innovations behind it are here to stay. Cloud computing is a real innovation in the logic of how IT is sourced and managed and how services are delivered, and its use will grow steadily over the next 12 months.

It is no longer a question of whether or not enterprises will use cloud computing, they already are. However, it is still early days for both suppliers and users, many of which have yet to figure out how to take advantage of the various elements of cloud computing.

There are plenty of early-adopter benefits to be gained, despite the variety of challenges that cloud computing puts in the way. Taking advantage of the new capabilities of cloud computing requires a change of mindset and the learning of new skills, both of which are better done on the basis of practical experience than academic discussion.

Getting hands-on with the cloud is the best way to understand its strengths and weaknesses and its impact and Ovum has developed these as a guideline:

1. Be specific

Cloud computing means different things to different people. When talking about it, be specific. Are you talking about IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, public clouds, private clouds, or a mix?

2. Consider whether you are ready for cloud computing, not just whether cloud computing is ready for you

Adoption is a two-way street. It is not just about whether cloud computing is ready for you, it is, more importantly, about whether or not you are ready for it. The fact is that many enterprises are currently not ready for private or public clouds or any type of hybrid in between. Many enterprises lack the knowledge, skills, and metrics among other things to figure out what is best for them, hence the increasing number of vendors offering their services to help them do just that.

Train specialists and adapt systems, processes, and metrics to remain in control while benefiting from the instant provisioning capability of public clouds. Train architects and developers to understand the cost implication of their public cloud actions. Establish cost-management systems, metrics, and processes to understand both internal and external cloud computing costs.

3. Adopt a holistic approach to public, private, and hybrid cloud

The move to public and private clouds and the hybrids in between has consequences when it comes to the technology and design choices that enterprises have to make. These choices are interconnected. Some public cloud choices will impact private clouds, and vice versa. Enterprises need to remain in control of these choices instead of leaving them to vendors and service providers, or learning the consequences of their choices when it is too late to do anything about it.

4. Take your time, but start now

The hype surrounding cloud computing makes a lot of enterprises think that if they do not act now they will be left behind. This is partly true for vendors, but enterprise users should take their time. Cloud computing is here to stay. It will become part of an enterprise's IT arsenal, and organisations need to get acquainted with it now but adopt it at their own pace.

5. Head up, take stock, and create your own recipes

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