Part One of ‘How to Build a Better Cloud’ covered the planning phase – business needs assessment and outcomes definition, service catalog creation and delivery model analysis, readiness and interoperability assessment and internal engagement for a hybrid cloud journey.
This paper covers the next steps, setting out some of the key considerations when putting these plans into practice. Where to build your private cloud so that it interconnects seamlessly with your public cloud partners and applications.
Accessing the cloud marketplace. What to look for in cloud providers and implementation partners. How to avoid lock-in and ensure maximum flexibility and the best possible management and performance. The topics covered here are intended to give IT Directors, CIOs and CTOs, reminders and ideas, with access through online sources and further reading to deeper information. However, they are also meant to be accessible for non-technical senior managers who are embarking on the hybrid cloud journey. As pointed out in Part One, the cloud presents new business opportunities in every functional area, and requires a closer level of cooperation and understanding between IT and the rest of the organization than ever before.
Cloud drives cultural change. For the most ambitious businesses, it can be the foundation for a process of digital transformation. A shared understanding of the key moving parts of the cloud is a useful starting point for the new habits, discussions and creative interactions that will take place on this journey.
