How To Build a Cloud Strategy
| nmb@konfitech.com
In our previous article we talked about how to source the right cloud vendor. In that article we talked about in order to do that, you would need a cloud strategy. In today's article, we would like to teach you about how to build a cloud strategy.
In order to source the perfect cloud vendor, before one even starts, you need to have your cloud strategy in place. Today we want to give a quick overview of how to build a comprehensive cloud strategy.
Many operate from very early on without a cloud strategy, without necessarily knowing why one is moving to the cloud. Creating this strategy document allows you to shine light on important business questions such as priorities, alignment of technology, and portfolio.
First one needs to get a general overview of where this would fit in with the overall general organizational strategy. This is not in the hands of IT but the executive leadership of the business. The reason for this is that nowadays PCs are not just IT, every piece of the business uses and needs technology. Therefore, sourcing the right cloud for the overall business and all its subdivisions remains more important than ever. Aligning with all stakeholders ensures a successful cloud strategy.
It is important that this document is separate from any actionable operational document, but its own type of document built to support the direction, and not a tactical plan such as an implementation plan. A well-drafted cloud strategy underlines the necessary steps.
The cloud strategy is something that should be adopted as a sub-piece of the business long term plan. Being an enabler of the core business, supporting the main pillars of it. Meaning it could be a medium-term strategy document.
The main outcome of this document should be that it maps out the activities needed to successfully operationalize a comprehensive cloud strategy.
This means that one must look at stakeholders in the business and ask key questions around “What happens if we move to the cloud?”
Who are the key users? Where are the biggest benefits realized? How can the core business be enabled by a detailed cloud strategy?
Sure, IT gets less overhead and can get rid of technical debt, but that is not the main purpose of the cloud. The main purpose would be to enable core business units to run technology better. Resulting in either lower costs, higher margins, or increased productivity. The aspect of the business that creates better outcomes for the end client needs to be part of a well-thought-out cloud strategy.
The way you then create a cloud strategy would be to start with an idea phase.
- Focusing on figuring out when and where you would prefer not to move to the cloud. What workloads and use-cases are best not to touch should be noted in the cloud strategy.
- Then, one needs to brainstorm the finances around it; cloud is pay-as-you-go, pulling cash mainly from operating expenses and not a capital expenditure. (Meaning you can write off depreciation). Understand this pricing model so you can also move the workloads draining finances, which is crucial for a sound cloud strategy.
Doing these will give you a list of what to move (1) followed by a financial list showing financial opportunities (2). This provides a clear direction for the strategy and lets you start the next step.
Now you need to figure out how you should go about in this newly established direction. Should you take one step at a time? Or giant leaps here and there? Meaning, should you move a workload or an entire application? This will raise new questions about the best approach, such as considering the number of vendors and whether to move all applications at once.
Once a direction is decided for the cloud strategy, and how to get there, you then need to define who is a good candidate to go on that journey?
This raises concerns about who will be impacted, and who would be responsible for it. Will there be an implementation vendor involved? What are the requirements to ensure this IT piece drives progress in the business? Addressing these questions will bring up further considerations like contracts, data security, and alignment with the greater cloud strategy.
These details are crucial before applying your newfound strategy because they address potential risks later, which could affect the expected ROI of moving to the cloud strategy.
If you follow through with this, you can ask these questions across the business and develop a strategy to modernize each workload and optimize it for your business needs.
Though questions like these can be challenging, understanding them is vital to source the best cloud vendor for your business, and they form the core of a solid cloud strategy.
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