Cloud Computing A Business enabler

The dilemma faced by today’s business leader is “Do we need Cloud Computing?” 

Business needs reliability, accessibility, confidentiality, integrity, availability, security & Benefit.

The cloud scores well on all these requirements, though the complexity of cloud deployment and governance increases from a Public cloud to a Private Cloud and to a Hybrid cloud and the skills required increase from SAAS to PAAS and to IAAS.

Cloud is costly, cloud is not secure, cloud is marketing, virtualization is cloud  is echoed by many technology professionals , though none of these may be totally valid.

Cloud Computing decisions will move to the corner office and the Board Room and will be a Strategic Business Enabler rather then a CIO/IT Leadership's prerogative. 

The Road Less Travelled is Fraught with Danger!

Photo Credit – Amitav Thamba

Cloud - A Business Perspective

The business today needs Reliability, the cloud is as reliable as an  in-house data center if architected correctly, yes there may be occasional disruptions in cloud services which are amplified by the cloud slayers. Seasoned technology professionals know there are bad days in in-house data center’s which are not shared with the outside world.

The business needs Accessibility, the cloud offers awesome accessibility from any network which can connect on the internet, it also offers accessibility from multiple devices including the desktop, notebook, laptop, mobile, tablet and net book and a multitude of other devices.

Accessibility on the cloud is anytime, anywhere in a public cloud, though in private/hybrid cloud accessibility can be defined by the Business.

The business needs Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability & security, the cloud offers incremental services based on the needs of your business. It is important to budget all cost at the time architecting a suitable cloud solution for the business.

The business needs Cost Benefit to deliver customer delight and shareholder value, the Public  Clouds Opex model is unbeatable for certain businesses whose need for computing is based on business needs; for private hybrid cloud too the cost savings are sustainable in terms of energy, space and management cost savings.

My business cannot use the cloud, is heard often. Any business can use cloud computing whatever its nature of business even if it is government, education, SME, ITES, startups, social organizations and Rural Empowerment. You will need to map your computing needs and then map it to the cloud deployment you want to adopt for your business.

Government can use a National Cloud like Bharat Badal (a proposed nationwide cloud deployment for India), other state governments and specific departments can build their own private/hybrid clouds based on their computing needs or use Bharat Badal. National cloud adoption by government will significantly bring down the computing costs and improve the e-governance service costs to citizens.

Education is the biggest beneficiary of cloud computing, we can reach to the remotest hamlet and give access to world class education wherever there is broadband. Many schools and colleges drive learning collaboration on tools from Facebook or Google.  there are customized solutions too available for the education sector. The Khan Academy’s innovation in using YouTube has revolutionized learning by the use of cloud computing.

SME can leapfrog into world class computing for their manufacturing, distribution, marketing and even B-B connects, this is one sector who is going to be the biggest gainer using the cloud.

ITES has a great new opportunity to provide services on the cloud and also use it for delivery of its services and solutions globally. The cloud is the next big opportunity for the Indian ITES industries and the adopters will benefit significantly  by providing cloud  computing services.

Startups can use the cloud to launch their business at a fraction of the cost, entrepreneurs using the cloud are many and they have all benefited by leveraging on the opex payment and low cost solutions offered on the cloud. An animation services startup can deliver services using cloud computing and save on significant capex costs in a business which has a short life cycle because of the large investments needed in technology.

Social Organizations use the cloud for collaboration, communication and anything else they may need to maximize the benefits of computing to achieve their desired social agenda. 

Rural empowerment will divide the great divide between urban and rural populations in developing countries like India and others. The cloud can be used to educate, inform, collaborate and merge the rural population into the national urban mainstream and provide the same services that urban dwellers can benefit from. One of the significant developments in the rural India has been telemedicine solutions which provide remote diagnosis and remote advise for the best treatment.

IT Governance Risk and Compliance is a challenge in the cloud hence we cannot adopt is for business is no longer true. There is significant work done in cloud security by NIST, Cloud Security Alliance supported by the cloud industry, ISACA and ENISA which will allow business to have same level or better IT GRC for their organization in the cloud coupled with business agility and significant cost benefits and savings.

Business need to assess their security posture, business needs, and the challenges of cloud adoption and put in place cloud architecture for their business before plunging into the cloud. Business has to include their cloud strategy in the annual corporate plans as a strategic business enabler and not as a line item in the IT plan, this alone will bring the benefits to business.

If your business cannot use the cloud today, wait for a few quarters and review again because the cloud is maturing daily and the commoditization of computing with the cloud is a reality and growing exponentially.

Business can benefit from the Cloud if it identified Cloud Computing as a Strategic Business enabler and accelerates cloud deployment and adoption for the Business.

If you are the Business Leader then start working toward cloud adoption, if you are the IT leader is time you get your skills updated for cloud computing.