Cloud Architecture

What suppliers are most suitable for your cloud strategy and the architectural requirements? This question often cannot be answered ad hoc. The cloud market has grown rapidly in recent years and is characterised by a complex supplier landscape. We help you find the most suitable supplier strategy (single vs. multi-vendor) and to explore platform types (on-premise, IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and procurement options (self-service vs. managed service).

Security and data protection criteria play a key role within the framework of cloud architecture. We support you in developing a suitable cloud security strategy and instituting state-of-the-art security measures. In doing so, we ensure that you comply with the provisions of all relevant legal specification such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and international standards like ISO 27001.

Cloud costs can be reduced through the needs-based procurement of IT resources. However, accurate dimensioning is a prerequisite for this – both in terms of the need for processing power and memory and the management of access to cloud-based services. PwC supports you in defining the right cloud sizing and establishing actions for the adjustment of capacities in order to benefit from cost-effective cloud use in the long term.

In regard to cost allocation and control, the cloud offers entirely new opportunities compared to conventional IT infrastructure – for example by means of use-based billing models such as pay-as-you-go. We develop a customised action plan for your cost optimisation. Among other factors, this plan considers the impact of modifications to the architecture. Furthermore, we make special tools available to allow the future costs for a growing business to be forecast accurately.

A proof of concept is indispensable, especially for larger cloud projects. It provides certainty and helps validate new ideas and concepts. Our cloud architects help you create prototypes for a cloud environment or application with limited effort in a short time so that services, capacities, interfaces, and technologies can be tested for agile projects. As part of this, we support you from the identification of potential applications up to the creation of acceptance criteria, which are then used to evaluate the success of the proof of concept.

Powerful architecture alone is not a guarantee for sustained success in the cloud. Effective governance mechanisms for long-term management and clearly defined templates for the system architecture and well-thought-out maintenance processes are needed. We support you in establishing customised architecture governance and ensure that the architecture develops within predefined boundaries and follows mandatory guidelines. Effective management and control in the field of cloud architecture is the key to optimising IT operations and directly benefits your business objectives.

Scalability and resilience are essential virtues for any cloud architecture. If they are not factored in sufficiently, there is a threat of system failures and long standby times should a specific incident cause a large rush of users and requests. Based on the nature of your business, we evaluate potential scaling scenarios, assess the current scaling options, and develop suitable templates or modifications for existing solutions. We take relevant risks and the company's risk strategy into account and recommend measures to promote service continuity.