Cloud Strategy

Each promising path into the cloud begins with a strategy

Cloud computing is more than a technology. It forms a basis for innovations such as the Internet of Things, as well as for service-based business models, digital platforms, and ecosystems. The cloud opens up completely new possibilities for companies to provide and use applications quickly.

You need a comprehensive approach in order to be able to fully tap into the cloud's potential because the path into the cloud leads to numerous changes in nearly all areas of an organisation, regardless of whether the local infrastructure should be migrated into the cloud or new cloud-based services should be designed.

What a cloud strategy accomplishes

Overcoming cultural changes

Implementing cloud technology requires more than just dealing with new technologies. It also results in organisational transformations, the modification of operations and processes, and changes in responsibilities. If you only take the technical perspective into account, you risk encountering resistance and stumbling blocks which could have a negative impact on the cloud implementation. A cloud strategy which is carefully designed to reflect the unique situation of your company helps you consider a broader view relating to all the relevant dimensions of the cloud implementation, as well as to anchor understanding and acceptance for the necessary changes to the corporate culture and to manage cultural changes with confidence and purpose.

Coordinating the cloud implementation with your business and IT strategy

In order to ensure a smooth and successful path into the cloud, the cloud strategy must be aligned to both your business strategy and your IT strategy. Without this coordination, companies run the risk of having different areas pursue different objectives. In the simplest scenario, synergies are lost and the full potential of the cloud cannot be achieved. The worst case scenario could entail hardened positions blocking opposing objectives. Therefore, it is imperative to review predefined business and IT strategies when developing a cloud strategy. Ideally, a common vision emerges which integrates all the strategic cloud, business, and IT aspects.

Integrating management

Cloud computing is a topic for the boardroom because of its massive impact on the core business. Many cloud projects suffer from the fact that management is not included enough in the cloud implementation, which causes a lack of support at the executive level. A cloud strategy addresses this factor by exploring in advance who will initiate the project, the decision-makers who will be involved, the managers who should be authorised and the nature of their authorisation, and which members of the management board will support the project as sponsors.

Providing access to personnel and data

As a rule, cloud implementation affects many different stakeholders and areas of a company. A cloud strategy assesses who is involved and how, while providing certainty regarding the key individuals to be included. Furthermore, the cloud strategy describes what corporate data will be required and how access to it will be ensured within the framework of the cloud project. For example, existing product development datasets could be relevant when developing a new cloud-based service. On the contrary, when transferring data and applications to the cloud, it is important to use the opportunities inherent to migration to eliminate data silos and for example make the company's entire database available for data analytics projects by means of customised data governance.

Exciting stakeholders for cloud architecture

The commitment of the affected stakeholders is essential for nearly every project. A logical cloud strategy contributes significantly to motivating stakeholders to transition from outdated architecture to a modern cloud infrastructure – regardless of the desired operating model, whether it be infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), or software as a service (SaaS). Transitioning to the cloud requires a departure from old habits. The more clearly the advantages of the new infrastructure are communicated – including in comparison to its risks and challenges – the sooner stakeholders arrive at an optimistic mindset, which benefits the path into the cloud.