To Cloud or not to Cloud
Companies are increasingly opting for a Cloud-first strategy. This is causing a shift in the platform from which business applications are delivered. While a few years ago most applications were hosted on in-house infrastructure, often located on the company premises, we now see a much greater shift toward consumption via Cloud services. It is no surprise that companies are choosing a Cloud-first strategy; the speed at which services are developed is enormous. Innovation takes place in the Public Cloud, and all business users consume many of these innovative services and applications in their private lives every day. As a result, it feels logical to apply this Cloud consumption to business operations as well.
Table of contents
- Introduction
- Cloud Development
- IT Consumption Models
- Comparison
- Governance
INSIGHTS INTO CHOOSING THE RIGHT IT STRATEGY
However, this development creates a challenge when it comes to (re)investing in local IT infrastructure. Exploring an alternative solution with Infrastructure as a Service—with a pay-as-you-go model—is very attractive. The comparison between investing in infrastructure yourself or purchasing it as a service is almost always made by the IT department responsible for a company's application landscape. In practice, making this comparison proves to be very difficult. Due to the complexity, it often ends up focusing solely on the costs of the technical components provided by the IT infrastructure, meaning other important factors such as operational burden, knowledge levels, and certifications are not sufficiently highlighted.
This whitepaper describes the trend in IT and the resulting Cloud consumption, and identifies facets that must be included when comparing different consumption models for local IT. It is intended to help companies choose the right IT strategy in light of overall developments in IT and the Cloud.
Curious? Download the whitepaper here.
