Info-Tech Research Group1 Info-Tech Research Group, Inc. Is a global leader in providing IT research and advice. Info-Tech’s products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns. © Info-Tech Research Group Inc. Plan to Deploy SharePoint to the Best-Fit Cloud Microsoft is saying “To the cloud!” for your next SharePoint deployment. Decide which cloud model is best for your organization and plan how best to get there. Info-Tech's products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns.© Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group2 This project will save you time and effort evaluating the options available for deploying the next generation of SharePoint. Introduction Application managers exploring the cloud option for upgrading SharePoint in Infrastructure managers who want to maintain operational stability and efficiency while facilitating SharePoint migration to the cloud. Members of cloud migration project teams who want to understand the full implications of migrating SharePoint to the cloud. IT leaders who want to define best practices or standard operating procedures for cloud migration by using SharePoint cloud migration as an example or test case. Decide which cloud is best for your SharePoint deployment (SaaS, IaaS, hybrid). Assess readiness and implications of each option, including detailed assessments of: Benefits Costs Risks Plan, implement, and optimize your SharePoint cloud deployment. Develop customized best practices for deploying applications to the cloud. This Research Is Designed For:This Research Will Help You:

Info-Tech Research Group3 Executive Summary The Situation In 2013 SharePoint really has emerged as the focal point for sharing information and workflows across all Microsoft productivity applications. This solution set starts with the assumption that an organization using SharePoint is looking at locating their next upgrade in the cloud. Microsoft would prefer you look to their SaaS offering, but SaaS is not the only option. The Challenge To the cloud! This was an advertising mantra of Microsoft not long ago. But “to the cloud” creates more questions than it answers. If migrating an existing app to “the cloud” is a goal then which cloud (there are several options)? Once an appropriate target is chosen, how do we get it there? The Solution Start by making the case for the right cloud. Understand your readiness for cloud SharePoint by considering potential benefits and evaluating various cloud deployment options. Review value vs. cost in terms of managing IT assets. Conduct a risk assessment and a TCO analysis of potential options in order to make an informed decision on a deployment method with which to move forward. Scope the SharePoint rollout project, planning front-end and back-end rollouts. Give consideration to potential issues with integration and customization. Create a plan for maintaining and continuing to optimize your SharePoint deployment through regular reviews and touch- point meetings. Info-Tech Recommends Don’t jump into a cloud solution without fully investigating that you are making the right choice for your organization. Evaluate your needs and your options to strategically select a deployment method. This project is designed to lend itself to process standardization, helping you apply best practices or standard operating procedures in the future for planning and implementing cloud deployments.

Info-Tech Research Group4 Workshop Schedule & Key Outputs Day 1Day 2Next Steps Evaluate Cloud Options and Identify Challenges Plan and ImplementMaintain and OptimizeDefine Best Practices Goals Understand the benefits of moving SharePoint to the cloud. Assess readiness and evaluate opportunities to externalize technology layers. Explore options for cloud SharePoint, and discuss implications of each option on IT strategy. Assess risks associated with deploying SharePoint in the cloud. Outline use cases and define target state and project phases. Plan front-end rollout with defined information architecture, ownership, and access requirements. Plan back-end rollout, including integrations, customizations, and development requirements. Identify high-level project risks, and cloud-specific risks. Review current challenges and opportunities at on-going touch-point meetings. Review actual costs compared to the projected TCO. Verify that the right people are accountable and responsible. Continue refining capabilities and best practices. Future-looking opportunity and challenge identification. Key Outputs Shortlist of deployment options for evaluation. Conduct a TCO comparison of options. Select the most appropriate deployment method for your organization. Documented Action Plan and Future Roadmap for implementing SharePoint. Communication plan. Ensure that the SharePoint deployment continues to meet end users’ needs. Continue optimization of your SharePoint deployment. Defined process for evaluating future projects. Repeatable best practices and standard operating procedure for planning and implementing services in the cloud.

Info-Tech Research Group5 How to use this blueprint We recommend that you supplement the Best Practices Blueprint with a Guided Implementation. For most Info-Tech members, these Guided Implementations are included in your membership plan.* Our expert analysts will provide telephone assistance to you and your team at key project milestones to review your materials, answer your questions, and explain our methodology. Info-Tech Research Group’s expert analysts will come onsite to help you work through our project methodology in a 2-5 day project accelerator workshop. We take you through every phase of the project and ensure that you have a road map in place to complete your project successfully. In some cases, we can even complete the project while we are onsite. Do-It-Yourself Implementation Use this Best Practice Blueprint to help you complete your project. The slides in this Blueprint will walk you step-by-step through every phase of your project with supporting tools and templates ready for you to use. Project Accelerator Workshop You can also use this Best Practice Blueprint to facilitate your own project accelerator workshop within your organization using the workshop slides and facilitation instructions provided in the Appendix. Book your workshop now by ing: Best Practice Blueprint Free Guided ImplementationOnsiteWorkshops * Gold and Silver level subscribers only Or calling: Ext There are multiple ways you can use this Info-Tech Best Practice Blueprint in your organization. Choose the option that best fits your needs:

Info-Tech Research Group6 Guided Implementation Points in the SharePoint cloud project Book a Guided Implementation Today: Info-Tech is just a phone call away and can assist you with your project. Our expert Analysts can guide you to successful project completion. Here are the suggested Guided Implementation points in the SharePoint cloud project: Section 2: Assess Readiness and Implications Conduct a quantitative comparison of options (Microsoft licensing, TCO). Section 3: Plan and Implement Review your SharePoint governance. Section 4: Maintain and Optimize Optimize SharePoint governance to ensure continued adoption. To enroll, send an to or call and ask for the Guided Implementation This symbol signifies when you’ve reached a Guided Implementation point in your project.

Info-Tech Research Group7 What’s in this Section:Sections: Introduction Evaluate cloud options and identify challenges Plan and Implement Maintain and Optimize Appendix: Workshop Facilitator’s Guide Upgrade time is the time to consider the cloud. Examine all options: “not here” is not good enough. SharePoint: focal point of Microsoft’s “cloud first” strategy. Feature parity enables “all things being equal” comparison. Just one piece of a “cloud everything” puzzle. Identify who should be involved in this project.

Info-Tech Research Group8 This project matters because SharePoint is pivotal to Microsoft’s integrated Office 2013 and Office 365 products In 2013, SharePoint really has emerged as the focal point for sharing information and workflows across all Microsoft productivity applications. SharePoint apps Management Applications Traditional Office Applications Communication apps Creation apps SharePoint is becoming the main access point for many applications. Tight integration of Lync, SharePoint, and Exchange to the Office applications provides for a seamless, collaborative experience. SharePoint also has enhanced social networking and collaboration tools. OWA Word Power Point Excel OneNote Outlook Exchange Lync SharePoint Access Visio Access InfoPath Projects Office Web apps

Info-Tech Research Group9 Software upgrade time is the time to consider cloud. Microsoft’s “Cloud First” strategy is emphasizing cloud for those moving to SharePoint SharePoint upgrade in 2013: now is the time to evaluate cloud options and plan the migration SharePoint 2013 is available both as a cloud service and as a traditional on-premises server install. Upgrading is presenting IT with both opportunities and challenges. Is cloud the right move right now? We really recommend moving to the cloud for the best experience overall...We understand not everyone is there yet. This will take time. People who want to run their own servers, that's great. We have the best server release we've ever done in SharePoint Microsoft Corporate Vice President John Teper, keynote address to SharePoint Conference, December Source: Info-Tech Research Group; Q2 2012; N=80. Upgrade is when to move... migration provides a case in point. Though a minority have already moved to the cloud, nearly 40% of survey respondents said they will consider cloud migration “for our next upgrade.” 20%

Info-Tech Research Group10 Most IT leaders settle for looking at one or two options, however, a full investigation of all available options will enable informed decision-making. Examine all options for cloud. When Microsoft says “cloud” for SharePoint, the main focus is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Cloud is a hot trend with significant year over year growth in adoption. This is across all the cloud service models as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Don’t forget IaaS. Info-Tech expects the IaaS market to grow substantially as vendors continue to reduce costs. While 43% said they had no plans to adopt IaaS, only 14% had evaluated it. This suggests that many organizations that will eventually adopt cloud have not looked at the potential benefits here. 39% 54% 66% For a full review and discussion of the definitions of Software- as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Services (IaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) according to the NIST see Appendix B. Appendix B For a full review and discussion of the definitions of Software- as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Services (IaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) according to the NIST see Appendix B. Appendix B Source: Info-Tech Research Group; Q2 2012; N=80. Source: NIST

Info-Tech Research Group11 Too often the working cloud definition of the business is not NIST, but simply “not here.” However, different services models do pose different challenges. Defining cloud as simply “not here” is not good enough. Dig deeper into value and risks of various cloud service options 2001 I wonder if we can outsource this to a web hoster, managed service provider, or application service provider? 2012 I wonder if we can use the cloud for this? Ask ten people what the cloud is and you will receive 11 answers. – Bob Olwig, WWT (

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