Twelve Steps to Cloud Success Steve Pelletier Solution Architect

Who here is currently using cloud based services? Question Who here is currently using cloud based services?

Step One Admit that your company is already using the cloud Take an inventory both inside and outside IT. Storage apps (e.g. Box, DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive) Communication apps (e.g. Skype, GoToMeeting, WebEx, Outlook) Collaboration apps (e.g. Slack, BaseCamp, GoogleDocs, Office365) Social/Digital media (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, public website) Industry/Function specific apps (e.g. Salesforce, ERP, Training etc.)

Step One Admit that your company is already using the cloud Shadow IT If IT isn’t sponsoring and controlling cloud usage, other people are Typically violates corporate security policies May replicate functionality of other systems and incur additional costs No way to account for the cost of these systems These systems may become mission critical and require support from IT Shadow IT cannot be completely eliminated, but it can be controlled

Step Two Admit that there may be more efficient ways to fulfill IT requirements Does your company prefer CAPEX or OPEX? Do you have business needs that can’t be met with traditional solutions? When evaluating projects compare the TCO of on premise and cloud based solutions. Do a fair comparison including soft costs Does your compute environment utilization have significant lows and peaks? Do your licensing requirements vary significantly throughout the year? Do you have a software development team? BE OPEN TO OPTIONS

Step Three Commit to looking at new ways to fulfill IT requirements, such as cloud Develop an application strategy. Guidelines to help you determine the best method to implement applications and services On Premise Public cloud Iaas / PaaS SaaS What would motivate your company to move something to the cloud, or keep it on premise Value Functionality Compliance … How will adopting cloud services affect IT roles

Step Three Commit to looking at new ways to fulfill IT requirements, such as cloud Focusing on cost tends to restrict looking at new methods Value = combination of cost, quality, time and volume Spectrum of IT service value…. Cost reduction (most reactive) Adding value to existing (slightly reactive) Collaborating with end users (slightly proactive) Thought leadership (most proactive)

Step Four Take an inventory of business needs Additional options to creating more value Optimize existing solutions Supporting the addition of new business capabilities Minimizing disruptions to business operations Reducing the cost of compliance Reducing the disruption of M&A integration Enabling a transition to OpEx from CapEx CONNECT THE DOTS TO THINGS THE BUSINESS FINDS VALUABLE

Step Five Determine why end users may be going around IT to fulfill these business needs Look for the “why not” answers that IT might typically offer to ad-hoc requests If you say “no” enough then they don’t ask anymore and proliferate on their own Usually rooted in: A perception that IT can’t respond to needs fast enough Performance metrics that don’t align satisfying ad-hoc requests Younger workforce that grew up with the cloud BE OPEN TO REALITY

Step Six Look for ways to fulfill end users needs without them going around IT Look for the “how” instead of the “why not” May require changes in how projects are accounted for (e.g. “chargeback” to departments for direct costs or “showback” for more passive accounting) May require more managerial/administrative capacity to manage vendors (instead of doing all of the work yourself) and transitioning to more broker than provider BE OPEN TO DIFFERENT MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVE

Step Seven Work with a limited number of business units to implement ideas from step six Use iterative techniques like Agile/Scrum and Dev Ops to test and perfect Important to define a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) that can demonstrate real value (e.g. ROI) to the business MVP definition implies that an ROI measure has been defined ROI measure implies that pre and post deployment data will be collected to report on the measure Measure end user experience / performance metrics before and after implementing changes FOCUS ON TIME TO VALUE

Step Eight Prioritize the remaining business units for deploying these new methods for delivering IT services Important to get agreed upon expectations (timeline, budget, etc.) for prioritizing and sequencing any subsequent deployments of the MVP (67N document) FOCUS ON TIME TO VALUE AND RISK MITIGATION (ALIGNMENT)

Step Eight 67N Document Actions Perspectives Why (Understanding Motivations) What (Define Strategic Targets) Who (Define Impacts to Stakeholders) Where (Choose Cloud Locations) When (Plan Strategic Milestones) How (Design Strategic Measures) Business   Application Technology Process Governance / Compliance Backup / Data Retention Additional Information

Step Nine Deploy the new methods for delivering IT services as prioritized in number eight Execute, execute, execute The importance of standard work (methods, tools, artifacts, etc.) The importance of clear governance to ensure timely and appropriate decision making (RACI matrix) FOCUS ON TIME TO VALUE

Step Ten Continue to look for ways to improve the delivery of IT resources Commit yourself to Continuous Improvement Implies that you commit (i.e. budget) time and resources to looking for opportunities and following through on them Partner with trusted vendors to assist with this INCLUDE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AS ONE OF YOUR SERVICES

Step Eleven Keep up to date on new and emerging IT solutions Commit yourself to Continuous Learning You can’t have continuous improvement with continuous learning Implies that you commit (i.e. budget) time and resources to investing in opportunities and following through on them Partner with trusted vendors to assist ALLOCATE CAPACITY TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING

Step Twelve Meet with business units routinely to assess their IT requirements and make sure they are being met Stay attuned to your ever-evolving customer needs Stay attuned to your ever-evolving customer definition of value ALLOCATE CAPACITY TO CONTINUOUS MONITORING

Questions? Steve Pelletier Solution Architect spelletier@edci.com 920-882-1981