Business Transformation through Enterprise Cloud Computing

Cloud Identity and Security best practices (CloudIDSec) provides a comprehensive framework for ensuring the safe and compliant use of Cloud systems.

This is achieved through combining a focus on the core references for Cloud Security, the Cloud Security Alliance, with those of Cloud Identity best practices:

• IDaaS – Identity Management 2.0
• Federated Identity Ecosystems

Cloud Privacy

A common critcal focus area for Cloud computing is data privacy, particularly with regards to the international aspects of Cloud hosting.

Cloud Privacy refers to the combination of technologies and legal frameworks to ensure privacy of personal information held in Cloud systems, and a ‘Cloud Privacy-by-Design’ process can then be used to identify the local legislated privacy requirements of information.

Tools for designing these types of privacy controls have been developed by global privacy experts, such as Ann Cavoukian, the current Privacy Commissioner for Ontario, who provides tools to design and build these federated privacy systems.

The Privacy by Design Cloud Computing Architecture (26-page PDF) document provides a base reference for how to combine traditional PIAs (Privacy Impact Assessments) with Cloud Computing.

As this Privacy Framework presentation then explains these regulatory mechanisms that Kantara enables can then provide the foundations for securing the information in a manner that encompasses all the legacy, privacy and technical requirements needed to ensure it is suitable for e-Government scenarios.

This then enables it to achieve compliance with the Cloud Privacy recommendations put forward by global privacy experts, such as Ann Cavoukian, the current Privacy Commissioner for Ontario, who stipulates a range of ‘Cloud Privacy By Design‘ best practices

Cloud 2.0

Cloud is as much a business model as it is a technology, and this model is best described through the term ‘Cloud 2.0′.

As the saying goes a picture tells a thousand words, and as described by this one Cloud 2.0 represents the intersection between social media, Cloud computing and Crowdsourcing.

The Social Cloud

In short it marries the emergent new online world of Twitter, Linkedin et al, and the technologies that are powering them, with the traditional, back-end world of mainframe systems, mini-computers and all other shapes and sizes of legacy data-centre.

“Socializing” these applications means moving them ‘into the Cloud’, in the sense of connecting them into this social data world, as much as it does means virtualizing the application to run on new hardware.

This a simple but really powerful mix, that can act as a catalyst for an exciting new level of business process capability. It can provide a platform for modernizing business processes in a significant and highly innovative manner, a breath of fresh air that many government agency programs are crying out for.

Government agencies operate many older technology platforms for many of their services, making it difficult to amend them for new ways of working and in particular connecting them to the web for self-service options.

Crowdsourcing

Social media encourages better collaboration between users and information, and tools for open data and back-end legacy integrations can pull the transactional systems informtion needed to make this functional and valuable.
Crowdsourcing is:

a distributed problem-solving and production process that involves outsourcing tasks to a network of people, also known as the crowd.

Although not a component of the technologies of Cloud Computing, Crowdsourcing is a fundamental concept inherent to the success of the Cloud 2.0 model.

The commercial success of migration to Cloud Computing will be amplified when there is a strong focus on the new Web 2.0 type business models that the technology is ideal for enabling.

Case study – Peer to Patent

One such example is the Whitehouse project the Peer to the Patent portal, a headline example of Open Government, led by one its keynote experts Beth Noveck.

This project illustrates the huge potential for business transformation that Cloud 2.0 offers. It’s not just about migrating data-center apps into a Cloud provider, connecting an existing IT system to a web interface or just publishing Open Data reporting data online, but rather utilizing the nature of the web to entirely re-invent the core process itself.

It’s about moving the process into the Cloud.

In this 40 page Harvard white paper Beth describes how the US Patent Office was building up a huge backlog of over one million patent applications due to a ‘closed’ approach where only staff from the USPTO could review, contribute and decide upon applications.

To address this bottleneck she migrated the process to an online, Open version where contributors from across multiple organizations could help move an application through the process via open participation web site features.

Peer to Patent is a headline example of the power of Open Government, because it demonstrates its about far more than simply publishing reporting information online in an open manner, so that they public can inspect data like procurement spending numbers.

Rather it’s about changing the core decision-making processes entirely, reinventing how Government itself works from the inside out, reinventing it from a centralized hierarchical monolith to an agile, distributed peer to peer network.

In essence it transforms the process from ‘closed’ to ‘open’, in terms of who and how others can participate, utilizing the best practice of ‘Open Innovation‘ to break the gridlock that had occured due the constraints caused by private, traditional ways of working.

Open Grantmaking – Sharing Cloud Best Practices

Beth has subsequently advised further on how these principles can be applied in general across Government.

For example in this article on her own blog she describes ‘Open Grantmaking‘ – How the Peer To Patent crowdsourcing model might be applied to the workflows for government grant applications.

She touches on what is the important factor about these new models, their ability to accelerate continual improvement within organizations through repeatedly sharing and refining best practices:

“In practice, this means that if a community college wins a grant to create a videogame to teach how to install solar panels, everyone will have the benefit of that knowledge. They will be able to play the game for free. In addition, anyone can translate it into Spanish or Russian or use it as the basis to create a new game to teach how to do a home energy retrofit.”

Beth describes how Open Grantmaking might be utilized to improve community investing in another blog, describing how OG would enable more transparency and related improvements.

Cloud 2.0

As the underlying technology Cloud 2.0 caters for both the hosting of the software and also the social media 2.0 features that enable the cross-enterprise collaboration that Beth describes.

Cloud Configuration Management

CCM is the best practice for change and configuration management within Cloud environments, illustrated through vendors such as Evolven.

Problem Statement

One of the key goals and perceived benefits of Cloud computing is a simplified IT environment, a reduction of complexity through virtualizing applications into a single overall environment.

However complexity actually increases.  Virtual Machines (VMs) encapsulate application and infrastructure configurations, they package up a combination of applications and their settings, obscuring this data from traditional configuration management tools.

Furthermore the ease of self-service creation of VMs results in their widespread proliferation, and so actually the adoption of Cloud technologies creates a need for a new, extra dimension of systems management.

This is called CCM, and incorporates:

Release & Incident Management

The increased complexity therefore increases the difficulties in trouble-shooting technical problems, and thus requires an updated set of tools and also updates to best practices like the use of ITIL procedures.

‘Release into Production’ is a particularly sensitive process within software teams, as major upgrades and patches are transitioned from test to live environments. Any number of configuration-related errors could cause the move to fail, and so CCM software delivers the core competency of being better able to respond quicker to identify and resolve these issues, reducing the MTTR significantly.

DevOps

DevOps is a set of principles, methods and practices for communication, collaboration and integration between software development and IT operations.

Through the implementation of a shared Lean adoption program and QMS (Quality Management System) the two groups can better work together to minimize downtimes while improving the speed and quality of software development.

It’s therefore directly linked to Business Agility. The higher the value of speed and quality = a faster ability to react to market changes, deploy new products and processes and in general adapt the organization, achieved through increasing the frequency of ‘Release Events’:

It’s therefore directly linked to Business Agility. The higher the value of speed and quality = a faster ability to react to market changes, deploy new products and processes and in general adapt the organization, achieved through increasing the frequency of ‘Release Events’:

ITaaS Procurement

The fundamental shift that Cloud Computing represents is illustrated in one key implementation area:

Procurement.

Moving to Cloud services means changing from a financial model for technology where you buy your own hardware and software, and pay for it up front, to an approach where instead you access it as a rental, utility service where you “PAYG – Pay As You Go”.

To encompass all the different ‘as a Service’ models this is known at an overall level as ‘ITaaS’ – IT as a Service. Any type of IT can be virtualized and delivered via this Service model.

Challenges of Cloud Transformation Strategy 

Although a cloud transformation strategy offers many benefits, organizations may face challenges that could impede their success. Here are some of the key challenges associated with cloud transformation: 

• Complexity of Migration 

Cloud migration is complex and requires careful assessment of existing infrastructure, selecting applications to move, and planning to minimize business disruptions. 

• Data Security and Compliance Concerns 

Data security is a key concern in cloud transformation, requiring robust measures to prevent breaches, ensure compliance, and protect sensitive information. 

• Cost Management 

Cloud solutions can offer cost savings, but businesses may face challenges in managing and predicting costs, especially with the pay-as-you-go model, which can lead to unexpected expenses if usage is not monitored effectively. 

• Skill Gaps and Training Needs 

Training existing employees or hiring new talent with expertise in cloud computing can be both time-consuming and costly. 

• Change Management Resistance 

Cloud transformation can bring changes to processes and organizational culture, causing fear and resistance among employees. 

• Vendor Lock-In 

To rely on a single cloud provider can make organizations over dependent and resistant to switch back to on-premises solutions.  

• Integration Challenges 

Integrating cloud solutions with on-premise systems and applications can sometimes create challenges. Interoperability is crucially important to have a cohesive and effective IT environment.   

• Performance and Downtime Risks 

Dependence on cloud services brings performance and downtime risks. Businesses should assess provider reliability and implement strategies to minimize disruptions. 

• Managing Multi-Cloud Environments 

A multi-cloud strategy prevents vendor lock-in and maximizes provider strengths but adds complexity in governance, security, and data management. 

• Lack of Clear Strategy and Goals 

A clear strategy and defined goals are crucial for aligning cloud initiatives with business objectives. A strategic roadmap ensures a structured and measurable transformation process. 

Best Practices for Smooth Cloud Transformation 

Cloud transformation can be a complex process, but we’ve compiled the best practices to help streamline and accelerate your journey efficiently. 

• Get support from an experienced partner 

Given the complexity of enterprise cloud transformation, partnering with an experienced cloud consultant is crucial. Ensure they understand your needs, strategic goals, challenges, and budget. Evaluate their expertise, portfolio, and client feedback on platforms like Clutch or GoodFirms. A strong provider will offer end-to-end cloud transformation services, from assessment to implementation and ongoing support. 

• Utilize automation for repeated processes 

Automating cloud service requests, incident management, and change processes ensures efficiency and compliance. Using catalogs, APIs, and unified platforms streamlines operations, reduces delays, and enhances visibility while maintaining business process compliance. 

• Use a cloud-native approach 

While lift-and-shift offers a quick cloud migration, it can be costly and limit cloud benefits. A cloud-native approach, though more time-consuming, optimizes costs, enhances agility, and enables innovation through microservices, containerization, and serverless computing. 

Conclusion 

Towards the end, I hope that you have gained a clear understanding of How Business Transforms Through Enterprise Cloud Computing.

If this article has helped you clear your fundamentals and if you wish to learn more about Cloud computing by getting certified, then you can undertake the AWS certification course offered by KnowledgeHut.