Cloud Computing's 8 most important capabilities business finance tops the list

As for cloud computing, we have been told that it will hopefully help the enterprise out of many IT management burdens and outsource the work to service providers. However, hope is always better than reality. In fact, to successfully apply the current cloud computing services, companies need to master certain new capabilities.

On the one hand, many cloud services are located within an organization, developed, maintained, and managed by an IT department or a department within an enterprise--in which case cloud services are like Amazon Web Services or IBM, Enterprises need to have a certain technical force to ensure the normal operation of cloud services.

On the other hand, for companies that outsource most it work to third parties, those who decide on the choice of services still need-and even need-to be able to negotiate service-level agreements and integrate these external services with internal data and operational platforms.

Therefore, in either case, cloud computing services require enterprises to grasp the corresponding new capabilities. Here are eight of the most critical competencies:

1. Business and financial capacity

The proponents of cloud computing should be able to adapt the actual business processes of the company to the deployment of cloud computing, or to veto cloud solutions that do not apply to the actual business of the company. At the same time, they need to understand the ROI, monitor and evaluate specific financial data to compare cloud computing's increased business effectiveness and the cost of maintaining or ordering cloud services. Cloud computing is a powerful business tool, so businesses need business-savvy employees to make cloud services work.

2. Technical capacity

Although the technical capabilities and degree of technical capability required of employees depend on how much of the cloud computing system is deployed within the company and managed by the company itself. But there is no doubt that the technological capacity to develop efficient applications on the Internet will prevail. The requirements for knowledge base are focused on the development capabilities of the Internet. Java and NET Framework technologies may be the most important, while the knowledge of virtualization technology is critical. In addition, the relevant knowledge of open source tools and open source languages can be quite useful.

3. Enterprise structure and business needs analysis ability

This capability is the key to developing a roadmap that determines what cloud computing services to adopt-whether it is ultimately the company's own IT department or external vendors to provide services. Someone needs to be proficient in both business and technology, blending into two different areas. An in-depth understanding of the service-oriented enterprise architecture principles will benefit the application of cloud computing.

4. Project management capacity

Project management capabilities are often necessary for IT projects. This requires you to be able to schedule a variety of resources within the human and enterprise, negotiate goals, make time nodes, and complete the phases of work on time. Unfortunately, as all it veteran employees are familiar with, user parameters change frequently, and project requirements are frequently creep (scope creep, scope, and final project timeout) to be delivered. Given the potential uncontrolled risk of cloud computing giving end users constant new demand for services, companies need efficient project management capabilities to avoid the cost of cloud computing projects rising even beyond the old modules it replaces.

5. Contract and supplier negotiation capacity

Companies need to be able to work with cloud computing providers to negotiate service-level agreements and service availability. To be able to read and understand the contract provided by the supplier and to be accountable when the service performance is not as expected. Think about it, once cloud computing services suddenly collapse, or often poor performance, who can stand up and ask questions in time? Cloud computing allows suppliers to provide services at any time, so well-trained, proficient staff to negotiate with suppliers is a must of the company.

6. Safety and Compliance

No matter what cloud computing services the company uses, it is necessary to master the security protocols. Another relevant competency is familiarity with the terms of the Commission and other bills-such as the Sarbanes Act (Oxley), the health Insurance Circulation and Liability Act (HIPPAA), and countless data-related laws from the EU to the States.

7. Data integration and analysis capabilities

In today's economic climate, data is more valuable than oil. But to have the available information that can be used as a basis for business judgment, the data needs to be compatible and effective. Can the data generated from cloud computing systems be seamlessly compatible with the enterprise's original ERP system, data Warehouse, or other system? Companies will need data specialists, people who can design massive data systems, and employees who can use cloud systems to analyze the environment.

8. Mobile application development and management capabilities

The rise of mobile devices for work is also an essential component of the cloud computing environment. Often, the need for cloud computing systems comes from the desire to access services through a variety of devices (laptops or smartphones). Experts who can develop and deploy mobile apps that allow employees, partners, and customers to connect to cloud services anytime and anywhere will become hot.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)