IT outsourcing customer five-step Test cloud service Quality

Traditional It customers can take the following five low-risk steps to assess whether their business chooses the right cloud computing service.

Cloud computing has served IT outsourcing customers for years, whether from managed applications or on demand hardware support. As the breadth of cloud computing expands to include many services, including software, platforms, and infrastructure, and its rapid deployment, low management costs, and increasing number of interactive products provided by small vendors, the temptation to shift from traditional IT service offerings is growing.

Of course, on the other hand, your It will also be exposed to the risk of cloud services, from data control hosts to lack of transparency to the financial stability of new suppliers. Maillebrand customers must take full account of the critical state of cloud computing and software, and the data and issues they are considering changing from a traditional IT service model, said Dan Masur, a partner at the Mayer Brown law firm in Washington.

"Mature cloud has scalability and flexibility, lower costs, and even better security services." But the current ' cloud ' is not a ' magic bullet '. "Phil Fersht, founder of the outsourcing consulting firm horses for sources, said. "There are a lot of great cloud services around the world that are being innovated. This is good news for it customers, but the prospect of a service provider's development will be a difficult one for a while. ”

Cloud computing is really good. However, for outsourced customers, this is not a total acceptance or total negation of the proposition. Ferst said: "The real debate focus should not be ' cloud ' or ' no cloud ' problem, many new generation solutions will take full advantage of cloud services, but the key decisions CIOs face is not about delivery, but about how to leverage the value of technology solutions over time. ”

Traditional It customers can take the following five low-risk steps to assess whether their business chooses the right cloud computing service.

1. Cloud computing is perfect for companies that want to try new technology in the IT department's core services and those that already have service providers. Plotkindaug, Doug Plotkin, a PA consulting group, said.

"Cloud computing takes a period of time from the start to the test to the end, and if it turns out to be useless, it will take up more of it." "he said.

More importantly, using the cloud as a test environment can keep costs down. Even if they do not intend to continue the work, the cost is relatively low.

2, send non-critical services to the cloud. Look for non-critical storage in the enterprise, email, do not affect business continuity features, and try to incorporate them into cloud computing. Traditional IT service customers are using this method to try out a new software, a service product, like a toy, Ferst said. "They are trying to understand the various services of the cloud. This creates some short-term value and is the foundation of a truly innovative business solution in the future. ”

For implementing operators of cloud computing, services that include day-to-day work, insensitive information, or "limited-scope" business tools are less risky than services that are critical to the business as a whole or involve commercially sensitive information, Maillebrand Marceau said.

3. Many IT decision makers do not hesitate to cut their budgets, for example, hosting email from Rackspace, Amazon's infrastructure, or services. This is why Plotkin advises IT managers to "consider the reasons for the commercialization of part of the business offered by it providers, and he offers a more flexible approach to a small segment." "Build and test in line with existing delivery methods and ultimately determine a desirable way to bulk transfer to cloud computing," he added.

4. Establish a new generation strategy. Don't just hastily piece together a PowerPoint file about how you plan to combine your traditional IT outsourcing model with cloud services. "Look carefully at what aspects of the company will encounter technical difficulties over the next 3-5 years." "Ferst said.

For example, where does a custom application really differentiate in terms of data center business? How should you outsource strategic transfer to ensure long-term value?

"These are issues that deserve serious consideration," Ferst said. "Corporate policymakers who do not reconsider their current technology will be left far behind by their rivals," he said. ”

5. Don't wait to do due diligence to think about what to do. Try the desktop as a service, or try Microsoft's Azure, or sign a new Pay-as-you-go outsourcing contract with the subcontractor? Now it's time to start getting into the cloud computing market and digging through its details. Do not only study the products and methods of manufacturers, but also consider the stability and scalability of their financial.

If you are considering signing a contract with a number of new vendors, please conduct an in-depth study. "The issues to consider include: do you communicate effectively with the service providers that will help you determine your next move on the depth and delivery patterns of the processes involved?" Ferst said. Do you have confidence in the vendor-touted solution? Have you seen any real convincing evidence to prove the commercial benefits of the supplier?

Make sure you really understand, not just what your cloud provider promises. But Plotkin also stressed that there are potential risks, especially for more aggressive venture-solution providers. Finally, make sure you have a contingency record to deal with any underperforming cloud provider.