Before you integrate a cloud operating model into your organization, you must take several factors into consideration. You should also adopt certain methodologies to define your company’s cloud operating model appropriately.
A cloud operating model is a conceptual representation of your cloud infrastructure. Therefore, understanding its layout is critical to your business operations. In this article, you can learn more about what makes an effective cloud operating model.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Why Do You Need a Cloud Strategy?
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An effective cloud strategy can ensure an organization can transition to cloud technology based on their business requirements. In fact, 60% of the world’s corporate data is stored in a cloud, with 90% of enterprises choosing multi-cloud infrastructures.
The strategy must incorporate a cloud operating model that best balances expected benefits and reduces risks. Most business and private groups adopt cloud solutions to enhance organizational productivity, learning, and efficiency.
In the presence of a cloud strategist, you can get guidance on cloud economics and governance. Take a case like when a cloud strategist builds an operating framework that supports both private and hybrid cloud infrastructure.
What is the purpose of a cloud strategy?
- Determine the advantages associated with cloud computing and applicable to your organization’s goals and mission.
- Identify which service providers can provide public, private, hybrid, and community cloud services based on your needs.
- Build long-term partnerships with public cloud providers and get their approval by ensuring their credibility and expertise.
- Communicate the approved list of services to the assigned service provider and determine the risk of a non-approved consumption.
- Establish cloud governance policies and allocate resources to ensure the policy and governance remain consistent throughout.
- Determine how the organization will ensure consistent consumption and management of cloud services at the workplace.
- Integrate security layers and protections to reduce the risk of data breaches, including other risks related to service costs and availability.
What should a cloud strategy include?
- Scope of the strategy defines the initiatives and processes involved in integrating cloud computing, like identifying the business objectives
- Capabilities that align with the business objectives, including identifying consumer and consumption requirements and their level of priority
- Current state of the organization with regard to cloud service adoption, including analytical data collected from tools and existing software
- Dependencies in place for supporting the integration of cloud services, like choosing a suitable cloud management platform to enforce governance
What Is a Cloud Operating Models?
A cloud operating model is a new IT approach that enables companies and organizations to adopt a multi-cloud architecture. It consists of the techniques and processes involved in cloud computing, featuring organizational goals and objectives.
A cloud operating model can be delivered through public, private, hybrid, community, on-premises, and edge deployments. It is a high-level representation of a company’s cloud strategy that defines the how and who for ongoing operations, governance, and management of cloud infrastructure and resources.
Components of a Cloud Operating Model
A cloud operating model is a conceptual framework or layout for creating and integrating operational processes in a business. An optimum cloud operating model should address key areas that help define the infrastructure of the cloud environment based on company objectives, goals, and values.
A typical cloud operating model consists of people and processes and the technologies necessary to integrate cloud computing.
Roles and Responsibilities
Understanding organizational structure is essential. The people of an organization are the most critical component of a cloud operating model. Determining what changes are needed for the organization to operate effectively is just one aspect. Perhaps you need to define new roles or train existing resources. What if the objective is to define clear lines of responsibility and accountability? A typical cloud operating model considers the consumers and stakeholders an integral component.
Operational Workflow
A cloud operating model will deliver solutions in the form of cloud services. To support this, your operations team must collaborate and work together in an organized fashion. Depending on your approach, you can create a cross-functional team of experts who represent critical IT areas. You must also set up cloud compliance functions to set standards and oversee cloud governance or onboarding of new services and products. The operations team will be superseded by staff dedicated to delivering the cloud services.
Also Read: Cloud-based ERP System in 2023: Top 5 Benefits You Must Know
Technologies Involved
Technologies pave the foundation for a cloud operating model. There are many technologies you can choose from that support cloud operating models, starting with multi-cloud environment capabilities and resources. Some IT companies might deploy supportive tools to deliver and manage cloud services. Cloud operating models can incorporate private, public, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments, all depending on a business’ unique needs and objectives.
