Forrester analysts posit that enterprise cloud leaders must enable their organisations with cloud technologies to achieve high-performance IT. Gartner, for its part, recognising the popularity of cloud computing as an architect cautions organisations should have in place a documented strategy for why it has chosen to take the cloud approach in the first place.
With appropriate modern platforms, customer-centric partners, and advanced internal practices, most companies are already advancing their cloud programs to maximise their advantages.
FutureCIO, discussed with executives from cloud technology leaders to talk about the importance of a cloud strategy. Each offers some insights into the imperative of a dedicated cloud strategy, its importance, what constitutes it and evaluating a cloud strategy.
Cloud strategy
Wasabi Technologies’ vice president and general manager for Asia Pacific and Japan, Michael King observes many companies lack a comprehensive, organisation-wide cloud strategy.
“They often have isolated strategies for specific segments or use cases, without a cohesive integration plan that spans across the entire organisation – encompassing aspects such as data and AI.”
Michael King
He adds that resource allocation, security concerns, integration, and optimisation become challenging without a clear plan.
“Having a strategy is crucial because businesses need a benchmark for measurement and a clear understanding of the financial impact. Without it, navigating challenges become more difficult,” says Mohan Krishnan, the vice president and general manager of GreenLake Cloud Services, Asia Pacific at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE).
HPE’s Krishnan agrees that “a cloud strategy is critical for an organisation to harness the value of the cloud, as it allows them to align cloud investments with business objectives and ensure the benefits will outweigh potential costs.”
He posits that “rushing into cloud adoption without a strategy may result in silos across different teams, non-compliance practices, spiralling costs and complexities in managing cloud resources.”
“Organisations can benefit from cloud adoption without a cloud strategy – however, the challenge would be measuring their value without clear objectives and goals,” adds Denise Kee, the chief executive officer at Xtremax.
She explains the necessity of a strategy to establish objectives and measure success based on long-term company values and goals.
The components of a cloud strategy
“The reality today is that the fastest growing businesses in Asia Pacific are those aligned to the digital economy. It is crucial to have a strategy from both a technological and cloud perspective, ensuring seamless integration between the cloud strategy and business goals. This integration is pivotal, and further alignment beneath it involves assessing the financial impact,” says King.
Krishnan says that a solid cloud strategy considers business needs, application and workload considerations, user technical requirements, cost analysis, and compliance/security requirements. Furthermore, it includes clear, business-aligned long-term and short-term objectives, creating a comprehensive inventory of IT resources, and assessing potential risks, including security and data privacy.
“Additionally, a solid cloud strategy incorporates detailed timelines, budgets, key performance indicators, and identifies key stakeholders with clear roles and responsibilities."
Mohan Krishnan
For Kee, a solid cloud strategy aligns specific business goals and objectives behind the cloud migration from stakeholders such as the C-suite, LOBs, and IT teams.
She posits that it must “incorporate visibility and understanding over the organisation’s cloud usage, taking into consideration factors such as total cost of ownership, infrastructure and application architectures, security, and user experience to efficiently manage the costs and time investment of cloud resource usage.”
Evaluating a cloud strategy
CIOs/Technology/Operations & Finance teams should address organisational priorities when evaluating a cloud strategy, according to King. The Wasabi Technologies executive believes an effective cloud strategy will align with existing organisational goals, emphasising the need for harmony.
Second, King says it is vital to ensure the principles and priorities that will guide the implementation of the strategy, especially when providing a roadmap for decision-making processes.
“Understanding the true cost of implementing the cloud strategy goes beyond subscription fees and includes various aspects such as time, resources, migration costs, and ongoing efforts. Ultimately, it ensures a comprehensive understanding before proceeding with the implementation,” the Wasabi Technologies executive adds.
For Krishnan, organisations need to address cost, agility, and flexibility before adoption, evaluate current needs and examine the organisation’s goals. He says organisations should ask the question: What is my long-term strategy?
“Examine your overarching goals, whether it involves retaining assets, transitioning data centres, or pursuing other objectives long-term,” he adds.
“What are your business objectives? Is your cloud strategy agile and future-proof? Are your stakeholders in agreement with the goals and objectives of your cloud strategy?” are Kee’s most pressing questions when evaluating a cloud strategy.
She notes that an organisation’s cloud strategy needs to be business-driven to support growth and overall trajectories. He also says that organisations must be able to assess the scalability of their cloud solutions to evaluate their adaptability.
“Engaging stakeholders is crucial for clear communication, establishing a shared vision, and facilitating informed decision-making. This collaborative approach minimises conflict and enhances collaboration across various organisational departments, fostering a successful execution of the cloud strategy,” she adds.
Collaborative effort
King says a successful cloud strategy goes beyond being solely an IT or business initiative. He says it involves various teams such as the CIO, Application & Engineering teams, Architecture teams, Infrastructure, and the overall technology group.
“The transformation towards embracing the cloud should involve executive leadership, guidance, and contributions from all C-level members. Thus, making sure everyone has a clear role to play is crucial to effectively communicate the strategy across an organisation,” he adds.
Krishnan agrees that a successful cloud strategy within an enterprise necessitates the collective input of diverse stakeholders to align it with overall goals.
“Involving end-users, cloud architects, and change management specialists ensures a comprehensive approach, fostering a seamless transition. It also addresses technical, financial, and operational considerations, resulting in a well-rounded and effective cloud strategy for the entire organisation.”
Denise Kee
For Kee, it is essential to prioritise business value when evaluating the success metrics of your cloud strategy. Aside from senior management, IT teams, finance departments, operations staff, cybersecurity specialists, and business users should also be involved.
“Collaborative efforts among these diverse groups foster a comprehensive and efficient cloud strategy that prioritises business value and resonates with organisational goals,” Kee says.
Cloud strategy, a non-negotiable
As more and more enterprises find value in leveraging the cloud, strategies to maximise their potential and minimise risks should be in place.
While cloud computing gains prominence in the business landscape, a good cloud strategy will become a non-negotiable for technology leaders wanting to ensure long-term benefits for their organisations.
Gartner says any organisation looking to develop or articulate a cloud strategy should follow the steps outlined here:
- Align objectives about the cloud
- Develop a cloud action plan
- Prepare the organisation for execution
- Establish governance and mitigate risk
- Optimise and scale
Do you have a cloud strategy in place today?
