With cloud computing, it is no longer a question of whether companies should be using it - it is now a matter of what to put into the cloud first.
This is according to experts who spoke at the ITWeb Virtualisation and Cloud Computing Summit, in Bryanston, this week.
Cloud has passed the peak of its hype cycle, they say, and enterprises are now grappling with the realities of implementing cloud computing strategies.
Gary de Menezes, regional director for Oracle hardware, notes that some of the top concerns in IT are consolidation, cloud, virtualisation, operational cost reduction and risk reduction.
“One of the biggest drivers for cloud today is cost reduction,” he says, because cloud delivers faster time to value. And virtualisation enables the cloud, De Menezes added.
Thomas Black, deputy CTO at Business Connexion, says cloud is a phenomenon that isn't going anywhere. “But it won't ever be 'cloud everywhere',” he says. “There will still be a need for dedicated architectures. Rather, cloud should be used where it is relevant and viable, not for absolutely everything.”
Kim Andersen, principal advisor at CXO Advisor, agrees: “The question is now: 'what should be cloudified',” he says. “Business may be over-complicating matters by trying to move everything into the cloud. You have to look at what is technically possible, and where it makes sense.”
Andersen says a cloud strategy needs to align with the business strategy. “You need a top-down and bottom-up approach,” he says.
Systems have to be appropriately architected with cloud in mind, adds Black.
Andersen echoes this. “It requires a structured approach,” he says. Not only should enterprises be assessing what applications they currently have, they should be considering where it is feasible to move them into the cloud, and where this aligns with business strategy and future directions.
Black concludes: “You need to pick the applications appropriate for the cloud, be realistic about what the cloud can provide, and re-architect your systems with this in mind.”
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