The Internet of Things. Big Data. Self-aware and self-protecting applications. Mobile access to information – anytime, anywhere. These are just some of today’s must-have technology that are forcing CIOs to merge real and virtual worlds and shift towards running a digital business. As these executives reassess their IT infrastructure, many are curious about whether embarking on a cloud journey is the solution.
For some organizations, the answer is not as simple as choosing between 100% on-premise solutions and 100% cloud-based platform. By 2017, 50% of the world’s enterprises will decide to go somewhere in the middle: the hybrid cloud, according to Gartner.
Will your hybrid cloud meet the challenges of running a digital business?
Finding the best mix of on-premise and cloud solutions helps organizations deliver more value and innovate better through faster service provisioning, lower IT costs, and greater agility. Perhaps more important is the ability to quickly adapt to changing market dynamics, powering optimized inventory and personalized customer experiences in real time.
However, as my friend David Sweetman recently penned, “Cloud adoption requires strategic thinking and efficient execution. The key is knowing [your] best route to the cloud, setting the right priorities, and executing your plans efficiently.” As I continue to hear the stories of our customers, I could not agree more.
Implementing a hybrid-cloud strategy requires IT organizations to wrestle with three strategic challenges:
- A cloud environment that meets your enterprise’s needs. What is the right combination of on-premise and cloud-based solutions? Which vendors demonstrate that expertise, reliability, and staying power to deliver your vision?
- Governance. Yes, the cloud powers speed, agility, innovation, and transformation. But, how will you take your plan from the drawing board to a live infrastructure? Is your organization ready to accept such a transformation?
- Security and privacy. As of late, this topic has been at the top of every executive’s agenda. If a third party runs your cloud landscape, how protected will it be from potential breaches, wrongful access, and data misuse? When you control and own the entire architecture, you have a better chance of keeping it secured. Yet, you then run the risk of running at a slower, cumbersome pace that will leave your business lagging behind the competitive field. How receptive are your leadership and the vendors on your short list to incorporating your enterprise security policy into the cloud?
Your hybrid cloud GPS: A free and personalized report, courtesy of SAP
With an unending number of combinations to consider and significant investments in time, money, and change involved, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Are you choosing the right approach for your business? Better yet, will everything work together in harmony – consistently and with high availability?
If you are an SAP customer, you can now see for yourself how your enterprise can benefit from cloud solutions from SAP. The business scenario recommendation report from SAP Service and Support provides customized insights based on your actual system use and support data. By understanding how cloud solutions, service, and support from SAP can enhance your enterprise’s agility, performance, and competitiveness, you can accelerate your move to a cloud environment that empowers innovation, simplification, productivity, lower costs, and, above all, value.
Besides, the business scenario recommendation report is free and easy to generate. Don’t believe me? Just check out the infographic below for more details!
