Cloud Technologies With the CIO

Cloud computing has exploded in popularity over the last few years. In fact, according to a recent Verizon study, 77% of businesses believe that cloud technology gives them a competitive edge. But there’s more to leveraging cloud technologies than simply moving data off your own servers and into the cloud. For CIOs, effective cloud adoption is about transforming how the organization works.

Successful cloud initiatives start with a well-defined business case that aligns with an organization’s vision, goals and priorities. CIO advisory need to collaborate and communicate effectively with other executives in the business, especially the chief financial officer (CFO), to ensure that upfront investment in a cloud platform will support revenue results.

An incremental approach to cloud migration can help avoid analysis paralysis and also enable executives in the business to see the value of a more agile, resilient and visible enterprise, with a solid case for success that is easily measurable. It can also help reduce the risk of misalignment between a company’s IT strategy and its business objectives.

Best Practices for Leveraging Cloud Technologies With the CIO

For example, when it comes to enabling collaboration and teamwork, a centralized cloud platform can provide instant access to the latest versions of documents and data. This allows staff with hectic schedules or who work remotely to stay instantly up-to-date with projects, regardless of where they are located in the world. This feature can also improve productivity by enabling employees to take a more flexible work-life balance.

To support these goals, the organization must ensure that its IT infrastructure is scalable and flexible. This means building a multicloud infrastructure, which is gaining traction in the industry. This allows companies to utilize a single or multiple clouds, depending on their infrastructure and application requirements. It helps minimize vendor lock-in and latency rates. It also provides a more unified approach to managing security, which is often one of the top concerns in the cloud.

Another key to successful cloud adoption is bridging the gap in skills needed for its implementation. This requires the CIO to identify and recruit internal talent or find creative ways to develop their existing IT staff. For example, a company can pair a skilled external architect with an internal employee who lacks those skills but has solid general architecture experience, and train them on a project basis.

Zia Yusuf, VMware’s head of strategic ecosystem & industry solutions, says that understanding the cloud ecosystem is critical to successful migration and innovation. He recommends looking at the “interconnection points” in a cloud environment and deliberately architecting it. “This way, you can have a clear picture of where your ecosystem is going and what the impact will be,” he says. “It’s very different than just finding the lowest cost solution.” To learn more, read our Q&A with Zia.