1. 1. TOP TEN TIPS FORCLOUD ADOPTIONBrought to you by Eclipse www. eclipse. net. ukDecide which type of cloud is the best fit for your businessChoosing the right type of cloud from the beginning can have a major impact in the successful integration of cloud services in your business.There are four cloud types: IIIIII IIIIII H E A E EA public cloud is one A private cloud is a A hybrid cloud A community cloud based on the cloud computing provides a cloud is a multi-tenant standard cloud platform that is computing infrastructure that is computing model in implemented within environment in which shared amongwhich a service the corporate firewall,an organisation several organisations provider makes under the full control provides and manages from a specific group resources available of the company's IT some resources in (usually otherto the general public.department.it offers house and has others businesses) that Public clouds may the same features and provided externally.It share commonbe free or offered on a benefits,but is much offers benefits from computing concerns.pay-per~usage model.more secure.both set-ups.A popular choice. Make sure you know the benefits of cloud computingThere are numerous benefits offered by the cloud,but you need to be sure you know what they are,so you can communicate this to staff,partners and board members. To refresh your memory,the main benefits include: SecuritySecurity suites are available,with full data backups.The cloud is more secure than many thinkCost Efficiency Migration to cloud computing reduces the cost of purchasing,managing,upgrading and maintaining your IT((Automatic Updates Your cloud computing provider will ensure software is regularly updated,saving you both time and money Data Recovery Green Technology Comms Efficiency Backup and recovery Companies using Easily communicatesystems ensure your 0 cloud systems have and share information data is secure.In the shown a decrease in with team members case of disaster,data their carbon footprint across numerous can be recovered fast& reduced emissions locations worldwideInnovation Accessibility FlexibilityThe cloud provides Cloud computing device independence provides ondemand whereby applications bandwidth needed to can be accessed using meet your dayto-dayany connected device business demandsThe cloud provides faster prototypel development,testing,validation,research& team collaborationYou dont need to be completely on the cloud straight awayBusinesses are often intimidated by the thought of moving all their work,data and applications over to the cloud in one go.Try splitting your cloud adoption into chunks. 65A good place to start is by analysing your applications and categorising them by workload.You can send all your public web services to public clouds,which is a natural move as these services will already be prepared for strong user access.Heavy transaction applications that probably arent ready for a public cloud can be mounted on your own (or a shared) private cloud. Spend some time categorising your data,applications and work,and see what can go where.Think of cloud adoption as a trip with various stages,rather than a nonstop ight. Prepare team members to accept cloud computingEffectively training your team members and employees in cloud computing can make a huge impact when it comes to adoption.You should consider the following areas:T IIIIIIIII I O IIIIIIIII I Technical Training Staff Education Propagating Advantages Training is critical to successful This should involve explaining Cloud adoption can gain pace cloud migration.Management the business benefits of using it its advantages are clearly should launch training programs cloud computing,and how it will explained to potential users.Not or utilise a technical consulting increase overall efficiency.only will this help increase cloud company to ensure fully trained Training should outline tangible confidence,but will result in team members benefits of cloud computing quicker migration to the cloudDevise and enforce cloud adoption business policiesDevising effective cloud computing policies within the business can help ensure a smooth transition,and the enforcement of these policies will hugely improve adoption. Decide on cloud policies Sit down with those responsible for risk mitigation,or with senior team members,and decide on a number of cloud computing policies,these could include: Enforce these policies throughout the businessYour policies must be effectively enforced if they are to aid cloud adoption,including how you will ensure compliance.One idea is to set up a governance board that approves any request to put a new application in the cloud. Protect the benefits gained from using cloud computingYou must make sure that youre constantly protecting the benefits gained from the cloud,by ensuring you have a clear idea of why you are using it in the first place.Here are some suggestions on how you can protect your cloud benefits. Identify Barriers Utilise Feedback Identify BenefitsFind barriers to your Realtime feedback,In order to protect your benefits (such as slow particularly on things benefits.you should internal processes like cost,helps team figure out what youre holding back agility) members to see the using the cloud for so and remove them benefits clearly you can identify themEnsure the cloud is readily available to all business unitsEnabling all business units with access to the cloud,and ensuring they know how to use it effectively,will dramatically increase cloud adoption throughout the company. MWMMMMMIf you find a specific department or area of the business isn't using cloud computing,they may not be aware of the benefits cloud could be delivering to them.Similarly,they may not feel comfortable using the cloud,or even know how to use it.Make sure all departments are fully trained (and revisit this training if necessary) to ensure your strategy is fully enabling the business.Be aware that the cloud will not replace traditional ITMany are hesitant to adopt cloud computing as they fear it will involve a full change of current legacy systems.This is rarely the case,particularly with mid| arge companies. E Cloud will not completely replace legacy investment and nor should it.The key will be choosing the right c| oud(s) for each business need,and ensuring smooth integration with other cloud services and existing technology investments.In most cases integrating cloud with existing business assets provides better return on investment than a new cloud silo,and opens up more opportunities for leverage.Services such as Managed Server Hosting and Cloud Backup can help with this process.Be able to answer concerns about securityConcerns regarding security are the main barrier to cloud adoption,but the cloud is more secure than many think.Be prepared to put to rest concerns about security. Security is a major concern According to a 2013 survey of IT professionals conducted by CDW*,46% said they _ . ' were concerned with security of proprietary data and applications.These kind of concerns _ - remain a major barrier to adoption of the cloud.You need to provide your own security layer on top of any cloud application,helping to ' - _ put to rest concerns over security and ensure a higher rate of cloud adoption. *CDWs 2018 State of the Cloud Report Partner with the right supplierSecuring the best advice right from the start will ensure you never feel alone in the cloud.So when deciding on the best solution,take advantage of expert help. There are providers out there that can guide you through the options available,offer support and help improve your own knowledge.They should understand your business and take you on an adoption journey.So,do your research,find the right supplier and the journey will be both easy and enjoyable. eclipse www. eclipse. net. uk