Why It’s Time to Make the Leap to the Cloud
Peter Sjoberg, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Hitachi
Data Systems
Data Systems
No technology trend has more potential to be a game-changer forbusinesses than the cloud. Start-ups like Airbnb that might not otherwise have
been launched due to the prohibitive cost of sophisticated IT systems rely on
cloud-based pay-as-you-go services to get their starts and disrupt entire
industries.
If you are an established company with in-house IT systems, you
are vulnerable to this kind of disruption. The stakes are high. Yet many
companies hold back from moving to the cloud. There are three reasons: fears
about security and privacy, IT inertia, and simply not knowing where to begin.
are vulnerable to this kind of disruption. The stakes are high. Yet many
companies hold back from moving to the cloud. There are three reasons: fears
about security and privacy, IT inertia, and simply not knowing where to begin.
Security and Privacy
Many companies are just plain nervous about sending their data
to an unknown location. According to a TechValidate study, 68 percent of
surveyed IT organizations see concern about the security of cloud computing
solutions as an obstacle to cloud adoption. However, many experts believe that
cloud providers generally have more effective security than most businesses
that rely on in-house IT. Since hosting data is their job, cloud providers have
good reason to take security very seriously.
to an unknown location. According to a TechValidate study, 68 percent of
surveyed IT organizations see concern about the security of cloud computing
solutions as an obstacle to cloud adoption. However, many experts believe that
cloud providers generally have more effective security than most businesses
that rely on in-house IT. Since hosting data is their job, cloud providers have
good reason to take security very seriously.
IT Inertia
Many businesses have invested large amounts of money in “old
school” IT. This investment in equipment, software, real estate and people
creates inertia that tends to perpetuate the traditional data center. Moving to
the cloud would appear to mean giving up on a commitment, undergoing a possibly
difficult transition and launching into the unknown. Regardless, legacy IT
systems must be evaluated objectively and with the future in mind, especially
since many cannot stand up to the comparison with far more economical cloud
services. Organizations that cling to the past are likely to fall behind
competitors that are unafraid to make the cloud transition.
school” IT. This investment in equipment, software, real estate and people
creates inertia that tends to perpetuate the traditional data center. Moving to
the cloud would appear to mean giving up on a commitment, undergoing a possibly
difficult transition and launching into the unknown. Regardless, legacy IT
systems must be evaluated objectively and with the future in mind, especially
since many cannot stand up to the comparison with far more economical cloud
services. Organizations that cling to the past are likely to fall behind
competitors that are unafraid to make the cloud transition.
Not Knowing Where to Begin
Benefits of cloud deployments include high availability, low
costs, scalability and business continuity. Even though this knowledge is
widespread, many IT leaders are unable to answer the simple question, “How do I
get started?”
costs, scalability and business continuity. Even though this knowledge is
widespread, many IT leaders are unable to answer the simple question, “How do I
get started?”
Here are some answers:
1. Begin with one application. It’s not
practical to move everything to the cloud at once. Start small. Pick one
application, such as email or business intelligence, and move it to the cloud.
With a little early success, you will feel more comfortable about moving
applications that are more business-critical.
practical to move everything to the cloud at once. Start small. Pick one
application, such as email or business intelligence, and move it to the cloud.
With a little early success, you will feel more comfortable about moving
applications that are more business-critical.
2. Build your next application in the cloud. Go ahead and stick with your legacy IT applications — but look
to the future, too. If you are considering deploying a new application, why not
start fresh in the cloud? If this new application requires legacy data, you can
implement data refining technology to send the data that is needed to the
cloud.
to the future, too. If you are considering deploying a new application, why not
start fresh in the cloud? If this new application requires legacy data, you can
implement data refining technology to send the data that is needed to the
cloud.
3. Push old data to the cloud. Every company stores reams of data for legal or backup purposes.
If you’ve been longing to get rid of tape, archiving that data in the cloud is
a great way to do it.
If you’ve been longing to get rid of tape, archiving that data in the cloud is
a great way to do it.
4. Go hybrid. Put your current IT systems in a private cloud that delivers
services over the Internet, much like a public cloud. Then augment your private
cloud with public cloud services as needed. This will enable you to choose
between private and public clouds, so your applications are running in the best
place for performance and cost.
services over the Internet, much like a public cloud. Then augment your private
cloud with public cloud services as needed. This will enable you to choose
between private and public clouds, so your applications are running in the best
place for performance and cost.
Even if yours is not one of the “cool” companies that was born
in the cloud, you can get going now, and your company will reap significant
benefits from the cloud that will pay dividends — for years to come.
in the cloud, you can get going now, and your company will reap significant
benefits from the cloud that will pay dividends — for years to come.
For the LATEST tech updates,
FOLLOW us on our Twitter
LIKE us on our FaceBook
SUBSCRIBE to us on our YouTube Channel!
