As businesses consider whether a Cloud solution is appropriate for them, one of the objections is the perception of a lack of standards around cloud computing. This leaves business owners wondering will the cloud technology they are choosing today be compatible with something they may want to add in the future. This is true of any emerging technology. Hence, we see the emergence of the Cloud Standards Customer Council.
The Cloud Standards Customer Council (CSCC) is an organization that is focused on end user advocacy and is dedicated to accelerating the cloud’s successful adoption, by drilling down into the standards, security and interoperability issues surrounding the transition to the cloud.
The CSCC has many free whitepapers and case studies available on their website. In addition they just released a Practical Guide to Cloud Computing. This is comprehensive and practical approach that all business should take when considering a cloud solution. In the guide, they lay out a roadmap that outlines in detail each step (stated below) and what to consider.
1. Assemble your team
2. Develop business case and an enterprise cloud strategy
3. Select cloud deployment model(s)
4. Select cloud service model(s)
5. Determine who will develop, test and deploy the cloud services
6. Develop a proof-of-concept (POC) before moving to production
7. Integrate with existing enterprise services
8. Develop and manage SLAs
9. Manage the cloud environment
Sun Digital has practical experience in following this type of roadmap, with multiple cloud solution deployments in the Ocala Florida area. When clients move to a Sun Digital hosted private cloud, they help you through every phase of the road map utilizing their real world experience.
