Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing is no longer a nice to have but a must have business tool for any organization to be relevant in the current market. What was considered few years ago as an uncertain technology surrounded by lots of hype, is now starting to revolutionize the way businesses access their technology and work with customers. Beginning in 2011, and for the next several years, there will be increased adoption of Cloud Computing by business of all sizes, across all sectors of business and government. Organizations will become faster to market, collaborate and offer significant new value in many new ways, based on integration among multiple Cloud Computing services. Data security, system reliability and performance issues will be solved through service-level agreements (SLAs). Cloud Computing’s evolution and continuing development will have a significant impact on the competitive and financial landscape of business and IT.
Businesses of all sizes must be prepared to adjust to and keep up with their customers’ needs. Major business software vendors like Microsoft, Dell, Oracle and others are offering or planning “cloud based” services. With so much information and change going-on, how does this phenomenon impact you and your organization? What are the competitive and financial ramifications? What is the true ROI of Cloud Computing? Below is an example of how to calculate “the financial and business value” of Cloud Computing for your organization. “Understanding ‘the economics’ of Cloud Computing” is an early, crucial step that will help your organization identify and take advantage of the opportunities, benefits and ROI of this new wave of technology innovation. Contact Congruiti today for an initial conversation about the opportunities Cloud Computing may offer your organization.
Click Here to Download the Congruiti Overview and Economics of Cloud Computing.
Mobility
How should a CIO think about, implement and support mobile computing?
We help our clients think about, prepare for and implement mobility on 4 levels
1) Envision
2) Usability in business context (How business can justify the costs)
3) Infrastructure
4) Applications
Envision means to look at and visualize the trends and possibilities using internal and external feedback. Envision is strategic thinking about this technology. It permeates the other 3 levels. Envision is the innovation step that, when combined with your business needs and strengths (applications), and a compelling business case, produces transformative capabilities (leverage) and results.
Usability in the business context
1) How does the users expect to use the devices and apps running on them?
a. For convenience and productivity?
b. For consumption or creation?
2) What about the limits of mobile devices? What are the circumstances (use cases), if any, where they should not be used?
3) How do you make sure that devices are used only for business and don’t lose them or transfer the data to multiple locations?
4) How might cloud storage be applied? What are the impacts or risks of mixing business data and personal data?
5) UI (user interface) and navigation for apps becomes more critical. Where are there risks that apps become unusable?
6) Do we enable any social network components in the mobile apps?
Infrastructure includes the security, connectivity, compatibility and reliability of mobile devices, and implementing the ability to 1) support the multiple devices or standard devices the business wants, c) control the data on the devices, and 3) manage the business and personal use of the devices.
• BYOD- Bring your own device – how does / will this work with our culture? Do we allow only for tablets (iPad™ and clones) or smart phones as well?
• How do we address constraints of Flash™ not running on iPad™?
The application thought process must be clear. Key questions include:
1) What are the top ways for us to leverage mobile technology? See Envision / Usability.
2) What is our criteria and approach to “mobilizing” our apps?
a. Which existing apps should we enable on mobile devices for internal (employees)? For external users (customers/partners/suppliers etc.)? And how?
b. Or, do we only consider mobility going forward for new apps?
3) What OS(s) (operating system) should we support? What is our framework for supporting the devices we chose? Should we be device agnostic?
4) What kind of support should we provide for mobility? For mobile apps, if any? What skills do we need? What are the associated costs?