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Transform Utility Infrastructure into a Cloud Service

A utility infrastructure IaaS alone does not equal cloud.

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Your Challenge

  • IT departments of all sizes and industries are feeling the pressure to be more cloud-like, but the cloud itself is still a work in progress and success is not yet widespread.
  • A cloud management solution does not magically create a cloud, but it can be the final capstone in building an infrastructure service based on a firm foundation of consolidation, standardization, and virtualization.

Our Advice

Critical Insight
  • Don’t rush into the cloud. Instead make sure the foundational infrastructure is firm before trying to become the business’s own private Amazon.
  • Start standardizing service tier deliverables to internal clients and building IT skill sets for better success in cloud building.
  • Communicate your cloud position to the business.
Impact and Result
  • Maximize your success and credibility with a proposal that emphasizes the areas relevant to your situation.
  • Prepare for key objections by leveraging the experiences and insights of industry peers that have been through this battle.
  • Cloud management is a capstone that enables orchestration, automation, and end user self-service.
  • Increased virtualization leads to greater benefits, but you should only start focusing on cloud management when the virtual infrastructure is advanced and management capabilities are mature.
  • Some cloud features are already established. The baseline must-haves include performance monitoring, role-based access, self-service, and cost accountability.

Get to Action

  1. Decide when to invest in a cloud management solution

    Transform utility infrastructure into a cloud service with cloud management solutions.

  2. Focus efforts at this stage of the cloud initiative

    Maximize the potential for success before investing significant effort and money.

  3. Document IT's position on the cloud

    Set expectations for the internal cloud.

Related Solution Sets

Manage & Plan Capacity for the Internal Cloud

You cannot afford to assume that the data center has unlimited capacity; this is even more true for the internal cloud.

Prepare IT for Increased Cloud Adoption

The forecast is Cloudy with a chance of disruption.

Vendor Landscape: Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service

Options are proliferating as Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service provides a highly agile and low capital cost option for outsourcing IT infrastructure.

Build an Optimized Infrastructure-as-a-Service Internal Cloud

The best computing cloud is the one you've already started with server virtualization.

Tags

Systems management, HP, Citrix, utility infrastructure, VMware, CA, Cloud computing, grid computing, Amazon, IaaS, Infrastructure as a Service, Flexiant, Cloud.com, Platform Computing, Eucalyptus, Cloud management, cloud orchestration

Related Content


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A utility infrastructure IaaS alone does not equal cloud.

Solution Road Map

Other Solution Sets in Server & Storage Virtualization

  1. Get the Most out of Server Virtualization
    Develop a strategy to move infrastructure from a virtual fantasy to a virtual reality.
  2. Vendor Landscape: Server Virtualization
    Server virtualization continues to drive value in infrastructure consolidation and management while laying the foundation of private and public computing.
  3. Avoid Server Virtualization Implementation Pain
    Virtualization is not a magic bullet. Poor scoping of infrastructure and business needs will lead to implementation pain.
  4. Leverage Server Virtualization for DR Affordability and Agility
    Virtualization is not just for consolidation - drive cost and complexity out of system availability and restore.
  5. Build an Optimized Infrastructure-as-a-Service Internal Cloud
    The best computing cloud is the one you've already started with server virtualization.
  6. Use Cloud Computing to Achieve Small Enterprise Savings
    Small businesses are in a unique position to gain advantage with cloud computing.
  7. Vendor Landscape: Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service
    Options are proliferating as Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service provides a highly agile and low capital cost option for outsourcing IT infrastructure.
  8. Manage & Plan Capacity for the Internal Cloud
    You cannot afford to assume that the data center has unlimited capacity; this is even more true for the internal cloud.
  9. Vendor Landscape: Cloud Management
    Add a layer of abstraction and automation to your infrastructure to create a private, virtual private, public, or hybrid cloud environment.
  10. Power the IaaS Cloud with a Cloud Management Solution
    Virtualization alone does not provide the automation, self-service, orchestration, and metering you need to offer a true cloud infrastructure service.
View the full Solution Road Map