The Sure but Winding Road to

the CloudPERSPECTIVES VOLUME 8

Nidhi Srivastava

Global Head of IT Consulting, Consulting and Enterprise Solutions

Copyright © 2017 Tata Consultancy Services LimitedApril 2017

Convert capital expenditure into operational expenses

Cloud: the Default Home for IT

The cost advantages of putting IT on the cloud are undeniable

Offload responsibilities and complexities about running data centers

Let someone else worry about running the data centers

Test crucial new capabilities cheaply and on the spot

Moving the wrong applications can disrupt business operations

What Moves to the Cloud First?

Start with applications that require little or no customization

Move to the Cloud Smoothly

3. Move in phases

2. Re-architect your systems

4. Map your IT systems

6. Test drive your cloud

1. Take stock of your applications

5. Identify local regulations and needs

1. Take Stock of Your Applications

Identify all the applications used across the global enterprise and the business functions they support

Companies tend to underestimate the number of applications running on their data centers, including old ‘ghost apps’

Ignore applications that are not in use

2. Re-architect Your Systems

Selected applications must be revamped for the cloud with a new design and computing architecture

Documentation for older custom applications may be missing or outdated

3. Move in Phases

Business units may rely on applications housed in different data centers

Moving applications to the cloud one data center at a time might be easy but causes disruption

To minimize disruption, move the entire set of applications relevant to any particular business unit in a single batch

The unit of work should be the business function, not the data center

4. Map Your IT Systems

Business applications supporting particular business functions are often linked together

Map all these applications, group them together, and move them to the cloud in concurrent batches

Functional applications that are integrated with ERP systems should be migrated to the cloud together

5. Identify Local Regulations and Needs

Applications hosted in one region may generate and access data from other regions

Ensure compliance with local data privacy and information security laws

Streamline compliance efforts by moving country-specific applications to the cloud in a single batch

6. Test Drive Your Cloud

Create an effective stress-testing strategy: performance issues may arise when cloud systems have to link up with on-premise networks

Don’t rely on ‘smoke testing’, which only ensures critical aspects of the system work

Perform advanced tests to ensure overall integration and optimal performance

Take the Lighter Path

Have a solid strategy for what to move to the cloud, and how to do so without upending the business

Migrate to the cloud to unlock big reductions in IT capital expenses, enormous online computing power, and greater flexibility

Also figure out what new, previously impractical digital capabilities are now possible

Copyright © 2017 Tata Consultancy Services Limited

The Sure but Winding

Road to the Cloud

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