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otherwise tied up in corresponding investments can be used
elsewhere.
3.7.2
The strategic framework for Cloud projects
In the book, "The Art of Thinking about Money", André Kostolany (stock
market and financial expert, 1906‐1999) predicted the consolidation and
concentration of the Internet industry as a logical economic development.
Today we are witnessing how the prophecy of this seasoned stock market
expert is being fulfilled in Cloud computing with commodity services from IT
service providers on the Internet becoming the standard. Just as no‐one
thinks twice about the complex processes and technologies that interact to
give us power from the wall socket, in the future we will give as little
thought to the use of IT services, as is already the case today for private e‐
mail services.
In order to have success with Cloud computing, companies need to see and
vision the biger picture with the development of a comprehensive IT‐
strategy and a plan to implement it. Companies face the followings types of
key questions: How can Cloud computing support our business goals? Which
Cloud services do we need? Which strategy will help us use this trend for
our objectives?
Prior to the actual selection of Cloud services or planning their
organisational and technical integration into the company, strategic aspect
needs to be considered. It is not just about taking a look at the IT
department and the technology involved, but also the context of the
corporate strategy in general. The following list provides a number of the
key considerations when defining a strategic framework:
What benefits are to be expected through the use of Cloud services?
What existing risks can be avoided or reduced?
What additional risks could arise through the use of Cloud services
and how can they be addressed?
What company processes could potentially benefit from Cloud
services?
Which legal and organisational requirements must be followed?
