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initiated and implemented by engineering departments conceal hidden
risks. The level of change to implement this is virtually impossible and/or too
expensive, due to the high level of standardisation and automation on the
side of the providers.
With these challenges in mind, some companies are asking whether or not it
would make more sense to operate their own Cloud in their own
datacentre, before risking the step of leveraging existing Public Cloud
services. At first glance, this "interesting" approach only involves minor
changes in the organisation, its processes and applications. However, the
potential cost savings are minimal due to the lack of economies of scale, and
an internal implementation does not do true justice to the underlying Cloud
principle of limited flexibility and scalability.
In contrast to this, the use of external Cloud services offers the possibility of
removing unnecessary steps and wastage from existing processes,
rethinking and adapting to changing conditions. The associated changes are
more than made up for by the gains in flexibility and dynamism.
2.5.1
Organisational standardisation
Cloud computing means standardisation in terms of services, applications
and processes. Will this be accompanied by standardisation within the
organisation? This will not mean standardised organisations because of the
differences in the respective business models, industry sectors and markets.
This means at the same time that highly standardised and automated Cloud
services must be integrated by the adopting businesses and with existing IT
operations. The path into the Cloud is thus individual for each company.
As Cloud computing means an additional sourcing option for the enterprise,
and is therefore not recommended as a stand‐alone application, it must
therefore not be treated as such. No new organisational units should be
created due to the use of Cloud computing. Change and transformation is
instead recommended for existing structures, functions, governance and
related processes. Much can, and must be, considered and clarified in
advance, i.e. parallel to the decision to use a Cloud service. Starting with
simple points such as adding additional resources. Is the department that
uses the application, such as an ERP system, allowed to do this? Or is the IT
department, which owns the services produced in the company? It is also
sometimes the case that this responsibility is assigned to (central)
procurement function.
