Subject: Plan for Adoption of Cloud Computing
I understand that you are interested in knowing how the firm can adopt cloud computing services. This move will see the firm shift from using an in-house legacy system to cloud systems. It is a remarkable idea that will aid company growth and align it with continuously evolving technology. First and foremost, the are different types of clouds that the company can adopt, namely, hybrid cloud, public cloud, and private clouds. All these require concise planning and a step by step approach to implementation. Additionally, several factors must be considered before adopting the cloud computing service. The following sections will reveal how TRU can smoothly transition to adopt cloud services.
Recommendation
A public cloud will be ideal for the firm considering that the firm has been experiencing rapid growth that is expected to continue into the future. A public cloud refers to a formal arrangement where a client can utilize a third party’s computing services. The services are developed by third parties and availed to the market. One can subscribe to on-demand services, pay per usage, or one-time purchase. Notably, the hardware, premises, and other assets belong to the third party. Also, the services provider incurs administrative and maintenance costs, which saves the client high costs.
Plans for Adopting Cloud Services
The first step is to toa evaluate the firms’ current state and its readiness for adoption of cloud computing services. The firm will be in a better position if it has a defined style of application architecture. In this regard, the company will analyze standard platforms and application stacks, web application architecture, and self-management of storage and computing services. Notably, it is difficult to take advantage of cloud services where the firm has centralized applications. Another area worth examining is the relationship of application stacks.
Identifying the differences between legacy infrastructure and cloud infrastructure
The next step is to evaluate infrastructure with respect to aspects such as hardware, network equipment, and storage. Hardware forms a critical part considering that it hosts servers. Consequently, the firm will examine if its hardware can support multiple virtual instances (Almarabeh & Majdalawi 2019)[1]. One should also consider the skills required to serve the skills required to maintain the infrastructure. Thereafter, one will assess how old infrastructure is compatible with cloud computing infrastructure. Ne will also evaluate the cost of cloud computing infrastructure.
Selection of a cloud service vendor
There are several factors that TRU ought to put into consideration before settling on a cloud service provider. First, it is important to assess the firm’s security needs against what potential services providers can offer. One has to evaluate mechanisms used by the different service providers (Attaran & Woods 2019). Additionally, one has to look at the policies and terms considering the service provider’s liability. Another important factor is compliance; here, one should assess whether the offered infrastructure is in line with industry requirements. The service providers’ architecture is also an important factor when selecting the service provider. Notably, the architecture should be compatible with the firm’s IT infrastructure. Lastly, one has to assess the service requirements from a different provider. That is, what they manage for the client and the client’s responsibilities.
Implementation
Unifying applications into a collection of services is the first step after identifying the suitable services provider. The firm should combine distinct data services into composite applications. The next step is to decouple data into the developed applications. Data should be broken down into separate components, which makes it easier for cloud computing to consider their distributed nature. The firm can, thereafter, decide on where to undertake processing activities. Next is to assess the level of communication between application components. The firm should develop optimal communication mechanisms. After that, the firm should see to it that design models can perform seamlessly despite increasing loads. Here, the experts will assess how the systems can handle heavy traffic. Lastly, the firm should integrate security with the developed platforms.
Alternatives to a public cloud
There are two other alternatives, which are private cloud or a hybrid cloud. A single business wholly owns a private cloud. The business will incur all costs associated, including the purchase of hardware and maintenance activities. Remarkably, a private cloud can be customized to suit the needs of the firm. Additionally, a private cloud is more secure and compared to a public cloud. However, it is costly compared to a public cloud. This is because the firm will have to incur all costs associated with the development of a cloud. This includes hardware, software, applications, and required infrastructure. Additionally, private clouds require high technical expertise compared to public clouds. The firm would have to increase its IT department in terms of human resources significantly. However, the cost can be channeled to other functions considering that TRU is not an IT services provider. This will allow the management to focus on other growth areas that are not IT related. As such, it is recommendable for the firm to adopt public cloud services.
References
Almarabeh, T., & Majdalawi, Y. K. (2019). Cloud Computing of E-commerce. Modern Applied Science, 13(1), 27-35.
Attaran, M., & Woods, J. (2019). Cloud computing technology: improving small business performance using the Internet. Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 31(6), 495-519.[2]
[1] Almarabeh, T., & Majdalawi, Y. K. (2019). Cloud Computing of E-commerce. Modern Applied Science, 13(1), 27-35.
[2] Attaran, M., & Woods, J. (2019). Cloud computing technology: improving small business performance using the Internet. Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 31(6), 495-519.