Businesses need to achieve the right balance between speed and stability, and for that, it is crucial to shift to emerging technologies such as the cloud. As a result, more and more organizations are shifting towards cloud services to fuel accelerated product development. However, it is not a wise decision to move to the cloud without a clear enterprise cloud strategy and implementation roadmap.
A well-thought-out enterprise cloud strategy defines the importance of the cloud in the digital transformation journey of an organization. It not just prepares businesses to make smart decisions regarding cloud initiatives but also enables them to deal with crises such as lockdowns methodically, thereby optimizing the resources and costs associated with cloud usage.
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Three Important Reasons to Care About Your Cloud Strategy
Without a cloud strategy, an enterprise may attempt to accommodate a host of choices that frequently conflict with each other and fail to guide the business towards attaining its significant corporate objectives. With no cloud strategy, an enterprise doesn’t have observable business goals and lacks the appropriate emphasis on the key challenges that need to be solved.
Apart from that, the following reasons make it crucial for businesses to have a solid cloud strategy –
Effective cloud support for business goals
If you plan to grow your business from acquisitions, reduce risks or achieve a faster time to market, your cloud strategy will serve as an enabler to achieving those goals.
Thus, it is important to observe your business holistically and take note of your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you formulate a cloud strategy that supports your business goals not just in the present but in the future too. Your IT department is crucial as they are the ones who need to see this as a corporate initiative and make it the foundation of the future.
Cost cutting for IT-related expenses
Cloud initiatives taken with improper planning often leads to cloud sprawls which are costly to bear for the organization. This is the opposite of what cloud transformation solutions are aimed at, i.e., improved business performance and cost efficiency. The agility which comes from accelerated development should enable even faster upgrades and improvements. Moreover, cloud flexibility provides scalability to IT infrastructure, which allows organizations to pay for only what they need and use.
Breaking down silos
The IT teams need to collaborate beyond the IT department. This helps in clarifying how each business unit contributes to your business goals. By understanding the challenges and capabilities of each department, you gain an understanding of how cloud services can be used to overcome obstacles.
Moreover, via enterprise collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders, you can mediate your cloud initiative goals and get them warmed up to support your cloud transformation project.
Enterprise cloud migration strategy is a non-negotiable for successful cloud migration and adoption. Thus, it should be approached as not just another change management project but as a digital transformation project put on priority.
Painting the picture of a cloud-enabled future
Enterprise cloud strategy formulation can get tedious as it requires documentation, patience, research, and collaboration. But, if formulated and followed properly, it can prove vital in spelling the success of your digital transformation motives by engaging cloud services. Furthermore, your cloud strategy does not need to get stagnated; it can and should evolve with advances in technology surrounding cloud transformation solutions.
Thus, IT leaders should focus their efforts on a viable, step-by-step approach that can evolve in direct proportion to the digital goals and assets of the organization. It will lead to a comprehensive and insightful cloud strategy that aligns with their transformational goals.
