CSC Smart Business UK Edition December - More from CloudStore
More from CloudStore
Cloud services may be more accessible through the public sector's CloudStore but planning is still essential.
Public sector organisations are at the vanguard of a revolution in how cloud-based IT services are researched and commissioned, thanks to the CloudStore website, which was recently relaunched with a wider choice of providers and services.
The faster and simpler access to an increased number of cloud providers and services offered through the Government-backed CloudStore, provides huge opportunities, but also risks, CSC cautions. It has increased the number of services it offers in CloudStore from 9 to 34 and has developed The CloudStore: A Buyer's Guide to pass on useful tips in avoiding potential 'traps' when acquiring cloud services.
The very clear benefit of the new cloud-based approach is underlined when contrasting CloudStore with how IT services used to be commissioned. Previously a public organisation could take months for IT departments to research who offered the type of services they needed. Suitable candidates then had to be contacted, vetted and approved every time they wanted to work with a new public body.
In contrast, the CloudStore requires service providers to be vetted just the once and allows them to layout on the 'store' what they offer and how to engage further with them. It also opens up a route for public bodies to more easily get away from costly ownership commitments and move more readily to the 'as a service' world. The move from capital to operational expenditure, through monthly consumption-based bills, not only saves budget but also allows public bodies to flex capacity up and down with greater agility than before.
Caution needed
The gains are very attractive and are particularly pertinent at a time of austerity. Hence, simplifying the process has to be applauded, according to Alan Hardiman, General Manager of CSC Cloud Services. However, as researching and potentially commissioning cloud services becomes more straightforward, there are issues public bodies need to be aware of.
"Public sector organisations can now achieve in weeks what used to take many months but that is not to say they must not still proceed with caution," says Hardiman.
"If there's one message about CloudStore, it is that you cannot simply buy services without some up-front planning and research. You still need to have a plan, you need to know what services are required and, crucially, how these would be integrated in to your existing IT landscape."
Planning needed
Hardiman's central, cautionary advice is that the cloud does not work to a common set of definitions and standards. Be aware that many providers will have lock-in clauses and other terms and conditions which need to be fully evaluated before enquiries lead to engagement. You also need to be aware of what is not being offered as much as what is.
"With it becoming so much easier to procure cloud services through CloudStore it would be tempting to think you can just flick from one provider to another if one doesn't work out," he says.
"In reality, you can't. You still have to put the work in up front to establish you're picking the right tools and the right provider because many contracts will feature a tie-in. How well a lot of services will work depends on what other systems you have, so integration is key. There needs to be a lot of work put in before any decisions are made because not all systems are compatible and so getting data in and out of different platforms can be problematic."
It is for these reasons that CSC has launched a selection of tools which enable the IT integrator to guide organisations on which services would help to deliver their IT strategy. They also, crucially, help organisations discover how their existing infrastructure and applications would be affected by services they are considering buying from the CloudStore. In addition there are case studies available so bodies can learn from one another's experiences.
Land and expand
For Hardiman the key piece of advice for public bodies is to have a plan and then dip a proverbial toe in the water. Even then, they need to be aware that decisions made at the start of their cloud journey will have ramifications on which suppliers they can work with in the future.
"Our main advice is to have an IT strategy and then 'plan, land and expand' as we call it," Hardiman explains.
"As with any major IT decision whatever you do has to be led by a strategy so you know where you're going and how the services you are researching will get you there. We also advise that any organisation tries out the cloud first with a small project. These are often test and development environments. It allows the users to get used to cloud and to show the wider organisation what the gains are so you can then expand your cloud presence with greater confidence.
"You may want to start with the more standard office services: email, office applications, unified communications, but make sure that these can be made available at the security level that you need, such as IL2, IL3 or other. We are also seeing considerable interest from public sector buyers in Open Source, licence cost free solutions, such as Zimbra Mail delivered at IL2/IL3.
"Once an organisation has established its plans, there are two ways of ensuring confidence. One is to talk to others who have already made the move, and many have. The other is to try it out for yourself."
Ultimately Hardiman's advice is simple. Just because the CloudStore makes researching and procuring cloud services easier than ever, organisations must not lose sight of the fact decisions have to fit within their IT and, more importantly, business strategy. They also need to be aware that, crucially, they cannot (yet) simply chop and change between different providers and services at will. This will come in time, but today migration needs to treated as a core activity.
Decisions have long lasting implications which are best taken with the support of an IT partner who can make sure the journey into the cloud, through CloudStore, is a smooth one.
You can download a free copy of CloudStore: A Buyer's Guide by clicking here.