A step-by-step guide to researching the Cloud Computing environment before the implementation takes place

1. Cloud Computing Roadmap
A step-by-step guide to researching the Cloud Computing
environment before the implementation takes place

2. Outline
1. Introduction: Cloud Research Milestones
2. Cloud Cost-benefit Analysis
3. Cloud Training
4. Cloud Vendor Selection
5. Cloud Management Platform Selection
6. About Akelios
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3. 1. Introduction
Cloud Research Milestones
1. Cloud Cost-Benefit Analysis
As the initial stage of the research, the cost-benefit analysis is designed to make a
strategic decision about whether to enlarge the existing on-premises resources or to
implement a cloud infrastructure.
2. Cloud Training
Cloud Training provides a comprehensive comparison of the pros and cons of
different Cloud Providers, Cloud Management Platforms, and Cloud Products and
helps get a real-time experience.
3. Cloud Vendor Selection
This stage is required to consider the pros and cons of the top-tier Cloud vendors
that differ in their capabilities, product offerings, and maturity and to single out the
one that suits the requirements of the company best.
4. Cloud Management Platform Selection
This stage is designed to conduct a comparison between the existing platforms and
select the one that suits the most required criteria.
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4. 2. Cloud Cost-Benefit Analysis
(Goals)
Cloud Cost-Benefit Analysis Goals
1. Cloud Migration Cost
Calculate possible Cloud Migration and maintenance expenditures
2. Cloud Start Up Cost
Analyze Cloud-related start-up costs
3. Cloud Implementation Options
Compare Cloud Implementation scenarios with the possibility to engage on-premises
resources
4. Cloud Ramp-Up Time
Estimate expected staff ramp-up time
5. Cloud ROI
Estimate the expected Return on Investment (ROI)
6. Cloud Security Spending
Analyze possible expenditures related to providing the necessary level of security
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5. 2. Cloud Cost-Benefit Analysis
(Steps)
1. Gather Requirements (1 day)
Review business goals and perceived limitations, as well as conduct information
delivery requirements analysis
2. Information Management and Delivery Assessment (2 days)
Evaluate data models, underlying products and business, data collection practices
and technology
3. Technology Assessment (2 days)
Examine hardware infrastructure, database platforms, software, data integration,
and analytics tools
4. Cloud Computing vs. On-Premises Resources (2 days)
Evaluate the initial investment, annual costs, and return on investment (ROI)
5. Organizational and Operational Assessment (1 day)
Outline roles and responsibilities, structure of organization, recommend changes for
organizational structure
6. Document Findings and Report Delivery (2 days)
Evaluate current business strategy, find existing gaps, and recommend adjustments
and next steps
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6. 3. Cloud Training
(Goals)
Cloud Training Goals:
1. Cloud Overview
Get an overview of the Cloud Infrastructure and learn its distinction from the on-
premises systems
2. Cloud Experience
Receive real-time experience in working with cloud platforms and tools in order to be
able to manage and control the Cloud System independently
3. Cloud Quick Start
Save time and costs by making a “quick start” and manage the Cloud Infrastructure
right after it has been implemented
4. Cloud Security and Data Handling
Understand the specifics of data security and data handling in the cloud environment
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7. 3. Cloud Training
(Steps)
A Typical Cloud Training Can Be Conducted in the Course of Four Days:
Day 1: Cloud Computing Overview
Cloud computing features and differences, the types of clouds and their
characteristics, the existing cloud platforms and products
Day 2: Three-Tier Architecture
Infrastructure within the cloud, including data access, storage, business logic,
transactions, and other architectural elements and communication between them
Day 3: Security
Data protection, security standards (PCI DSS, GLB, S&O), SSL (Secure Socket Layer),
etc.
Day 4: Data Handling and Training Wrap-up
Data warehousing, disaster recovery scenarios, data backup, data synchronization,
redundancy issues, etc.
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8. 4. Cloud Vendor Selection
(Goals)
Cloud Vendor Selection Goals:
1. Optimal Resource Management
 Investigate allocation of additional computing resources
 Determine scalability options depending on the server usage (hard drive space,
CPU, bandwidth)
2. Optimal Data Management
 Compare data management options
 Analyze data back-up and recovery options
3. Optimal Security Management
 Investigate Security standards for data access and management
4. Optimal Low-Level Resource Management
 Determine Cloud Environment controls
 Investigate low-level resource controls
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9. 4. Cloud Vendor Selection
(Solutions)
Since Cloud Vendors differ in their capabilities, product offerings, and maturity,
the Cloud Researcher should review the pros and cons of each of the Cloud
vendors to single out the one that best suits the requirements. Among the top-
tier Cloud Vendors, companies are now challenged to select from the following
list:
 Amazon EC2
 Rackspace Cloud Sites and Cloud Servers
 Salesforce.com
 Microsoft Azure
 GoGrid
 Google Application Engine
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10. 4. Cloud Vendor Selection
(Steps)
Cloud Vendor Selection Steps:
1. Analyze the company’s infrastructure, goals, and the existing challenges
 Complex IT Infrastructure Management
 Credit Cards and Personal Data Security
 Traffic Spikes
2. Outline the main criteria that would define the Cloud Vendor of choice
 Scalability support
 Mature security models to protect financial and personal data
 Advanced server configuration
3. Conduct Cloud Vendor comparison in accordance with the selected criteria
 Ability to automatically set up additional servers
 Access to low-level resources
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11. 5. Cloud Management Platform Selection
(Goals)
Cloud Management Platform Selection Goals:
1. Cloud Vendor/Cloud Management Platform Compatibility
 Investigate Cloud Vendor support
 Determine Cloud Vendor integration
 Investigate Hybrid Cloud suitability
2. Auto-Scaling and Manual Resource Scalability
 Analyze resource management tools
 Analyze resource management automation
3. Cloud Environment Management
 Investigate Cloud monitoring
 Test Cloud alerting
 Test Cloud reporting
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12. 5. Cloud Management Platform Selection
(Solutions)
To select the best fit, the Cloud Researcher has to look at the pros and cons of
different Cloud Management platforms. Currently, the choice is typically
between the following platforms:
 RightScale
 enStratus
 Plesk
 Eucalyptus
The core point of the analysis is to compare the list of federated services each
Cloud Platform provides, including logging and log aggregation, security, server
provisioning and deployment, database provisioning and deployment,
distributed authentication, and others.
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13. 5. Cloud Management Platform Selection
(Steps)
Cloud Management Platform Selection Steps:
1. Analyze the company’s infrastructure, goals, and the existing challenges
 Complex IT infrastructure
 Lack of experience in working with Cloud Management Platforms
 Traffic spikes
2. Outline the main criteria that may define the platform of choice
 Hybrid Cloud support
 Auto-Scaling
 Alerts and log reports across multiple custom parameters
3. Evaluate the list of federated services and operational capabilities each Cloud
Platform provides and choose the most appropriate fit
 Logging and Log aggregation
 Server Provisioning and Deployment
 Distributed Authentication
 Metadata mapping
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14. 6. About Akelios
Akelios is a team of Cloud Computing experts that provides a wide range of
Cloud Computing services, including Cloud training, Cloud development, Cloud
migration, and Cloud support. We assist companies across the various stages of
the Cloud adoption cycle, providing:
 Cloud Vendor, Platform, and Product Selection
 Cloud Application Migration
 Cost-Benefit Analysis
 Cloud Disaster Recovery
 Security Planning
 Cloud Performance Tuning
 Cloud Architecture Design
To learn how Akelios can help your company benefit from the cutting-edge
technologies and cost savings the Cloud provides, please visit
http://akelios.com.
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15. Thank You!
More Questions?
Send me an e-mail: info@akelios.com
Visit my blog: blog.akelios.com
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/theakelios
Author: Matthew Brown, VP of Marketing
linkedin.com/companies/akelios
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