Sef-Reflection: Where is your team on the road to the private cloud?
March 16, 2012
In my last installment on the benefits of cloud computing, Considerations for catalogs, controls, compliance in private clouds, I raised points about what needs to change to get to the private cloud, and I focused on three main areas: people, process and technology. Before we get started transforming each area, it’s important to understand where you are today so that you can plot the right trajectory, and as you progress toward your goal, you can make course corrections as needed.
One thing to keep in mind as we discuss this maturity model is that it is not a clean-cut exercise. In any organization, you will find areas that can be scored "more mature" and other areas that can be scored "less mature" on the same topic. This is normal. Depending on the focus, one or more areas will have improved significantly while other areas have not. Let’s take a look at them now…
When we first start down this path, it is important to understand where you are today and how you got there. Did your virtualization initiatives start in test and development and then were eventually thrust upon IT to support? Was virtualization a strategic decision? Were you able to adapt your processes from the physical space to include the virtual? Are you on top of your resources or are they running away from you? Lets look at your virtual infrastructure and see what is in place today to support the private cloud.
As virtualization is a critical component of the private cloud, look at your environment and answer these few questions:
1. Have you implemented a virtual first policy?
a. Yes
b. No
2. What do you use virtualization for today?
a. Low-hanging fruit – file/print servers
b. Test/dev
c. Production servers
d. Virtual first strategy
3. Do you have IT resources defined as virtual infrastructure architects?
a. Yes
b. No
4. Is there sponsorship for your virtualization initiatives from senior management?
a. Yes
b. No
5. For each physical server you deploy, how many virtual servers are deployed?
a. < 10
b. 10-20
c. 20-50
d. 50+
6. Does your service catalog contain primarily services hosted on your virtual infrastructure?
a. Yes
b. No
7. Have you financially accounted for the benefits of virtualization in your organization?
a. Yes
b. No
When you look at the theme of these questions, you get an understanding that to achieve a private cloud, an organization must have:
- Secured executive sponsorship for the initiative;
- Financially accounted for the benefits of virtualization;
- Attained the right skill set on staff;
- Implemented a virtual first policy to ensure that all new servers are created in the virtual infrastructure unless there is compelling evidence as to why you shouldn’t; and
- Already started down the path of deploying production servers in the virtual infrastructure.
If you find you are deficient in any of these areas, then you must take steps to improve upon them before you will succeed with your private cloud initiatives.
Remember, "cloudification" isn’t just about me telling my story. We can only learn and move forward by sharing ideas and exchanging concerns and questions about cloud adoption. I’d like to hear your thoughts, experiences and best practices regarding how virtualization and the cloud have affected your enterprise and the way you deliver IT services. And, if you have any questions or want to start a discussion, I welcome that, too.