achieving cloud superiority: the benefits of advisory...

Achieving Cloud Superiority:The Benefits of Advisory ServicesA Tangoe e-Book

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The Benefits of Advisory Services

©Tangoe Inc. | tangoe.com

Cloud computing has rapidly emerged as an

essential technology for achieving economies of

scale, reducing spending, globalizing work

forces, improving accessibility, and streamlining

processes. Accordingly, enterprises face

numerous choices and challenges regarding

cloud computing implementation and adoption.

Across a wide array of industries, enterprises

increasingly look to cloud-based solutions to

meet their unique and diverse needs.

Executive Summary

Cloud computing was born out of the necessity for computing on the

go. It brings the user access to data, applications, and storage that are

not stored on their computer.

Apprenda, Cloud Computing Overview

Organizations of all types and sizes need to look

to third party experts to guide them through the

transition of adopting a cloud infrastructure or to

conduct a thorough analysis of their current cloud

application usage. Tangoe’s MatrixCloud Adviso-

ry Services was created to help customers under-

stand and choose the perfect cloud solution for

their enterprise.

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Understanding the Broad Strokes of Cloud Architecture

Critical Elements

When considering a cloud solution, some key elements are often not

considered until it is too late, yet they are critical to any enterprise cloud

solution. Network, data center estate, application readiness, mobility, and

security are five areas that cannot be overlooked nor under appreciated.

In part, the criticality of these elements is what has caused some of the

delayed cloud adoption for business-critical applications by the enterprise

community. Proper integration and sizing of these elements can help ensure

that enterprise-certified guidelines are extended to the cloud solution.

The Front End

In order to begin navigating the hectic skies of cloud computing, we must

understand some fundamental aspects of cloud architecture. We can think

of a cloud system as consisting of two parts: the front end and the back

end. These components connect to each other through local networks or

the internet. The front end usually refers to a computer or mobile device

through which the user accesses and uses the cloud service functionality.

This interaction between the user and the cloud can be made possible by an

internet browser or by stand-alone applications that connect to the network.

As of today, at least 72% of businesses

have adopted the cloud. Within

three years, that number will reach

a staggering 91% of businesses.

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The Back End

The back ends consists of the processing equipment and data storage systems

that safe guard data and perform complex computational tasks. Initially, most

cloud applications involved primary data storage, but we can now enjoy see

virtually all types of applications imaginable, from simple word processing to

resource-hungry video rendering. Accordingly, in most cases different cloud

applications run on dedicated servers. For example, a cloud service hosting a

web-based photo editor would probably not use the same server as a web-based

email client. Some systems, however, utilize server virtualization which makes it

possible to configure a server to run multiple independent operating systems.

The Importance of Redundancy

Cloud services usually save multiple copies of data on different machines in

the event of a software or hardware failure. In addition, computer systems may

require maintenance repairs or hardware replacements. Redundancy ensures

that the information and processing power remain available and seamless even

if the cloud provider switches out valuable components or performs upgrades.

Most systems store the same data on multiple servers that use different power

supplies. That way, clients can access their data even if one power supply fails.

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1Private

On the private side of cloud computing, many

businesses today have created their own

ecosystem that they host or manage themselves.

These organizations have fenced off the outside

world from their own locations, offices, and

warehouses. That is why this type of architecture

is often referred to as the “ring fenced cloud.”

Private clouds are traditionally hosted internally

by the enterprise itself in air-cooled rooms piled

high with server racks and an indecipherable

snare of Ethernet cables, routers, and switches.

According to the most common private cloud

infrastructure, “the pool of resource” can only

be accessed by the organization itself. This

removes the notion of “shared risk” that can be

a concern when multiple enterprises are running

on the same servers. While your enterprise

may not be a tempting target for hackers or

Cloud Types

virtual thieves, another company running on

your shared cloud server could fall victim to

malicious attacks. Attempts at accessing or

destroying data on cloud networks are, for the

most part, thwarted or contained, but they still

pose a potential threat if ill-doers are able to

cause disruptions of service. As such, the private

cloud offers the benefits of greater privacy and

control, but may experience considerably higher

costs compared to a more public cloud model.

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Hybrid

The hybrid computing environment features

a cooperative, symbiotic system where the

enterprise provides and manages certain

resources internally while third parties manage

and host other components and services

of the cloud architecture. For example, an

organization could utilize a public cloud service

such as Google Docs for storing spreadsheets

and sales documents, but retain internal

storage servers for sensitive customer data.

The hybrid methodology affords enterprises

the advantage of scalability and the

lower costs of a public cloud computing

environment without exposing critical

applications and data to external liabilities.

Public

The growing need for seemingly infinitesimal

quantities of data and ease of implementation

have caused a shift towards public and hybrid

cloud computing. Don’t let the term “public

cloud” mislead you. Most public cloud services

offer state-of-the-art security and encryption. Still,

there remains the “shared risk” factor mentioned

above. In this type of cloud model, a service

provider offers data storage, processing power,

and application hosting to the public over the

Internet. Public cloud computing is traditionally

less expensive than the private model because

the hardware and bandwidth costs remain

the responsibility of the provider. This allows

subscribers to focus on their core product or

service without worrying about scalability and

wasted resources since they are most commonly

billed for only the resources that they consume.

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The Challenges of Cloud Computing

According to Syntax Solutions’ recent study,

the cloud computing industry grew more than

300% between 2006 and 2014. This study

also indicated that the global cloud computing

industry growth rate is currently five times higher

than the global IT growth rate. The demand for

instant access to everything, combined with

pervasive connectivity, have businesses looking

more to cloud services than ever before.

This considerable growth and transformation

give rise to authentication and security concerns.

Consequently, companies are adopting cloud

services at a rapid pace, oftentimes in an

unorganized manner that results in an overall

lack of visibility at a higher level. In addition,

there is lack of awareness regarding what

cloud apps are used within an organization

and how these applications are sourced.

Your Employees are

Already on the Cloud

A recent eye-opening survey indicated that the

average enterprise uses more than 450 cloud

apps. This figure proved to be 9-10 times greater

than average corporate IT team estimated.

Another survey revealed that 30 percent of

Software as a Service (SaaS) apps were being

used outside of IT’s sphere of control. These

results paint a startling image of a chaotic cloud

atmosphere, where employees in need of

solutions fail to adhere to IT policies or, in many

cases, are acting in absence of an IT policy.

A failure to identify and reign in cloud-related

services being used by employees could lead

to potential liabilities and security issues.

Senior finance executives get it. Over

the next 12 to 18 months, 76% of them

say that the cloud will be crucial to

their organization’s strategies.

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The exponential increase in cloud computing

in the global market has some enterprises

scrambling to determine their current level of

cloud computing utilization and their specific

needs. These can be daunting tasks, and without

expert guidance, enterprises can find themselves

mired down with bloated infrastructures, too little

bandwidth, and a lack of control of their existing

cloud resources. Conversely, companies could

invest heavily in cloud computing technology

far behind their needs and resources. Herein

lies the importance of expert advisory services.

Advising to Evolve:

MatrixCloud Advisory Services

Because cloud technology allows organizations

to become more productive, collaborative, and

ultimately more competitive in their industry,

Tangoe has created cloud solutions that help

in maintaining an efficient and successful

cloud solution. Many organizations lack the

necessary expertise and industry knowledge

required to run a cloud program, and managing

elements such as infrastructure costs, technical

capabilities, and government regulations can

be simply too much for internal resources.

As organizations evolve and grow, employees

turn to hundreds of cloud computing

services without expressed permission from

the enterprise. In addition, more and more

companies are embracing Bring Your Own

Device (BYOD) policies, allowing employees

to use their device of choice to perform

work tasks. This is a very important aspect

to consider when building a cloud strategy,

because for many employees, their device

is their primary interface with the cloud.

Why Enterprises Need an Advisory Service

As companies accelerate their

adoption of cloud technologies–like

infrastructure as a service (IaaS) or

software as a service (SaaS)–the

need for solutions that provide secure

access and reliable operations in

the cloud increase in importance.

Bill Lowry, Radware

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Consequently, many employees take advantage

of the “personal cloud” for their work-related

tasks. For example, someone could be saving

company files on their personal Dropbox or

Google drive account for easy access outside

of the office. MatrixCloud Advisory Services

enable enterprises to gather vital statistics

regarding BYOD, personal cloud usage, and

other cloud-related activity that might not be

approved or regulated by the enterprise.

Tangoe’s MatrixCloud Advisory Services

provide crucial consulting expertise focused on

the cost, risk, productivity transformation and

strategy in relation to cloud management.

Tangoe’s Cloud Maturity Model helps to quantify

the client’s environment regarding these crucial

areas so that a successful Cloud solution and

enablement can be realized. Accordingly,

enterprises will learn to harness the power of

the cloud to increase customer satisfaction

and improve workforce collaboration and

productivity. MatrixCloud Advisory Services

guide organizations through every step of

strategy building such as workload analysis

RFP management, competitive pricing analysis,

RFP management, and continuing education.

Furthermore, MatrixCloud Advisory Services are

scalable so that customers can augment existing

systems or replace on-premises solutions with

cloud capabilities to streamline IT processes.

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Summary

Tangoe’s MatrixCloud Advisory Services provide organizations with an

objective assessment of their cloud environment and provide expert

advice to better utilize the formidable power of the cloud. Tangoe’s

consultants have the required industry experience and expertise to

reduce the complexity of implementing a cloud solution, creating a clear

transformational plan for the people, processes, and technology involved.

Tangoe’s industry-leading experts help set specific goals and parameters,

providing recommendations to help drive savings, flexibility, security, and ensure

industry compliance. MatrixCloud Advisory Services consultants work meticulously

with you to develop a business case, define and outline the architecture, and

create a plan to achieve operational success in your cloud environment.

Next Steps

Interested in learning more about Tangoe’s Cloud capabilities?

Visit www.tangoe.com to find out more about how Tangoe can

help your organization outperform your competitors.

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About Tangoe

Tangoe (NASDAQ: TNGO) is a leading global

provider of Connection Lifecycle Management

software and services to a wide range of global

enterprises and service providers. The company’s

Connection Lifecycle Management technology,

Matrix, is an on-demand suite of software

and services designed to turn on, manage,

secure, and support various connections in an

enterprise’s communications lifecycle, including

mobile, fixed, machine, cloud, social, and IT.

©Tangoe Inc. | Powering the Connected Enterprise

Additional information about Tangoe can

be found at www.tangoe.com. Tangoe is

a registered trademark of Tangoe, Inc.

MatrixCloud Advisory Services

35 Executive Blvd., Orange, CT 06477

203.859.9300 | www.tangoe.com

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