Transformation and Sustainability Complement the Cloud in Managed Services
Business leaders are calling on CIOs to deliver more responsive IT services at lower cost. The solutions proposed by most IT service vendors involve not only legacy modernization, but also transformation from discrete operational silos in the data center to an orchestrated, cloud-like infrastructure in which workloads are matched to the most appropriate delivery platform in terms of robustness, risk, and cost.
Regarding sustainability, organizations will expect CIOs not only to account for IT’s carbon footprint, but also implement systems and software that undertake the “carbon accounting” for the whole enterprise. In addition, IT has an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to offer alternatives to existing carbon-heavy business or consumer practices. Part of that will be the ability to support smart workplaces and unified communication and collaboration tools in the workplace, wherever that may be.
Lastly, as the hype subsides, customers and suppliers will come to see the cloud as an alternative mode of IT service delivery – one that complements enterprise IT and managed services rather than replacing them. The cloud is part of IT’s journey to a more service-like operation. The integration of cloud services alongside existing managed services will require automation and orchestration to match workloads and services to the appropriate delivery platform.
Regarding sustainability, organizations will expect CIOs not only to account for IT’s carbon footprint, but also implement systems and software that undertake the “carbon accounting” for the whole enterprise. In addition, IT has an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to offer alternatives to existing carbon-heavy business or consumer practices. Part of that will be the ability to support smart workplaces and unified communication and collaboration tools in the workplace, wherever that may be.
Lastly, as the hype subsides, customers and suppliers will come to see the cloud as an alternative mode of IT service delivery – one that complements enterprise IT and managed services rather than replacing them. The cloud is part of IT’s journey to a more service-like operation. The integration of cloud services alongside existing managed services will require automation and orchestration to match workloads and services to the appropriate delivery platform.
SUMMARY
Impact
Ovum view
Key messages
IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF IT SERVICE DELIVERY
Key challenges for CIOs
Where are we today?
Moving to the next stage
Inhibitors to change
MONITORING, MANAGING, AND REDUCING OVERALL CARBON FOOTPRINT
IT’s contribution to carbon footprint
Demand for efficiency and reigning back carbon emissions – how is IT responding?
IT’s contribution to enterprise carbon reduction
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUILD STRATEGIES FOR A SMARTER WORKPLACE
Preparing for Windows 7
Client virtualization opens the door to cloud delivery
THE CLOUD’S SUCCESS DEPENDS ON SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING IT
The cloud’s challenge to CIOs
Community clouds
Orchestrated clouds
Infrastructure investment is a question of timing
Opportunity timeline
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations for enterprises
Recommendations for suppliers
APPENDIX
Methodology
Further reading
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Leading vendors’ data center transformation services
Table 1: Leading vendors’ data center transformation services
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Opportunity timeline
Figure 1: Opportunity timeline
