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CLOUD COMPUTING
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Cloud Automation Must Travel Well
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Thanks to technology development , workloads will soon be able to travel flexibly between clouds , cloud providers and data centres . This flexibility allows businesses to freely pursue better technology , lower costs , tighter security and simplified compliance . Cloud automation should ideally support this workload portability and evolving ecosystem through several areas :
Broad platform support IT shouldn ’ t have to use different automation solutions for different workloads running on different platforms or for transferring a workload . A good automation solution should therefore support all of IT ’ s cloud and non-cloud platforms of choice .
Simplified platform transfer In addition to supporting multiple platforms , an enterpriseclass cloud automation solution will also minimise the manual work required to move a workload between platforms with automation and associated policies intact . This simplified platform-to-platform transfer of automation policies is a key factor in workload agility .
A consistent experience Changes to vendors or cloud strategies shouldn ’ t disrupt the ability for people to get quick access to their cloud resources . When a workload is running it should have minimal impact on workers . So by offering a familiar self-service interface that automatically leverages the appropriate cloud resource , changes to infrastructure will be seamless for people outside of IT .
Cloud delivery
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IT often thinks about cloud in terms of the application code that runs in the cloud as well as the server , storage , and network infrastructure that has to be provisioned to support that application . But you can look to use as many Amazon servers as you want . You haven ’ t fulfilled the needs of your business until you actually deliver the right services and apps to the right people . Key aspects of that user access provisioning and configuration include :
Accurate , granular permissioning People need access to all applications and services appropriate for their particular role and responsibilities . They also need appropriate permissions for those applications and services and shouldn ’ t be granted those that are not appropriate for their role . Good cloud automation fulfils these requirements with policy-based controls that are easy to configure and modify .
Awareness of user session context People are becoming increasingly mobile and are using a growing number of devices . To keep the business secure , cloud automation should therefore be capable of enforcing access and permission policies that take into account session attributes such as use of non-secure public WiFi , time of day and geofencing etc .
Users app / service stores As noted above , LOB self-service is an important aspect of cloud automation . To fully realise the benefits of self-service , however , it ’ s often advisable to implement a store-style utility that lets users browse the apps that are available to them , giving users better visibility of the cloud resource catalogue .
The bottom line Hybrid cloud is a compelling model for provisioning applications . However , cloud applications and infrastructure are insufficient in themselves to get your employees the digital capabilities they need in a secure and compliant manner . To achieve this , you need highly adaptable policybased automation of the processes that people use to access these cloud services . By using automation , your business will be nimbler , more efficient and more secure , making it far more competitive in an increasingly digital centric marketplace . n ble sy
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