The Doppler Effect
Over the past several years we have seen
many of our clients’ cloud programs make
great progress -- and some only up to a
point. The fact is, getting to scale with
public cloud requires a wholesale trans-
formation in IT, involving people, pro-
cesses and technology.
Some clients have the resources and drive
to take on this transformation and see it
through. Others start well but then get
bogged down due to the level of commit-
ment required to begin realizing value.
Still others know from the beginning that
they have neither the desire nor the
wherewithal to take this on -- at least not
at this time. And why should they, if they
don’t have to? Cloud is NOT their business
and most often yields no differentiation to
it.
Across many engagements we have helped
clients build out their operating models.
The environment, based on our Minimum
Viable Cloud (MVC) methodology, has
included tooling, new security architec-
tures, automation and process models
that align IT with the cloud. Along the way
we have learned a few things about what
success looks like, and about some of the
common pitfalls that can be easily over-
looked. Increasingly, enterprises are start-
ing to recognize the value of merging pub-
lic and on-premise cloud programs under
a common operating model. However, that
also increases the number of operating
environments and thus, the complexity
and risk -- making it even harder to go it
alone.
On page 50, John Treadway explores the virtues
of leveraging a managed service provider (MSP)
-- increasingly referred to as a Cloud MSP
(or cloud service provider) -- to
accelerate
the
time-to-value
and
increase the scale of the cloud program.
By offloading all the operational com-
plexity, retooling and talent transforma-
tion challenges to a competent third
party, enterprises can migrate faster,
accelerate innovation and lower risk.
Often, the results can include a much
lower cost operating model -- since it
takes practice and experience to scale
efficiently.
As we have looked across the market, one
thing has become clear: not all Cloud
MSPs are created equal. The DNA is key,
with
born-in-the-cloud
providers
focused entirely on public cloud operat-
ing models, while traditional ITO/MSPs
attempt to bolt legacy thinking and labor-
heavy processes onto the new model.
Some Cloud MSPs are locally or region-
ally strong, while others have a national
or global capability in line with their
larger enterprise clients.
It is important to have a clear under-
standing of what it means to be a fully
enterprise-capable Cloud MSP, and why
the wrong choice can result in increased
risk and less than optimal value. In this
edition, we explore cloud management
options and the fundamental elements
enterprises should look for in a cloud
managed service provider. Finding the
right fit goes a long way toward achieving
an organization’s ongoing success, both now
and in a future, fully hybrid cloud model.
Bruce Coughlin
Chief Executive Officer
SUMMER 2018 | THE DOPPLER | 1