Page 119 - Cloud Essentials
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CERTIFICATION OBJECTIVE 5.01
Cloud Computing Changes on IT Service Management
Cloud computing is a set of technologies and an approach to IT service
delivery, but no technology exists in a business without a set of procedures
and standards to guide its operation and management. IT staff members
work together to carry out the processes that deliver the IT services on
which a business relies. It is the nature of these processes to be closely
interrelated. You cannot change one process without making compensatory
changes in other processes. Changes in one process impact one or more
other processes and may require compensatory changes to ensure continued
smooth operations. An organization could make changes to process A
without making compensatory changes to process B, but there is risk in that
approach.
Impact on Service Management Processes
Cloud adoption is motivated by business benefits, and implementing cloud
computing means that some processes must change. Not all organizations
have the same business reasons for cloud adoption; hence, organizations
might also differ in their focus on the service management processes that
need adapting first.
The traditional IT model involves acquiring, installing, and maintaining
computing resources that provide business value. This takes time (loss of
time means loss of a competitive edge) and a larger initial investment than
“pay-as-you-go” cloud services, where you are essentially renting
computing services. Cloud computing introduces an elastic, quickly
provisioned service consumption model. This reduced time frame means IT
processes must change.
Service reliability becomes a focal point instead of traditional computing
resource availability. For example, computing resources are readily
available in a public cloud, whereas within an organization they are limited.
Because cloud services are accessible across a network, the cloud provider
and your network connection to them must be reliable.
Service Management Phases
Cloud services require changes to some processes within each of the four
service management phases. These processes will be discussed in greater
detail in the following sections.
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