Cloud-Based Enterprise IT

Trends:

• Cloud
• IT commercialisation
• Cross-enterprise collaboration

IT as Enterprise Integrator

Service-centric IT Ecosystem

Hybrid IT Portfolio

Five-phase approach (adapting ITIL methodology):

1. Strategy: Our approach starts by identifying business needs and then defines the service capabilities and parameters necessary to support the business.
2. Design: The enterprise identifies the necessary services and selects potential service providers. This process includes conventionally provided in-house services, but mainly focuses on external service providers.
3. Implementation: In service-based IT, implementation includes negotiating and contracting for services, followed by assembly (or integration) of those services.
4. Operation: The ongoing maintenance of business and technical relationships with service providers helps account for changes in the business and technology landscapes.
5. Continuous improvement: The final phase is an ongoing effort to manage relationships with service providers to maximize business benefit. Efforts in this phase include assessing risks and devising mitigation strategies to protect against service disruptions or failures.

Source: Jamie Erbes et al, The Future of Enterprise IT in the Cloud, IEEE Computer, May 2012.