As firms increasingly migrate applications and data to the cloud, the outliers become more complex and time-consuming. To help improve the development of IT infrastructures and cut the workloads of cloud engineers, a new strategy has emerged – “cloud operations,” or CloudOps.
The purpose of CloudOps is to optimise the performance of your IT network whilst effectively smoothing the path between legacy systems and a cloud environment.
You can think of CloudOps in a similar way to DevOps – which you may or may not be more familiar with. Both DevOps and CloudOps are practices that combine software development with IT operations.
The amount of time you can save by adopting CloudOp strategies could be crucial to cost savings, improving client-facing services and staying competitive by getting products to market quickly.
In short, companies with large IT infrastructures can’t afford to ignore CloudOps.
What would you use CloudOps for?
CloudOps practically covers every facet of an IT infrastructure. Most businesses initially adopt a CloudOps model to focus on initiatives that enhance customer experience, enhance productivity and increase sales.
But essentially, you would use CloudOps to develop all areas of your business that rely on a digital environment and that will benefit from some form of application development.
CloudOps gives you access to foundation layers which allow you to build unique systems. You can deploy, manage and monitor the performance of your core systems and make continuous improvements.
The ability to manage and monitor your network using data and code as infrastructure makes it easier to integrate third-party software that may not be compatible. This inevitably causes downtime and a loss of productivity.
And let’s not forget the security layer which has to encompass the entire IT infrastructure. Cybersecurity defences require integration at every touchpoint and can be time-consuming.
So what does CloudOps bring to the table?
Faster Computation
The ability to access data, infrastructure code, a consolidated dashboard, builds, automation, run quality tests, create reports and more enables developers to build a network that is more reliable and easier to use.
Cloud systems typically have faster computation which means responses are quicker and productivity is higher. They are also more flexible and scalable than onsite servers which enables you to add or remove applications and accounts in less time.
Increasing the efficiency of your business network will also prompt you to adopt more applications available in the cloud. As tech companies phase out software you can buy off the shelf and install on your dedicated servers, getting hold of the best and latest software may not be so easy in the near future.
Less Hardware, More Cost-Effective
To purchase, run, maintain and replace on-site servers is costly. Depending on the size of your company and the amount of data you will need a dedicated server to host, you can expect to pay around £600 to over £1000 for an on-site server.
You then have to factor in the running costs; the electricity to power the server and the ventilator to keep it from overheating. The average life expectancy of dedicated servers is around four years. Then you will need to replace it. If you run out of storage space you may even need more than one server to run your business.
Cloud servers dispense with on-site servers – and all the costs that come with them. Cloud packages are usually less expensive because there is less hardware involved. A Microsoft 365 Premium Business, for example, is £16.60 per person.
Moreover, because there is less hardware, there is less for CloudOp developers to think about and do. In the cloud, they only need to focus on how to develop applications and navigate risk.
Enhance the Reliability of your Business Network
A key advantage to cloud computing, in general, is that subscribers have easy access to the latest version of the software through simple updates. Software companies are always looking to improve their tools. However, updates can cause a conflict with other pieces of software.
CloudOps engineers play a significant role in ensuring third-party software is compatible. If there is a conflict, the likely outcome is that your systems will not work efficiently, and you’ll probably experience downtime.
Cloud environments naturally provide optimum uptime, and with the continuous integration of various third-party applications, maintenance becomes easier for CloudOp developers. Most solutions can be performed in real-time with very little delay experienced.
Challenges of CloudOps
As you expect from most maturing technologies, cloud computing is not without its challenges. The biggest challenge for companies in the current paradigm is not necessarily the technology itself but finding professionals that know how to get the most from it.
Cloud computing can offer firms a fistful of benefits. But the benefits are only felt if your cloud operations are installed, built and maintained in the right way. This is where cloud expertise plays a central role.
We don’t intend to step on the toes of in-house IT professionals. We understand how important you guys are to the running of a business and have much more insight into how you need your network to function than any outsourced IT service professional.
However, it is acknowledged that there is a skill shortage in cloud computing – which is why it is advisable to take advantage of the knowledge offered by our cloud specialists in London.
As a case in point, it is reported that 80% of all data breaches were due to misconfigured clouds. The concern is that 99% of failures in a cloud environment will be due to human error because of a lack of skills and knowledge.
Migrating to a cloud environment will be further enhanced by adopting a CloudOps strategy. Whilst CloudOps presents yet another learning curve, developing a highly efficient cloud environment will benefit your business.
If you haven’t migrated to the cloud yet, it may only be a matter of time. Your options will be limited. And when you do move to the cloud, or if you’ve already adopted cloud computing but not feeling its optimum benefits, give our cloud experts in London a call. We’ll be glad to help.