Cloud and Open Source, similar patterns, same mistakes?

The cloud approach and strategy of many companies remind me of my long-time experience with Open Source software. 

When I initially started promoting and supporting the first Linux distributions, Open Office, RedHat Jboss, Alfresco, in the distant year 2000s many companies were excited to be able to download, install and start using great software products like the one I just mentioned.

 It was quite easy for the IT department, the software developers, to have access to great communities, libraries, packages, entire frameworks to deploy a complete web application without spending one pound of licensing costs. 

But not all that glitters is gold.

If you don’t have the required skills, training, documentation, support you can end up with your costs growing, poor performance, scalability issues, security risks and, at the end, you will point your finger to the open source product instead of looking yourself at the mirror. 

What was your plan for introducing these new technologies? Were all the stakeholders and SMEs involved? What were the business case and the expected outcomes? Did you have proper KPI and did you monitor them? What about the governance process and the risk assessment?

Now this sounds very familiar to me, isn’t it? 

Cloud migration in a Multi-hybrid-cloud environment requires strategy, design, governance, monitoring, new skills and operating model, adjustments and a continuous agile mindset to be able to achieve the expected benefits at the end and through the journey. 

There is no doubt that all the Cloud players, AWS, Microsoft, Google and others can provide you; infinite storage and scalability, security, business agility and innovation, competitive advantages to overcome your competition and, also, why not, cost savings!

But you need time and patience to achieve that. 

Being Italian I would dream to drive a Ferrari F1-SF1000, at the Imola circuit to enjoy the speed and power of that prodigious engine.

But, although if I am quite an experienced driver, being able to drive on the right side of the road even here in England, without the appropriate plan, preparation, training and support I am sure I couldn’t even start the engine, not talking about completing the first turn! 

 Again, the journey to Cloud can be quite tricky.

With a credit card you can have immediate access to computing and storage services, it’s easy and very satisfying but if you don’ t have the right approach you will end up with a proliferation of Shadow IT and non-optimal environment hindering the business.

I am sure you will fall into the same mistakes and disenchantment many have already experienced with the Open Source wave.

 You need to have a clear plan, a strategy that is more than “I want to be Cloud First”.

You need to understand what are your business and IT drivers, and you need the right partner, whose role is not to sell you the best cloud product or solution, but to help you to deeply understand what are your needs, what is your current environment, your challenges, what is the target architecture you want to design, what are the steps you need to take.

Everyone wants to be a billionaire but if you start with a £200 bank account, the effort, the strategy, the approach, it’s quite different than if you have assets of £999M!

Certain companies are more “Cloud ready” than others and you need to understand where you are positioned.

 There is no Cloud Miracle or Silver Bullet but be reassured because “The force runs strong in your.. company” and if you resist to the “dark forces”, your journey will be a success.

Finally, you need to stop thinking that a Cloud Migration is an Infrastructure project, that business doesn’t need to be involved because, believe me or not, this will change the way the whole company will collaborate, work and be digital from the foundations to the user experience you will deliver to your internal and external customers.

 Are you ready for this incredible journey? With Atos OneCloud we will not take you to Mars as the Perseverance Rover, but we will help you to be more successful, competitive and become a modern, thriving company with the clients at the center of your universe.