Business in the Cloud: What Every Business Needs to Know About Cloud ComputingISBN: 978-0-470-61623-9
Hardcover
224 pages
November 2010
This is a Print-on-Demand title. It will be printed specifically to fill your order. Please allow an additional 10-15 days delivery time. The book is not returnable.
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Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Chapter 1 The Evolution and Future of Corporate Business Structures 1
Example of a New Corporate Organization Structure 3
Model of a Responsive Organization 5
A Cybernetic Economy 7
Cybernetics is about Control and Communication 9
Profit Potential of Self-Adjusting Feedback Loops 11
Viable Systems Model: A Framework for Business Agility 14
A Cloud-Based Model for Business Organizations 19
Notes 22
Chapter 2 The New Economics of Business 23
Moving to a Variable Cost Operating Model 24
Information Technology Finally Becomes a Utility 27
Variable Cost IT Operations Enable Business Agility 30
A Combination of Technologies Creates Cloud Computing 34
Implications of the Transition to Cloud Computing 38
Notes 41
Chapter 3 Key Technologies Used in Cloud Computing 43
Cloud Computing Defined 44
Software-as-a-Service 47
Server Virtualization 49
Service-Oriented Architecture 52
Open Source Software 54
Web Development and Mashups 58
Blending It All Together 60
Notes 61
Chapter 4 Data Security and Service Reliability 63
Will Your Cloud Service Provider Be Here Next Year? 63
What to Look for in a Good Service Provider 65
Elements of Good Data Security Policy 66
Cyber Threats and Perimeter Security in Cloud Computing 69
Encryption: The Next Frontier of Data Security 72
Contracts, Service-Level Agreements, and Guarantees 73
Negotiating Service and Pricing 77
Performance Penalties and Restitution Clauses 79
Notes 80
Chapter 5 Moving to the Cloud: When and Where 83
A Business Strategy Based on Agility 84
Using the Cloud for Business Advantage 87
Business Applications with the Greatest Potential 89
Risk Considerations with the Cloud 91
Cloud Cost Considerations 94
Case Study: Selling ‘‘Designer Chocolates’’ 96
Notes 99
Chapter 6 The Transition from Managing Technology to Managing Business Processes 101
The Fixed Cost of Maintaining Large Data Centers is Being Challenged 102
Public, Private, and Hybrid Clouds 103
Issues to Consider with Private Clouds 107
The Cloud is a Platform for Managing Business Processes 109
Automate Routine Processes and Focus People on Handling Exceptions 113
Four Technologies that Enable Responsive Business Processes 115
Notes 117
Chapter 7 The New Role of Information Technology 119
Is Traditional IT Irrelevant? 119
A Tumultuous Ride for the Chief Information Officer 121
The End of IT as We Know It 122
Changes in IT and Business Unit Staffing 123
Evolution of the Traditional Corporate IT Department 124
Agile IT Professionals Using Cloud Technology will be Embedded in Business Operating Units 125
Cloud Computing Separates Data Center Operations from System Development 127
Do We Need Enterprise Technology Architects, or Business Architects? 128
Companies are Investing in New Business Process Design 129
A Renewed Focus on Using Technology for Profit and Competitive Advantage 132
Notes 135
Chapter 8 Five Profit Enablers Driving Business to the Cloud 137
Harvard Medical School 137
Golden Gate University 140
Silicon Valley Education Foundation 143
Beachbody.com 147
Five Profit Enablers Driving Business to the Cloud . . . and Away from Corporate Data Centers 148
Notes 152
Chapter 9 The Business Impact of Cloud Computing 153
New Economic Engines for Growth 153
Time to Get Agile and Reinvent Traditional Business Operations 155
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Success in a Real-Time Economy 157
Interconnected, Adaptable, and Specialized 159
Collaboration is Now More Profitable than Control 163
Necessity Makes Radical the New Normal 165
The Recovering Complexaholic 169
Notes 170
Chapter 10 Global Implications of the Cloud 171
Real-Time Global Collaboration 171
Serious Games 173
Cloud-Based Collaboration Enables a New Way of Working: The Dynamics of Swarming 176
Real-Time Visibility Could Make Us a Whole Lot Smarter 180
New Realities and New Opportunities 183
Notes 188
About the Authors 191
Index 193