The Doppler Quarterly Special Edition 2019 | Page 85

As cloud environments become more
complex, MSPs need to offer the right mix of
services to meet users’ expectations, now and
in the future, in a fully hybrid cloud model.
As enterprises formulate plans for their future IT needs, one trend is clear: Cloud will be
front and center.
What is less clear to these same enterprises is how they will choose to manage their new
cloud-focused environment. Some will manage it themselves. Others will bring on a
managed service provider (MSP) with specialized talents to help them navigate the
complexities imposed by the quantum shift to a particular type of cloud environment. A
third group will engage with a managed service provider focused on a broader mission:
managing hybrid environments which include resources in data centers, private clouds
and/or one or more public clouds.
How much is riding on an enterprise’s decision? At the very least, matching the right
cloud management strategy to the right organization will reduce the turmoil connected
to what is typically a stressful IT transformation. For most, finding the right fit goes a
long way toward achieving an organization’s ongoing success.
Before we discuss management options and evaluate the elements to consider in mak-
ing cloud management decisions, let us look briefly at what kinds of problems a misfit-
ting strategy can bring:
• An increase in operational risk. If something goes wrong with a cloud implemen-
tation, it impacts the organization’s ability to execute on revenue-generating
operations, such as sales and supply chain management.
• An increase in security risk. Running applications in the public cloud, the attack
surface is larger. If the cloud is built without proper security, this can create an
open door for attackers.
• A decrease in value. Not having the right support can make moving to the cloud
cost more money and take more time than you estimated in your value analysis.
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