Monday, January 31, 2011

Finding Value in Cloud Computing – Part 3: Business Focus

Most business and IT executives would rather invest in those business capabilities and processes that are essential to serving their customers and that differentiate them from the competition. They are focused on enabling and automating their ‘Core’ and ‘Differentiating’ business capabilities and processes.

The Cloud Computing paradigm allows organizations to focus their professional and technical resources on building and delivering functionality that provides business value. This minimizes investment in business capabilities and processes that are not ‘Core’ or ‘Differentiating’.

Whether in the form of a Public Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, or Private Cloud, organizations can leverage the service-orientation within the Cloud computing paradigm to focus IT investments on solving business problems and enabling business capabilities rather than technical details.

__ Joseph Starwood (www.linkedin.com/in/JosephStarwood)

Friday, January 28, 2011

Finding Value in Cloud Computing – Part 2: Business-IT Alignment

Increasingly, business are insisting that the information technology (IT) function lead innovation of business practices and contribute to increased revenue generation. “If IT still thinks of itself as something that keeps the lights on, it is limiting its potential. Today, business wants IT to lead the way and show how to: Acquire more customers, enhance customer experience and keep employees happy.” __CIO.com, ‘2011 Non-tech Prediction: Business-IT Alignment’, 2011_JAN-19, (http://www.cio.in/article/2011-non-tech-prediction-business-it-alignment)

The Cloud computing paradigm can help organizations transform the role of the IT function and ensure that it meets these goals. Many organizations are using Cloud computing to deliver services to their customer in ways not previously practical. Additionally, the Cloud computing paradigm is enabling organizations to offer new services and improved pricing to their customers. General Electric (GE), for example, leveraged Cloud computing to greatly improve its global supply chain and e-procurement capabilities. __CIO.com, ‘GE CIO Gets His Head in the Cloud for New SaaS Supply Chain App’, 2009-JAN-22, (http://www.cio.com/article/477499/GE_CIO_Gets_His_Head_in_the_Cloud_for_New_SaaS_Supply_Chain_App)

__ Joseph Starwood (www.linkedin.com/in/JosephStarwood)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Finding Value in Cloud Computing – Part 1: Introduction

Businesses, under increasing market and competitive pressures, are seeking new ways to improve business operations, enhance value propositions, meet variable demands, reduce costs, and manage risks. Cloud computing presents a viable option for many organizations.

Interest in Cloud computing has grown over the past few years. Today, it is the investment option most on the minds of these executives. “A report just published claims to show that cloud computing has shot up to the top of the agenda in most corporates, as the number one investment priority in the IT stakes for the year ahead.” __InfoSecurity.com (UK), ‘Cloud computing is top investment priority for 2011’,2011-JAN-27, (
http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/15480/cloud-computing-is-top-investment-priority-for-2011/)

Cloud computing has captured the attention of Business and IT executives around the world; especially those in emerging market economies. “Don't be surprised if the growth rates of cloud computing in emerging economies far outstrips that in more developed nations.” __CIO.com, ‘Cloud Computing: 2011 Predictions’2010-DEC-09, (
http://www.cio.com/article/645763/Cloud_Computing_2011_Predictions?page=2&taxonomyId=3112)

An Enterprise may obtain several benefits from the Cloud computing paradigm. These include:

  • Business-IT Alignment
  • Business Focus
  • Resource Leverage
  • Time-To-Market
  • Elastic Capacity
  • CapEx Management
  • OpEx Management
  • Green Initiatives

This is the first in a series of articles in which we will explore the benefits of Cloud Computing.

__ Joseph Starwood (www.linkedin.com/in/JosephStarwood)

Monday, January 10, 2011

Executive Seminar – Enabling IT Value Through EA – Prof. Jeanne Ross

Executive Seminar – Enabling IT Value Through EA – Prof. Jeanne Ross

Location: Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, Peter B. Lewis Building Room 201, 11119 Bellflower Road, Cleveland OH 44106
Date: 2011-02-18 / Time: 12 Noon
Price: Free
Spaces Available: Limited Space Remaining

Description
This premier half-day seminar is brought to Northeast Ohio collaboratively by the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management, the Northeast Ohio IT and Enterprise Architects (NEO-ITEA), and the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Society for Information Management (SIM). It provides an opportunity to engage with recognized experts and local IT executives to identify the roadblocks standing in the way of realizing the full value of IT investments. Discover how enterprise architecture can overcome roadblocks, enabling corporate strategies and turning IT from a liability to a strategic asset.

This event is essential for business and IT executives and leaders, enterprise and IT architects, and others with a stake in enabling IT value and driving business–IT alignment.

Registration is free and does not require NEO-ITEA membership.


About Prof. Jeanne Ross
Dr Jeanne W. Ross, Director and Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Sloan School’s Center for Information Systems Research is our keynote speaker. Dr Ross is a nationally recognized authority on leveraging Enterprise Architecture to enable business strategies and corporate operating models, and is the co-author of several widely read books: 1) Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution; 2) IT Savvy: What Top Executives Must Know to Go from Pain to Gain; and, 3) IT Governance: How Top Performers Manage IT Decision Rights for Superior Results.

Special Features
In addition to Dr. Ross’ keynote, Case Western Reserve University will present their research on the impact of enterprise architecture on the performance of Federal Government Agencies, IBM will present on the impact of enterprise architecture on financial companies, and there will be a Panel discussion with Dr Ross, corporate IT executives and IBM speaker on opportunities and challenges in leveraging Enterprise Architecture to gain IT value.

Space is limited. Register now!
http://www.neoitea.com/ea-seminar/

__ Joseph Starwood, NEO-ITEA Co-Founder & Past-Secretary (
www.linkedin.com/in/JosephStarwood)