Make The Cloud Enterprise Ready

In 2008, Forrester examined whether cloud computing was ready for the enterprise. In 2012, the answer is a definitive yes, but many enterprises aren't ready for the cloud. This report outlines the future state of cloud computing for CIOs. It looks at the value proposition of cloud computing — its current state and its impacts on enterprise IT— why CIOs should care about it, and to what degree they are and should be investing in it in 2012 and beyond. Long term, enterprises will have a hybrid portfolio of cloud and non-cloud workload deployments that uses this breadth of options to optimize resource and agility requirements. In this future state, the majority of systems of engagement workloads will be cloud-resident while your systems of record evolve to cloud at a slower but deliberate pace. The end result will be a mixed environment managed through a decision tree and series of workload automation systems that ensure governance and regulatory compliance across this portfolio. This report looks at what is — and isn't — cloud computing, where it's most applicable, its different forms (software-as-a-service to infrastructure-as-a-service) and deployments (public, private, and hybrid). The report also provides guidance on where you should start and suggests methods for building a sound strategy.