Cloud Readiness Research Articles

From on-premise to cloud: Evolving IT infrastructure for the AI age

The transition from traditional on-premise IT infrastructure to cloud-based systems represents a fundamental shift necessary for the advancement and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. This paper explores the critical role of cloud computing in supporting AI, emphasizing its benefits in terms of scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. It examines the limitations of on-premise systems, the advantages of various cloud models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), and key considerations for successful cloud migration, such as data security, compliance, and cost analysis. Through a detailed case study of a financial institution's cloud migration for AI implementation, this study highlights the challenges, solutions, and lessons learned in the process. The case study provides practical insights into the phased approach to cloud migration, the use of hybrid cloud solutions as transitional strategies, and the importance of training and skill development for IT teams to ensure business continuity during the transition. Furthermore, the paper discusses future trends in cloud and AI integration, including the impact of emerging cloud technologies like server less and edge computing, and the pivotal role of 5G in enhancing cloud-based AI applications. It predicts the future landscape of cloud and AI integration, emphasizing the increasing adoption of hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, investment in data privacy and security, and the integration of AI with other emerging technologies such as IoT and block-chain. The paper concludes by underscoring the importance of cloud infrastructure in the AI age and calls for businesses to evaluate their cloud readiness to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. By embracing cloud-based solutions, businesses can unlock new opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and growth, positioning themselves at the forefront of the AI revolution.

Big Data and Cloud Readiness

Big Data and Cloud Readiness

Big Data and Cloud Readiness

Integrating big data with an agile cloud platform can significantly affect how businesses achieve their objectives. Many companies are moving to the cloud, but the trust issue seemed to make a move to the cloud slower. This paper investigated the factors that affect Service Satisfaction that led to Trust. Since the sample was not normally distributed, the researchers used the PLS-SEM tool to analyse the relationship of the variables. The variables are Data Security, Data Privacy, Cloud Benefits, Reputation, Service Level Agreement (SLA), Risk Management, Service Satisfaction and Trust. The variables were linked together based on the analysis from qualitative research supported by theories, and the linkages were being validated through quantitative data analysis. The quantitative data analysis found that Data Security, Cloud Benefits, Reputation and SLA influence Service Satisfaction and Service Satisfaction influences trust.

Creation of a Unified Cloud Readiness Assessment Model to Improve Digital Transformation Strategy

Digital transformation can disrupt any organization in any industry, but few organizations have successfully transformed. For an organization to transform digitally, a firm must adopt new technologies that enable it to change how it creates value. One of the most crucial new technologies organizations need to facilitate digital transformation is Cloud services. Cloud-based technologies are necessary for digital transformation because they allow a firm to cost-effectively obtain needed infrastructure capacity, processing, and developmental flexibility to support advanced analytical tools and methods. Implementing and adopting cloud services can be challenging and requires firm leaders and transformation teams to have an effective strategy that requires understanding a company's cloud readiness. Multiple organizational factors can impact cloud readiness, and depending on a firm's strengths or weaknesses, each element will support or hinder the adoption of cloud services. Understanding a firm's cloud readiness has been shown to improve an organization's adoption of cloud services, but assessing readiness can also be challenging since different assessment models determine readiness in varying ways. Readiness assessment models range from generic technology adoption models to specific cloud services readiness models, and a unified approach is needed that combines the strengths of each model to create a more comprehensive assessment model. A meta-analysis of current readiness assessment models was conducted to identify what crucial factors of an organization need to be assessed. The findings show that there seems to be significant agreement that a company's strategy, current technology, existing operations, and external factors are crucial readiness factors. More recent assessment models also identify gaps in past models, especially on human capital capabilities, system flexibility needs, and security. A more unified cloud assessment model is proposed based on the analysis showing that a firm's readiness should be based on seven crucial factors: strategy, technology, current operations, external requirements, human capital, system flexibility, and security. The new proposed assessment model provides a more comprehensive assessment of a firm's cloud readiness and enables organizations to create an improved adoptions strategy that will better support a company's digital transformation.

A Literature Review on the Readiness for Providing Cloud Services Locally in Yemen

Over time, the importance of information and the need to use it are increased. Cloud computing provides data and computing resources to clients as a service. However, cloud computing provides to the end user computing recourses such as software, hardware, and information as a service through the available interface over the Internet to be with more advantages to make the information available and accessible whenever is needed, by using the cloud computing services offers these services. The main purpose of this literature review paper is to develop an understanding of cloud computing adoption. Moreover, this paper forms the basis of our theoretical study. In particular, we review the state of the art of cloud computing and discuss about it aspects and features. In addition, we provide a set of cloud readiness criteria and review cloud migration in some countries that have already shifted to cloud. In this paper, we investigate the readiness to provide cloud services locally, as well as the chances and challenges of combining cloud services with existing infrastructure. Furthermore, the telecom sector infrastructure is suitable to provide cloud services, as the first step to provide the cloud into the network infrastructure of such providers, enabling and enhancing the telecom sector services and infrastructure.

Cloud capability maturity model: A study of South African large enterprises

Background: The adoption of cloud services can enable enterprises to realise improved cost structures, agility and productivity, yet the rate of adoption has been measured. Despite the benefits of cloud computing and the fact that the overall adoption of public cloud services is gaining momentum, South African large enterprises are cautious in adopting the services of cloud service providers because of perceived challenges of cloud adoption. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine how do South African large enterprises assess and advance their cloud readiness and maturity such that cloud service practices contribute positively to business efficiency and agility whilst mitigating against the perceived risks of cloud computing. Method: This research employed a qualitative approach using in-depth interviews. Sixteen South African large enterprise cases were studied by interacting with respondents associated with cloud decision-making. Data were collected from specific cases, utilising non-probability sampling. Results: Reinvention of the organisation can be enabled through the advanced, integrated cloud and analytic features available through the global public cloud providers such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. A cloud maturity framework and a cloud capability maturity model to optimise and advance cloud maturity status are presented. Conclusion: This article guides information technology (IT) managers to achieve an optimal cloud maturity status level using a proposed cloud capability maturity model. The cloud framework developed in this study will assist IT managers and decision-makers to use evidence-based management principles to determine their maturity of cloud adoption.

Assessing Software Risks by Implementing Cloud Readiness and Benchmarking in the Pervasive Environments

The evolution of revolutionary computational paradigms has been witnessed in terms of the pervasive systems which not only offer evolving service portfolio but also integrated sensor data from variable sources but surfaces various challenges of data interaction, integration and adaptation. This research has been provisioned with the comprehensive focus on pervasive devices user interaction, access control modeling, identity management, trust and service discovery modeling. In addition, we also proposed a deep insight into Pervasive computing characteristics, risks, and risks models, environmental, ethical and social impacts. We have explored pervasive computing environment risk models by considering social, human and environmental risks. This state of art will create a case for developing new models for access control, identity, trust, risk management in ubiquitous or pervasive computing environments. The paper has implemented the benchmarking of smart applications by a smart tool by gathering various application and business metrices to improve software performance. This research has also implemented the cloud readiness of a pervasive power reader application for PaaS environment using a smart vendor solution. The cloud readiness score is evaluated by questionnaire qualitative information and source code scan. Various boosters and roadblocks are found out to give score to cloud readiness for any application.

Assessing Risks and Cloud Readiness in PaaS Environments

The cloud computing has utilization of pervasive or distributed models on demand access to highly configurable computing devices for fast provision and less management efforts. The complex architecture, multitenant and virtual environment in cloud infrastructure asks for risks identification and mitigation. The cloud computing model business needs reassurances so it’s prime consideration for testing the cloud services. This research primarily identifies various risks, threats, testing models and vulnerabilities in cloud computing environment. This research has implemented the risk assessment and cloud readiness for PaaS environment by scanning its code with a software vendor. The research makes an emphasis on risk minimization strategies and trust evaluation in cloud computing environment.

Migrating parallel applications to the cloud: assessing cloud readiness based on parallel design decisions

Parallel applications are the computational backbone of major industry trends and grand challenges in science. Whereas these applications are typically constructed for dedicated High Performance Computing clusters and supercomputers, the cloud emerges as attractive execution environment, which provides on-demand resource provisioning and a pay-per-use model. However, cloud environments require specific application properties that may restrict parallel application design. As a result, design trade-offs are required to simultaneously maximize parallel performance and benefit from cloud-specific characteristics. In this paper, we present a novel approach to assess the cloud readiness of parallel applications based on the design decisions made. By discovering and understanding the implications of these parallel design decisions on an application’s cloud readiness, our approach supports the migration of parallel applications to the cloud. We introduce an assessment procedure, its underlying meta model, and a corresponding instantiation to structure this multi-dimensional design space. For evaluation purposes, we present an extensive case study comprising three parallel applications and discuss their cloud readiness based on our approach.

Drivers of Broadband Connectivity in Asia-Pacific Developing Economies

Broadband connectivity continues to be an important component of a digital economy. More so today with advanced Asia-Pacific economies gradually adopting emerging technologies (such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, Internet of things (IoT), and cloud computing) for increasing productivity and welfare gains. High income countries have higher broadband connectivity access which enable emerging technologies to improve efficiency and innovation. Japan and the Republic of Korea are global leaders in access to broadband connectivity (fixed and mobile services). At the same time, these two advanced economies are also ranked highly in terms of the number of AI-related patent applications and cloud readiness (Japan was ranked 5th and Republic of Korea 7th in the world on cloud readiness) (ESCAP, 2017). Singapore’s ‘smart nation’ initiative which leverages on using technology to improve society’s welfare is effective due to majority of its citizens’ having access to broadband connectivity. As a result, the opportunities to leverage emerging technologies has significant socio-economic opportunities to Asia-Pacific developing economies. Yet, broadband connectivity continues to be a significant challenge in many Asia-Pacific developing economies. According to ITU data, 18 Asia-Pacific economies have less than 1⁄3 of their total population having access to mobile-broadband subscriptions, while 18 Asia-Pacific economies have less than 2 per cent of total population having access to fixed-broadband subscriptions (ITU, 2017). Consequently, if majority of a population does not have access to broadband connectivity, government services delivered online are effectively hindered. In addition, private sectors that rely on the Internet for delivering its core business services (such as online banking and e-commerce) will be severely constrained. Without connectivity, Asia-Pacific developing countries risk encountering a new emerging-technology divide, thereby severely hindering potential future development prospects. It therefore pegs the question, what is the most appropriate policy intervention to increasing access to affordable broadband connectivity in Asia-Pacific countries?

Status of Cloud Service Adoption in Climate Risk Country

Ghana has attained cloud readiness indices facilitating services adoption by local enterprises through brokerage firms. Accordingto Gartner group by 2015, at least 20% of all cloud services will be consumed via internal or external cloud service brokerages,rather than directly with service providers. It means enterprises must identify local cloud brokerage firms to intermediate for cloudclients and service providers. We aimed at surveying cloud service awareness among enterprises in Ghana. We performed fieldstudy using statistical tool to analyze data collected among 45-participants spread across 20 local enterprises, using purposivesampling in the selection of strategic enterprise managers located in the second largest city, Kumasi, Ghana. We employedDelphi technique involving three Information Technology experts to validate responses in reducing margin of error in the analysis.We found that 67% respondents are unaware of local cloud service brokerage firms. Alternatively, 33% respondents mentioned atleast one local cloud brokerage firm; although experts believed some did a chess guessing to have it correct. Our Delphi expertsattributed this alarming percentile to lack of policy stakeholders involvement in ensuring cloud adoption readiness. We concludedon effective sensitization of cloud computing service adoption in optimizing data center proliferation by enterprises in Ghana.Adopting cloud computing over data center helps in reducing global warming contributed by heat emissions from computingservers.

Sourcing Maturity Self-Assessment

There is a growing awareness among the institutions of Higher Education (HE) in the Netherlands that the use of cloud computing could help solve the problems arising from diminishing budgets. Focusing on core business while transferring (parts of) the institutional IT to the cloud could reduce costs and also increase both flexibility and quality. Moving to the cloud, however, is not without risk. Success is not guaranteed. If an institution is not “cloud-ready”, a cloud adventure could turn into a failure and bring disadvantages. Changing to information services from the cloud is actually a sourcing decision. What institutions really need is a mature sourcing process. SURF, the collaboration organisation of Dutch HE, is helping the institutions to make the transition to cloud services. In 2011 a “Cloud First” IT strategy was developed, which received strong support. In 2012 SURF developed a template and organized workshops to help CIOs and IT directors to formulate an institutional sourcing strategy. Commissioned by SURF, Amsterdam University published a study on the relation between the Patriot Act and Dutch and European Privacy Laws. In collaboration with CIOs and architects from the institutions a common I-strategy for Dutch HE is under development. This project will also produce common architecture principles and a generic reference architecture. And finally there is a growing interest in “cloud readiness”.