Preparing the IT Organization for the Cloud

Published:
Briefs, Case Studies, Papers, Reports
Author(s) and Contributors:
Author(s): Debbie Carraway Michael Cato Mike Chapple Alan Crosswell Tom Dugas Bob Flynn Chad Haffenden Kim Round Miguel Soldi Oren Sreebny Steve Terry Thomas Trappler Joseph Vaughan Bruce Vincent Bill Wrobleski Gabe Youtsey Sharon Pitt
Source(s) and Collection(s):
Sources(s): EDUCAUSE Research Collection(s): EDUCAUSE Working Group Research Hub
ParentTopics:
Cloud Computing and Services Cloud Security IT Governance IT Organization IT Workforce Development Organizational Structure Risk Management Technology Selection

Cloud-based IT services are becoming a norm for higher education, providing researchers, faculty, students, and administrators alike with the tools that they need in order to do their work. But there are many challenges to cloud adoption, including transitioning the traditional IT department and IT workforce to select, adopt, and support cloud services. To help institutions understand and address these issues, the ECAR-CLOUD Working Group is developing this series of seven papers, Preparing the IT Organization for the Cloud.

Reports

Webinars — The ECAR Cloud webinar series engages the community in a conversation around the working group's publications. Recordings are linked here.

Series Information

1. An Introduction: Cloud computing has become a viable option for delivering transformational IT services in higher education, and colleges and universities are finding numerous benefits and opportunities when considering and deploying cloud solutions. However, important topics like governance, migration, integration, organizational transformation, operationalizing risk management, and user management are all critical to the success of a cloud solution.

2. Developing Cloud-Aware IT Governance: A cloud-aware IT governance strategy helps increase awareness of cloud computing throughout the organization and highlights the considerations that come with adopting cloud solutions.

3. Transforming the IT Organization: Cloud computing is making an impact in the evolution of higher education IT roles.

4. Building a Migration Plan: A migration plan allows you to better manage organizational change, mitigate risk, and maximize the financial and service benefits of moving to the cloud.
Note that this paper focuses on planning the migration; the next paper on operationalizing the cloud will look at the execution of this planning.

5. Operationalizing the Cloud: The effective adoption of cloud services requires changes to an organization's existing operational practices and procedures, as well as an understanding of the risks of cloud computing.

6. Cloud Awareness and User Support: Providing support in for cloud services presents a unique challenge for support staff.

7. Cloud on the Horizon: A look at the future of cloud computing in higher education.