IIA Cloud Computing White Paper

The White Paper is available FREE to all IIA Members and is €295 for all non-members. More...

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This document is written specifically for the Irish market. A section focuses on small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) but the bulk of the document examines the benefits and obstacles of cloud computing for large enterprises.

Outline

The whitepaper was driven and shaped by market research commissioned by the Irish Internet Association in August 2009.  It discovered that 54% of respondents did not have a clear idea understanding of cloud computing; how it works and the advantages, efficiencies and savings, that it brings to Irish businesses.

One of the whitepaper’s first and notable successes the adoption of an Irish industry accepted definition of Cloud Computing, overcoming this market confusion.  This definition has been accepted and endorsed by Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, the Irish Software Association, ICT Ireland and the Irish Internet Association to be used from now on.  

“This collaboration between all the major Irish IT industry groups is unparalleled”, says Joan Mulvihill, CEO of the IIA, “Progressive and proactive steps in Cloud Computing will give Irish enterprises the opportunity to be early adopters and to drive competitiveness. This is what our working group set out to achieve and this whitepaper is pivotal to starting the commercial debate.”

The composition of the IIA’s working group deliberately included both cloud computing vendors and cloud computing customers.  By representing both perceptions and perspectives, the output is a balanced representation of Cloud Computing.  The working group comprising nineteen individuals from world leading cloud vendors like Google, IBM, Salesforce and Microsoft to successful enterprise customers like McCormick MacNaughton, elan, Jones Engineering, Kepak, have come together to share their expertise for a common goal.

The whitepaper addresses three core issues

1.   Cloud computing and its ‘fit’ for Irish SMEs.

2.   Challenges to adoption.  Namely, security, broadband reliability, performance and general commercial concerns.

3.   Interrogation of the benefits of the major selling points of cloud computing – Cost efficiency,  Globalisation,  Environmental benefits.  

“Cloud computing is a greatly but not unduly hyped innovation”, explains Gerry Power of www.ReadyDynamics.com and chairperson of the working group, “This Whitepaper has been prepared to assist businesses in the critical evaluation of Cloud Computing for their operations.  We have taken a pragmatic approach to get beyond the hype - by questioning the perceived benefits in the context of Ireland and also addressing all the major obstacles.”

The whitepaper’s conclusion is that cloud computing is a compelling IT innovation for the business community although it lacks maturity in a number of areas. The working group is confident these issues will be resolved as more and more companies trial and execute cloud applications and as new standards, particularly security standards, are introduced. It is hoped that this document delivers an element of clarity and comfort to any companies seriously considering doing business in the cloud and will act as a useful guide to reference when decisions are required.

“Cloud Business” is a free publication for IIA members or can be purchased online at www.iia.ie for €295 for non-members.

The IIA Working Group on Cloud Computing consists of the following individuals:

·         Neil Delaney, Enterprise Sales & Operations Manager, Google

·         Wayne Leone, Cloud Lab Manager, IBM

·         Cormac Keogh, Architect Advisor, Microsoft

·         Joe McNally, Sales Engineer Manager, Salesforce

·         Brian Grant, Architect Advisor, Oracle

·         Declan Kearney, MD, Supplierforce

·         Michael Higgins, CTO, Advanced Innovations, Inc.

·         Paul Norton, IT Manager, Jones Engineering

·         Suzie Walsh, IT Manager, McCormick Macnaughton

·         Brona Kernan, CIO, Irish Times

·         Trevor Dagg, elan

·         Mark Greville, Merrill Lynch

·         Don Ryan, Premier Recruitment

·         Ruari Roddy, CTO, Thomas Crosbie Holdings

·         Sean Hickey, Head of IT, Kepak

·         Paul Tully, IT Infrastructure Manager, O2

·         Lavinia Morris, IT Infrastructure Manager, Friend’s First

·         Gerry Power, Consultant, Sysco (Chair)

For more information, please contact Joan Mulvihill, CEO, Irish Internet Association.  joan@iia.ie  086 389 7552

The White Paper is available FREE to all IIA Members and is €295 for all non-members.

• Members should login and download the paper.
  
• Non-Members should Proceed to the Booking Form to have the document emailed to you.