Cloud Computing | Feature

Cloud Control

In the second of a two-part series, CT looks at how IT professionals can make the business case for cloud computing while addressing ongoing concerns about taking their institutions into the cloud.

• By Rama Ramaswami, David Raths, Dian Schaffhauser, Jennifer Skelly
• 11/30/11

Illustration by Anthony Freda

Given some of the hype, you could be forgiven for thinking that the cloud holds the answer to everything, even cancer. In truth, some of the claims--massive savings, leaner IT staffs, fire-and-forget utilities--should come with asterisks attached. At the same time, there is good reason to be excited about what the cloud can do for institutions in higher ed, particularly in these straitened times. For many IT shops, the cloud offers an opportunity not only to improve operations but also to align themselves more closely with their schools' strategic goals.

The cloud is not a plug-and-play proposition, however--it's a complex, evolving landscape that demands your full attention. Security, privacy, contracts, and contingency planning are all issues that must be addressed. Here in the second installment of our two-part series, CT analyzes the financial aspects of a move to the cloud, as well as potential stumbling blocks.

Table of Contents

Making the Business Case for the Cloud
Cloud Strategy: Look Before You Leap
How to Plan a Cloud Initiative
Virtualization and the Cloud: NOT the Same Thing

Don't miss part one of our series, "Diving Into the Cloud," a guide to the basics of cloud-based services and how the cloud can improve campus operations.