AWS Cloud Adoption Framework: Key considerations for those planning to migrate to Cloud

Gartner predicts that the number of organisations spending on IT will increase as a result of the pandemic, and cloud is projected to make up 14.2% of the total global spend on IT in 2024 - a rise from 9.1% in 2020. As a growing number of organisations transition to the cloud, they are faced with the challenge of starting their cloud adoption journey. In this article, we outline the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) compiled by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and provide you with key considerations when introducing cloud transformation to your organisation.

Read next: Credera named AWS Advanced Consulting Partner in the UK

Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) by Amazon Web Services

The AWS Cloud Adoption Framework includes six different perspectives that should be considered when migrating to the cloud. Perspectives can also be described as collections of similar interests or concerns that will need to change or be addressed throughout the adoption journey. These perspectives include:

1. Business: Key stakeholders here are the finance managers, budget owners, business manager, and strategy stakeholders. The business perspective involves making sure that IT and business teams are aligned in terms of their objectives, and that finance managers and budget owners understand that migrating to cloud will mean operational expenditure (OPEX) only, with no capital expenditure (CAPEX) involved. This will enable teams to secure a budget and help them create a business case for adopting cloud.

2. People: A key stakeholder to consider here is Human Resources (HR). It is important to help them understand the impact of migrating to cloud on existing human resources within the organisation. For example, would migrating to cloud mean that the existing resources would need to be upskilled in this technology, or that some departments will need to be restructured if more processes become automated?

3. Governance: Under Governance, key stakeholders include the CIO, programme managers, project managers, enterprise architects, business analysts, and portfolio managers. A number of organisations have lengthy governance processes, with some seeing a four to six-month wait for a design to be approved. Can the organisation allow for more agile processes so that cloud adoption takes priority in the governance process? Another area of consideration here would be licences management – what licences can the organisation take with them to the cloud and which ones would need to be retired or left behind?

4. Platform: Key stakeholders within the platform perspective include the CTO, IT managers, and solution architects. These stakeholders would mainly be concerned with the compute, network, storage, and database provisioning, and any new processes required when an organisation begins its migration to the cloud.

5. Security: Within Security, key stakeholders include the CISO and IT security manager. Security is one of the key considerations when moving to the cloud, and these stakeholders will be concerned with identity access management and compliance on the cloud. The security perspective helps consider the needs of these stakeholders and identifies areas of non-compliance to plan ongoing security initiatives.

6. Operations: Key stakeholders here include IT operations managers and IT support managers. These stakeholders will need to consider the changes that will have to be brought to the current operating procedures. Will there need to be any changes to the Release Management Process due to the introduction of continuous integration pipelines? Or will the change approval process need to be altered to enable faster and more agile cloud delivery?

There are a number of considerations for organisations looking to migrate to the cloud, and so AWS has defined four implementation steps to help you define your approach and meet your cloud adoption goals: Envision, Alignment, Launch, and Realise value.

The first two steps, Envision and Alignment, can be workshop lead. Envision means establishing your main goals in migrating to the cloud with the Executive team. Once the goal is set, you can go on to seek alignment with other key stakeholders in the firm and agree on success measures and an action plan.

The final steps – Launch and Realise value – involve using the CAF to develop workstreams and bring the action plan to life. By measuring the KPIs you had set as an organisation in the Alignment stage, you can ensure that stakeholder expectations for business outcomes are met.

What are the key considerations for adopting cloud?

Cloud adoption is an iterative process and can cost organisations a lot if it is not managed effectively. The following are some key considerations if you find your organisation taking that next step to the cloud:

1. Don’t rush it: Adopting cloud involves a mindset change for any organisation. It is about winning the hearts and minds of all of the stakeholders involved and ensuring that everyone is aligned on the goals and outcomes of this transition. Concerns raised by every stakeholder must be addressed before you move on to the next stage.

2. It is imperative that IT and business work together: For a successful migration to the cloud, IT and business must have a strong partnership. IT and business will have to be closely aligned in terms of the cost, solution, and value realised through the transition to cloud.

3. Work towards building a cloud migration strategy: Organisations must invest both time and thought into a cloud migration strategy. A cloud migration strategy helps to provide foresight and direction to the things that need to be considered whilst migrating to the cloud. A contained strategy can be used as a ‘one source of truth’ for both business and IT stakeholders alike.

4. Leverage external support: Finally, cloud providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform have formulated tools and frameworks based on years of experience with their customer and partners. The AWS Cloud Adoption Framework has been set out in this article and can be leveraged via their website or through Credera’s partnership with AWS.

At Credera, we have over 30 years of experience managing highly complex cloud migration programmes. By leveraging our AWS expertise, organisations can accelerate their transition to the cloud while substantially reducing costs and improving performance.