I would put at the top of the list the reasons and requirements for moving into the cloud, and what type of cloud (computing resources, programming environments, applications) one is looking for.

There are many ways that cloud could benefit businesses (flexibility, cost savings, instant availability, smooth scaling, leveraging specialist skills) but to build the business case and achieve the benefits, the requirements and objectives must be crystal clear.

The type of applications that you intend to run in using the cloud will also dictate the type of cloud you should be focusing on.  If you want to preserve your existing e-mail system, for example, then it will be the computing resources cloud (or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) in cloud speak) that you will be seeking.  On the other hand, if it is a new social networking channel you are seeking to establish, then it will be the application type clouds (or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)).

The data jurisdiction and data backup concerns are top of mind for most businesses, and rightly so.  But the degree of concern and due diligence depends on the type of cloud you will be using.  For instance, at TELUS, IaaS will be run in Canadian data centres and they are under the full control of the customer, so the concern is minimal.  Some of the SaaS clouds, on the other hand, can raise concerns.

Norman Sung

Senior Product Manager, Cloud Services

TELUS