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Cloud Services

What is cloud computing? Cloud computing is on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management or provider interaction. As the industry leading cloud consultant, Alsbridge has helped organizations leverage cloud computing to avoid millions of dollars in capital expenditure and cut operating costs by as much as 70% - all while improving the scalability of their IT infrastructure and applications. Our database of cloud contract pricing and terms enables us to perform a cloud benchmark that gives our clients the transparency and leverage necessary to make and execute informed business decisions.

Cloud services must coexist with existing delivery models, IT infrastructure, service provider relationships and internal processes. Alsbridge's data-driven cloud consulting methodology can help your organization assess the unique risks and overcome the challenges to adopting cloud computing. Our experienced cloud consultants can help you overcome the technical challenge of assessing an application portfolio and IT architecture coupled with organizational challenges around building stakeholder consensus and a business case for moving to the cloud.

Below are some triggers that indicate a need for cloud consulting assistance from Alsbridge:

• I have security, regulatory and compliance concerns with putting data in the cloud
• I'm having difficulty assessing the true business value and total cost of ownership
• I'm uncertain how to integrate cloud services with my existing technical architecture
• I'm currently being pressured to adopt cloud services, but don't know where to apply cloud first
• I get a lot of pitches from "cloud" service providers, but don't know who is trustworthy and viable
• I'm concerned with the people, process and organizational changes that will have to occur if we adopt cloud
• I'm uncertain whether we can make cloud work in our environment due to the lack of customization

Alsbridge is the industry leader in providing cloud consulting and cloud benchmarking services to the buyers of cloud services. Our cloud consultants have an unmatched depth and breadth of experience in helping clients through an unbiased assessment of their options for buying cloud services. Our cloud benchmarking database provides you transparency into the different prices and pricing structures offered by cloud providers enabling an apples to apples comparison with other cloud providers as well as traditional IT services. And, unlike other organizations, since Alsbridge does not directly provide cloud-based or traditional IT infrastructure services, we are positioned to provide our clients an unbiased view on what should move to the cloud and which provider(s) is best suited for them.

Alsbridge's suite of cloud consulting services includes:

• Cloud Alignment Workshop
• Cloud Benchmark
• Strategy & Business Case
• Risk Assessment & Mitigation
• Application Suitability Assessment
• IT Architecture & Design
• Vendor Selection
• Prototype & Pilot(s)
• Contract Negotiation
• Organizational Change Management

Cloud Consulting Methodology

Alsbridge utilizes a proven and repeatable cloud consulting methodology called CloudSourceâ„¢ to rapidly align organizational stakeholders around the selection and execution of one or more pilot projects that utilize one or more of the four basic cloud sourcing solution models. Cloud technologies provide the opportunity to turn up, transition and terminate service with relatively low start up costs enabling well chosen pilots to demonstrate the true benefits to the organization. Further, a pilot will pair a specific client application to a specific cloud solution provider or providers. The phases of CloudSourceâ„¢ are designed to educate stakeholders, identify potential pilot candidates, filter through them to select the best choices and related providers, and ultimately to execute the pilots and set a roadmap for the organizations future with cloud technologies. Every Alsbridge cloud consultant is extensively trained in our methodology and contributes to its continuous improvement based on evolving market conditions and best practices. Our methodology provides the structure for efficient engagements with consistent outcomes while allowing for the flexibility needed to accommodate each individual client's situation and preferred approach.

Cloud Provider Assessment

Alsbridge's CEO, Ben Trowbridge, is the author of the book "Cloud Sourcing the Corporation" which includes the Cloud Sourcing 100, a classification system for the leading 100 cloud providers and is available for purchase at leading online retailers in both eBook and paperback. There are a multitude of emerging players in the market each offering very different services, but calling them all "cloud". Which is viable and trustworthy? Which is the best fit for my organization? Alsbridge's Cloud Sourcing 100 Index is an independent review of the service offerings and capabilities of 100 leading cloud service providers. The content on each cloud services provider is derived from Alsbridge's primary industry research including many in–depth interviews with both CIOs and provider representatives. The system is not a ranking of the providers included, but rather is a classification system intended as a guide for identifying the cloud solution type, provider type, degree of customer control and unique features and characteristics of their respective delivery models and companies.