Cloud Computing Conceptions Clarity

by | Jan 10, 2022

Cloud computing has become a challenge for business and IT alike. How an IT application can be developed and deployed has more choices than ever before.

Cloud software and service providers always report Cloud computing costs less than On-Premises computing. Independent media sources currently report that many businesses cloud costs have been higher than expected, even more than On-Premises.

Wait, there is more: “Low-Code” software development, a visual (GUI) approach to software development, can be offered by Cloud and software providers: As advertised, visual development makes “programming” easier and faster, and so less costly.

  • Is Cloud computing more cost effective than On-Premises?
  • Does Low-Code development require less cost, per greater ease and speed, than “Pro Code” development using computer programmers?

“The cost of Cloud, a trillion dollar paradox”

  • Now, there is a growing awareness of the long-term cost implications of Cloud. As the cost of Cloud starts to contribute significantly to the total cost of revenue (COR) or cost of goods sold (COGS), some companies have taken the dramatic step of “repatriating” (back to On-Premises) most of their workloads (as in the example of Dropbox) or in other cases adopting a hybrid approach (as with CrowdStrike and Zscaler). Those who have done this have reported significant cost savings: In 2017, Dropbox detailed in its S-1 $75M in cumulative savings over the two years prior to IPO due to their infrastructure optimization overhaul, the majority of which entailed repatriating workloads from public Cloud.

“How to calculate the true cost of Cloud migration”

  • Cloud migration is a complex process. Determining the cost and benefits requires a strategic, comprehensive approach, so it is important to understand and account for all the factors that go into a migration.
    1. Audit your current IT infrastructure costs.
    2. Calculate your estimated Cloud infrastructure costs.
    3. Estimate Cloud migration execution costs.

Clarity in Cloud computing will only manifest through analysis of the unique individual IT requirements each business has. Development and deployment of those requirements requires an understanding of software capabilities. Low-Code software development offers more ease, more speed, and less cost – yet may instead obfuscate capabilities: You can draw a picture with service objects and connect them – easier, faster and at less cost for a business analyst to do than a computer programmer, right?

Low-Code development still requires at least computer programmer level knowledge to configure the objects and connections using the GUI. A business analyst does (visually) understand what objects and services are required, but not the technical details to appropriately configure them operationally: Low-Code development may have a hidden computer programmer cost.

While Cloud development offerings often contain a Low-Code development component, there are also stand-alone Low-Code development applications, not of a Cloud service itself. However, the Low-Code applications are only capable of developing client services!

Server services cannot be developed/ produced with Low-Code applications. To develop the client services using a Low-Code application, all required server services must already exist. In practice, for many business IT requirements, client, and server services both will be required. Stand-alone Low-Code development may have a hidden server development cost.

In 30+ years of business IT application development experience, the song remains the same: A level of technical research, if not preliminary technical design, is necessary during the sales cycle of a business IT solution. Knowing “If it’s possible” is not enough: “Knowing what it takes” is required to design software without unanticipated/ unwanted cost and time.

An effective solution must be based on the most cost-efficient development/ deployment methodology that meets business IT requirements. That can only be determined by technically understanding, during the sales cycle, what the existing application context is, what the new required application context will be, and how to get from here to there.

Isn’t there a common adage “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t”?

There is no substitution – no work around – no easy nor fast nor cheaper way to develop/ deploy modern business IT applications than with technical consulting. Artificial Intelligence may be making inroads with data analytics, but an engineer is still needed to design, develop, and deploy business IT applications.

Covenant Technology Partner consulting services can help bring clarity to your IT business requirements in our Cloud, On-Premises and Hybrid IT services age. We can determine the most appropriate software development platforms and tools that achieve cost/ time value to you. With the increasing possibilities of how your IT solution can be managed, let us help clarify, simplify, design, develop and deploy your business IT solutions to increase your business’ bottom-line, without surprises!!

 

For more information please contact Bill Berrigan at BBerrigan@mailctp.com