How to Lead Cloud Computing and Transformation Projects

Explore the technology concepts behind the cloud, including virtualization and containerization. Compare cloud and on-premises apps to understand reliability, responsiveness, management, and different approaches to application architecture.

Trace the development of cloud computing from 1971 supercomputers to virtualization, highlighting idle capacity in data centers and how virtualization enables scalable, efficient use of CPU resources.

Explore how virtualization uses a hypervisor to partition computer hardware into multiple virtual computers, enabling several operating systems to run concurrently and share resources, the core technology behind the cloud.

Discover containerization and its role in fast, scalable cloud apps like Office 365, showing why moving an on premise monolithic app alone doesn't guarantee reliability.

Examine the evolution from on-premise client-server apps to modern cloud web architectures, powered by load balancers, containerized web servers, and pay-for-use scalability with evergreen updates and devops practices.

Identify the three cloud service types—IaaS, PaaS, SaaS—and contrast public versus private clouds. Discover migration paths and practical examples from AWS and Azure.

Learn how to manage cloud services across AWS and Azure, launch and connect virtual machines, monitor security, and use billing tools to prevent end-of-month shocks.

Analyze software deployment in the cloud, from traditional downloads and admin-controlled Office 365 installs to true cloud SaaS like Seacom, and discuss shadow IT risks.

Understand cloud security basics, debunk myths, and implement strong controls like multi-factor authentication, data sovereignty checks, risk assessment and penetration testing, and ongoing monitoring to protect cloud data.

Explore why cloud migrations fail by examining risk factors and the questions board and executive teams must ask before investing, to give any cloud project the best chance of success.

Identify common fail points in cloud migrations across general, IaaS, and SaaS projects—from capex to opex transitions to governance, performance, rightsizing, and changing business requirements.

Establish risk management across the cloud program lifecycle with governance, assurance, independent security assessments, staff upskilling, and planning for business and process changes while monitoring ongoing cloud updates.

Shadow IT refers to unapproved cloud-based systems outside security oversight, risking data silos and weak governance. Use finance-led audits, network traffic monitoring, and clear policy to deter and detect it.

Explore how a cloud migration shifts budgets from capital expenditure to operating expenditure, with transitional overlap, licensing costs, and staffing needs, while comparing gradual migrations to big bang approaches.

Assess if the cloud fits your organization, define the service mix, governance, and integration into IT. Engage stakeholders, plan authentication and security, data sovereignty, training, depreciation, contracts, billing, and auditing.

Adopt a five-stage migration framework from concept through delivery to secure strategic support for cloud projects. Understand the IT environment, minimize risks, and implement processes to manage issues during migration.

Align the cloud migration strategy with the organization's business direction, secure board and executive support, engage staff early through communication and education, and establish governance to manage risk and change.

Master discovery for cloud migration by mapping systems and networks, aligning resources to business functions, rightsizing, and monitoring user experience to plan an efficient, cost-aware transition.

Learn planning for each system in the discovery phase, choosing replatforming, purchasing, redevelopment, or retirement, and managing patching, mixed cloud and on-prem environments, with a tranche migration approach and contingencies.

Learn how right sizing uses discovery to match virtual CPUs to physical cores, manage oversubscription in the cloud, and decide when bare metal is the right path.

Execute cloud migration programs by focusing on performance testing post migration, rightsizing cloud cpu use, and exploring reserved instances to reduce costs, while discovery phases drive efficient, low-risk execution.

Implement continuous right sizing and regular monitoring to maintain performance as cloud usage grows. Use automated audit and penetration testing, plus user experience monitoring, to adapt to changing cloud services.

Explore a glossary of common cloud terms and acronyms explained in plain English, plus a hand-out of executive question prompts for any cloud program.