How ITIL can help in maintaining low Cloud Computing costs

If you were to interview businesses who have successfully adopted cloud models “what their top three reasons for moving to the cloud were?” you would most likely find cost-effectiveness to be among them.  Perhaps this is because cloud computing is, by its very nature, a brokered service delivered by third parties?  Well, to (further) clarify, cloud computing technology is normally provided by a vendor(s), who tends to offer use of “the cloud” via a metering system to their clients.  The standard model seems to tend toward public clouds as opposed to private ones (private clouds can be quite expensive to set up as well, which is why utilizing a cloud vendor is a much more popular route to take).

The central point here is that one of the most lauded topics in the world of cloud computing is budgetary reduction; or rather, the ability of cloud computing to trim investment costs.  It’s not that cloud computing is easier to manage or initiate, but rather that it can achieve more, with less.

For example, in a direct comparison (of energy usage) between a traditional IT infrastructure (grid computing / networking) and a cloud infrastructure, it is clear that cloud computing uses less energy than its forerunner.  This is because individual nodes / terminals / users don’t require their own extensive set of computing / storage / power / hardware (or even software) resources.  So, when individual “nodes” aren’t in use, they can be powered down or placed on standby; this is a significant cost-cutting measure as traditional IT has to constantly feed hundreds of power hungry nodes which are more or less always running.  Over time, the power to operate these hundreds of completely idle systems really adds up, translating into increased power consumption (with no possible ROI).  Likewise, having a multitude of individual systems with their own components increases the likelihood of frequent breakdowns, leading to time lost and additional labor costs.

However, while cloud computing is a much more efficient model than grid computing, it is still not without its faults.  For instance, as there is no formally established body of policies, regulations or methodologies dictating how to go about the business of establishing or running a cloud, things can become somewhat disorganized.  In other words, without some form of control mechanism in place, cloud computing can quickly generate a “spider’s web of confusion” regarding how the infrastructure operates and / or is to be managed.  This is of course why we need to employ the wisdom inherent in a working methodology collection, like ITIL.  After all, ITIL is already being used to organize and mange traditional IT infrastructure (which it has an excellent track record in, by the way), so why not cloud computing as well?

Further evidence of the effectiveness of ITIL within a cloud computing environment can be found by examining how well ITIL prepares traditional IT infrastructure for transition to the cloud.  This is to say that ITIL facilitates the preparation of elements of IT infrastructure as well as the personnel who manage them / it.  IT organizations that have utilized ITIL prior to transitioning to the cloud, (all or in part) report a much smoother experience with little-to-no downtime, and no loss of ability / service(s) to boot.  The bottom line is that ITIL is not only a treasure trove of useful information; it can also function as another layer of organization for reigning in an entire IT operation.

This of course brings us to the very important issue of IT employee training and certification; more specifically, as they both relate to ITIL and cloud computing at large.  The simple fact of the matter is that today’s IT employee needs to have a background in ITIL (to meet or exceed today’s standards) as well as cloud computing (which could soon replace the traditional IT model).   Unlike the training / certification programs of the past, today’s courses can be delivered digitally and are not only more affordable, but also better designed and compatible with a busy career schedule.

Click here for information about ITIL e-learning / certification.
Click here for information about cloud computing training / certification.

Greater efficiency leads to increased savings / profits, but achieving it requires increasing levels of organization.  In this way, ITIL can function as a gateway of sorts for establishing a more highly ordered IT operation, which in turn, increases effectiveness.  Of the various ways that ITIL is able to help lower cloud computing costs, its ability to systematize infrastructure is perhaps one of the most important.

Google stats are presented as Google Analytics. This is yet another free Google tool available for all webmasters and website owners. As what the name suggests, it is all about the statistics on website traffic.

Google Analytics allows webmasters to see a detailed picture of how keywords and ad campaigns are performing. This is important in making sure that the website is well placed. Through the stats provided by Google Analytics, webmasters can better make the websites visible and profitable. Less money would also be wasted on ads that are ineffective. Alternatively, these ads could be fine-tuned to make them effective in bringing in traffic too.

Google Analytics even provides webmasters and website owners stats about the visitors who go to the site and immediately leave. So if the site’s landing pages are inefficient they would know and they would be able to make adjustments. This way, visitors will be enticed to stay and browse around the site more. More site visitors will even be enticed to buy the products or the services offered there.

With all the details and all the information provided by Google Analytics, webmasters can be better at their jobs. The reports that the tool provides is detailed enough to enable webmasters to look into every small thing that affects site traffic. They are assisted by Google Analytics in bringing in ample traffic to websites. They are also aided by this tool to make sure that landing pages are entertaining and informative enough to make visitors stay on the site longer.

Let’s face it folks!  Cloud Computing is still growing and it remains largely misunderstood by a large segment of the consumer population.  This is not to say that many aren’t taking advantage of cloud computing in some form or fashion (often times, unknowingly), only that people seem generally confused as to how it’s different from more traditional IT infrastructure models.

Of course, those who are working within IT-related / dependent fields should have no problem identifying the finer points of how cloud computing works, or even what it seeks to change.  If that is the case then a little cloud computing training and / or certification should definitely be on this year’s list of “to-dos”.

But just because most IT professionals are more knowledgeable about cloud computing doesn’t necessarily imply that they have its best “potential application(s)” in mind.  For example, in the near future, there will likely be a big push toward monetizing cloud computing service(s) by means of marketing them to the average person.  Though it’s impossible to tell at this point what direction this trend might take, it’s probably safe to assume that it might build upon what’s currently in place.  Meaning, perhaps cloud computing services will be sold / packaged by ISP’s or tech firms, and individual companies might begin leveraging individual cloud components and delivering them in an App-like format?

Whatever happens, the bottom line is that IT personnel need to begin familiarizing (or re-familiarizing) themselves with the finer points of cloud computing and perhaps even elect for some form of certification also.  Certification might very well be one of the primary indicators that many future cloud-centric employers will want their potentials to have a strong background in (wouldn’t harm current job security either).

Alright, so we’ve established that cloud computing is likely to play a very important (if not central) role in the future of computing and networking, but how does this relate to ITIL?

ITIL is recognized as the primary reference for IT professionals regarding the establishment, operation, management, modification, and various methodologies concerning IT infrastructure.  In other words, when you have a problem with Infrastructure or need to see what the best methods are for achieving something, you go to the ITIL for assistance.  However, ITIL is also part of a generalized certification that professionals can attain, which not only boosts the look of a resume’, but also prepares one for the many real-world challenges that they are likely to face.

Cloud computing is going to continue to create challenges for IT professionals until it has been fully explored and charted (and even then, breakthroughs can occur which might very well rewrite the rulebooks yet again).  The point is, IT workers need a solid foundation of fundamentals in terms of general infrastructure-related problem solving, in addition to some form of uniting body of knowledge.  This is of course where ITIL comes into play.  ITIL has been shown to increase the effectiveness of a cloud transition while at the same time virtually eliminating mishaps (or at the very least, minimizing downtime).  Those organizations which had the insight to initiate an “ITIL protocol before attempting a cloud transition generally fare much better than those who don’t.  This is merely a testament to the organizational nature of ITIL itself, and how it imbues those who study it with a better understanding of various solutions / methodologies, including how they pertain to the IT service lifecycle itself.

But aside from current uses for ITIL (in various cloud environments), it should be noted that the group responsible for publishing ITIL is working toward a definitive version designed specifically for cloud computing, as well.  However, the thoroughness and breadth of such a methodology tome is limited to our current collective understanding and implementation of cloud computing.

In other words, we simply haven’t developed cloud computing enough, or to the extent that it can / should be, as of yet.  This is obviously changing, and at a more rapid pace than many have expected.  Not only are businesses, governmental organizations, and academic institutions embracing cloud computing, but the general population is as well, mostly in the form of email or entertainment and media-related delivery / storage systems.  Behind the scenes however, there still has to be some form of systematic organization present, especially concerning the management of software and various hardware components; this is of course where ITIL comes into play. 

The best and safest bet for forward-thinking IT professionals is to simply attain certification in both ITIL as well as cloud computing.

Regardless of the future of cloud computing, ITIL training and certification is an extremely valuable asset for virtually any serious IT worker.  Why?  Because ITIL is akin to a compendium of all the wisdom, research, and tireless work of brilliant and determined individuals regarding IT infrastructure, that’s why.

While it’s a given that we don’t really know what the future holds for cloud computing, it’s still an area of IT / computing / networking knowledge that must be explored, simply because big institutions are embracing it (and they need IT employees who understand it).  However, it has been argued by some very esteemed individuals that cloud computing is going to take the world by storm.  Either way, you have nothing to lose by devoting yourself to a cloud computing training / certification program.

Become ITIL certified!

Become certified in Cloud Computing!

What kinds of ITIL training programs are available?

A closer look at the various certification, training, e-learning materials, and packages out there for ITIL

In other words, ITIL is able to create a bridge between technological assets / personnel and ruling business interests and the desires of the entire company.

ITIL training options

ITIL Foundation
ITIL foundation is (basically) exactly what its name implies; a solid foundation in ITIL 2011.  This is such a broad subject; while foundation training might not be able to fully expose students to all the intricacies inherent in ITIL, it can certainly provide you with more than enough information in order to become a useful team member (where ITIL is concerned).  Additionally, many people will go on to become certified in ITIL foundation; employers love seeing this qualification on a resume’ too.ITIL Intermediate and Expert
Not everyone who approaches ITIL is new to the world of professional IT work; there are a large number of administrators, service managers and system managers / specialists who will also periodically update their ITIL knowledge.   At some point it may become apparent to veteran IT workers, managers or experts that they would do well to absorb everything that ITIL has to offer; this is why the Intermediate and expert pathway packages where created.  To simply say that a dense tome of information like the ITIL expert pathway package is comprehensive is a bit of an understatement.  Virtually everything you could ever want to know about ITIL is including in such a package; including lifecycle management.

If you’re ready to energize your knowledge base and career, ITIL training is one of the most sensible ways to do it.  Not only will certification and training in ITIL give you more authority on the job it will also help ensure that you remain relevant in a changing technological marketplace.  Click here to find an online course and/or certification program that’s right for you.