How to get the most from your IT service management provider

Table of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. What is cloud-based IT service automation?
    1. Defining cloud-based IT service automation within the context of ITSM
    2. Unique characteristics of IT clouds compared to other departmental clouds
    3. Companies running their IT in the cloud
  3. Considerations for moving to a cloud-based IT service automation model
    1. How enterprises are using IT service clouds
    2. Use case benefits
    3. Risks/downside of an IT service automation cloud
  4. Food for thought: avoiding common pitfalls
    1. Understand the limitations of cloud-based IT service automation
  5. What to consider in moving to IT service automation
    1. Considerations and preparations for moving to an IT service automation cloud
    2. Risk-benefit analysis
  6. Criteria for choosing an IT service automation cloud partner/provider
  7. On the horizon for IT service automation
  8. Summary and key takeaways
  9. About Kristina J. Yee

1. Summary

Managing enterprise IT services from the cloud has tremendous advantages and, when implemented correctly, can serve as the technological and resource training backbone for the development of a more coherent cloud management structure within the organization. But some major traps lie in wait for companies if technology decision-makers don’t do their homework.

This report examines the business requirements and criteria for IT when selecting and using a cloud service to support IT operations. It also examines what is unique to IT that requires a more agile, flexible, and available cloud than the departmental clouds used by the sales, finance, and human resource functions.

Key considerations

  • Organizations are moving to the cloud for their IT agility needs as the enterprise becomes more geographically distributed and applications proliferate.
  • IT clouds operate differently from clouds serving other organizational requirements; they touch the entire organization and should be appropriately evaluated for risks
  • It’s not just about automation; a successful IT cloud implementation requires change management and appropriate staffing and training.
  • The decentralized IT enabled by IT cloud automation will become the norm, creating a more agile, skilled, and effective IT function.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Thinkstock

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