Most enterprises are sitting on a technology stack with layer upon layer spanning physical servers, virtual machines and proprietary hardware. Some even liken the complexity to less of a stack and more of a hairball, full of a tangled mess. The answer to harnessing this complexity and making it contribute to better business agility is cloud data.
Every answer adds to the problem. Each new technology that emerges promises to be the answer to the growing complexity problem. In reality, each innovation adds more complexity to the enterprise IT environment. It is increasingly difficult to manage, secure and make sense of the technology stack.
Some of the effects of this increasing technology complexity include the threat of vendor lock-in, costs that spin out of control, and difficulty maintaining business agility. Enterprises may recognize the importance of making quick decisions in order to meet customer expectations or improve productivity, but the reality is that change is slower in an overly complex environment.
Own the complexity. Enterprises should stop lamenting the technology hairball and learn to love it. It’s a necessary evil because each new layer of technology does add value and has a specific purpose for the business. The question is how to innovate effectively and prioritize agility within the complex environment.
Cloud data is the answer. Cloud applications aren’t the answer to complexity because they add yet more layers in the stack, but the applications also handle existing workloads and make it easier to launch new services in the cloud. At the core of this capability is data.
Cloud data is the clear way for companies to differentiate themselves from the competition. The collection, safe management, and analysis of data all require companies to move toward the appropriate processing of that data. From customer experience to process improvement, harnessing the flood of data to improve practices is key.
It’s a mistake to view data management as just another expense rather than as the power behind the opportunity to grow and innovate. Without the right perspective on the data strategy, it simply becomes more costly and time-intensive to manage. In order to make the most of data, it must be housed in the cloud and accessible for applications without risking a compromise in areas of data integrity or security.
The virtualization of the data layer maximizes its accessibility and makes it adaptable for a multi-cloud environment. Real-time management of data allows companies to integrate Internet of Things (IoT) and quickly innovate with the construction of hybrid cloud solutions. Cloud data is the answer to modern business agility.
Do you need assistance harnessing data to fuel your business? Contact us at Cloud Source, and let’s explore the potential cloud data has for growth and innovation in your organization.